Matt Stajan settles in Calgary, retirement next?

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Basically, a 3rd/4th line C that everyone hoped would be more a 2nd/3rd line C, which never ever was the case.

When he first got here, he was placed on the 1st line with Iggy and the hope is that he would flourish there.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I never understood the love with Stajan on CP. In eight full seasons, he averaged 7 goals/year. He made more than $3 million most of those years.

When they talked about the lack of production from the Flames bottom 6, they were talking about Stajan.

However, he was/is absolutely beloved on CP.

It's almost like it's about the people, and not just the goals

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I never understood the love with Stajan on CP. In eight full seasons, he averaged 7 goals/year. He made more than $3 million most of those years.

When they talked about the lack of production from the Flames bottom 6, they were talking about Stajan.

However, he was/is absolutely beloved on CP.

Yeah, of course.

So what? You're completely discounting the context of those years. We were rebuilding and through that process Stajan was a consummate professional that helped the team and its young players along while doing his job and and doing it well despite everything going on in his own life.

Was he overpaid? Sure. But its not as though we were desperate for cap space at the time. Engelland was overpaid too, but he, like Stajan, was absolutely perfect for what he brought, how he brought it and when.

If we had Stajan at $3M right now then the tune might be different, but he wasnt the hero we deserved, he was just the one we needed at the time.

[Domoic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It's almost like it's about the people, and not just the goals

And maybe it is both!

Stajan arguably scored the biggest goal in the past 15 years of the franchise? (Game 6 v. Canucks in '15)

[monkeyman]

Stajan was a warrior, always went out and performed the hard jobs, killed penalties, sacrificed his body, stuck up for team mates, didn’t slack, didn’t complain, did everything asked of him. What’s not to love?

[Jiggy]

Iggy even told Lucic that Flames fans love heart and soul guys. That's what Staj was, on and off the ice. Lucic quote below.

"Then, of course, I had a really good talk with Jarome (Iginla). He told me what a great hockey town Calgary is, how much the people are behind the Flames. It's a fan base that loves seeing effort. They obviously want to win but regardless they love the heart-and-soul guys, the guys who give their all, who don't compromise, which I like to think speaks to the way I play"

[Bill Bumface]

Stajan got crapped on a ton initially when expectations as the return piece for Phaneuf were high.

I think it's after he was getting crapped on, and also demoted in his role with the team, he still kept showing up with full effort and being a positive guy. This is when the tides of perception largely changed.