Brian Burke on Prime Time Sports

[sureLoss]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/b...rental-player/

summary when asked about what the Flames need to do at the trade deadline:

• could use a winger that can score but we will be getting Versteeg back so that fills one need
  
• we don't have a lot of picks, we are not picking until the 4th round so we can't use the deadline to pick up a rental player with a relatively high pick and we are not going into next year's picks
  
• our '18 picks are gone and we aren't using our '19 picks for rentals unless it is an extraordinary circumstance
  
• we have some good young kids that people are after in Stockton
  
• we need a winger that can score and we are going to get him back (referring to Versteeg)

he also talks about how he works with Treliving and if you need that explained again you can listen/watch the link

[Brick]

They need another big young fast skilled winger that can score.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by Brick

They need another big young fast skilled winger that can score.

Burke just said that...

[dissentowner]

I am not confident Versteeg is that big influx of scoring we need.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I am not confident Versteeg is that big influx of scoring we need.

Even if he helps us have an average PP ill take it.

[blender]

He really brought an edge and was dangerous in the playoffs last year.

He will help the team.

[1qqaaz]

Good, those are the points that I wanted to hear from Burke.

Calling Versteeg the savior is a little much, but the rest I can get on board with.

[Brick]

I like Versteeg but he's on the wrong side of 30.

The Flames need another long term piece because some of them haven't worked out.

[Looch City]

"Also, we need Brouwer on the PP. He is vital to the survival of this entire franchise."

[Nelson]

[dammage79]

Sounds like they're gonna dip into the prospect pool to get someone. I figure if Janko is rutting out, it may be best to send him back to Stockton and get rolling again. Affords the flames a roster spot to add a more stabilized presence. While keeping the depth going strong in Stockton .

[bubbsy]

I'd be fine with Versteeg being the new winger in the fold. My issue is that at his age, with the kind of injury and amount of time away, I think it's completely unpredictable regarding what playing level he'll be at.

I do like that they are basically no touching their picks at this deadline.

[Lanny_McDonald]

If Versteeg is the winger that is supposed to make a difference, this team is going no where. The Flames need another proven scorer. Versteeg ain’t that player.

[GranteedEV]

Versteeg improves our power play and our third line, but I worry our fourth line will go back to being a blatant liability with Brouwer back there instead of Hathaway/lazar. It's always a catch 22 with this squad.

[Toonage]

Are we comfortable with this lineup post deadline?

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett-Jankowski-Lazar or Bennett-Jankowski-Versteeg
Versteeg-Stajan-Brouwer or Lazar-Stajan-Brouwer

Are they?

[Textcritic]

I think “comfortable” is relative in this instance. The Flames are probably comfortable enough to approach the TD with great caution, and hope for the best in the post season. But this is clearly still a work in progress beyond just this year. Yes, they still need scoring on the wings, but that is likely not to be resolved until the summer.

That lineup should still win a playoff round, and if they get on a roll at the right time could go beyond that. It is a hell of a lot farther than “nowhere.”

[GreenLantern2814]

We don't have the assets to make a big rental acquisition. The sort of player we're likely able to acquire is Versteeg calibre anyway. May as well just roll with our Versteeg - 2x cup winner, lots of deep playoff runs on top of that, with decent puck skills.

Can't ask for more than that from 3rd line depth.



I

[Toonage]

The problems with rolling the dice on Versteeg are that
1) They don't know what they'll have with him when he gets back. This wasn't a minor procedure. Best case scenario, it takes him a few weeks to get back up to speed. Worst case? He doesn't.
2) They may not get him back until after the deadline. They won't have an answer on Versteeg one way or the other until its possibly too late.

[schteve_d]

With a long layoff and hip surgery, we'll be lucky if Versteeg can get back to full "game shape" this season at all I think. I really question that he can come back and be the scoring winger we need this season.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by blender

He really brought an edge and was dangerous in the playoffs last year.

He will help the team.

Swept.