Two years ago, at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Flames fans were caught off guard when TSN opened their draft coverage with a trade announcement.
“Alex Tanguay has been traded to …. the Calgary Flames for Jordan Leopoold” … and of course a package of 2nd round picks.
Our mouthes fell open, the Vancouver fans groaned, and we had a very different look in Calgary.
Tonight, with the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Darryl Sutter managed the safe feat only in reverse, moving Alex Tanguay instead of acquiring him.
A recent pattern in Entry Drafts under the tutelage of Darryl Sutter has been his propensity to take his first round pick, and move down a few spots by acquiring another pick. Last year the Flames moved down six spots, and drafted Mikael Backlund and then John Negrin.
This year he did the same thing but in two different deals.
First it was announced that the Flames, Kings and Ducks were involved in a three way deal that saw the Flames giving up their 17th overall pick to the Ducks, the Kings yielding the 28th pick to the Ducks, the Ducks giving up their 12th pick to the Kings, and the Flames landing diminutive leftwinger Mike Cammalleri.
A few moments later (although clearly they were both done before) the Flames unloaded Tanguay and a 5th round pick this year to Montreal for the 25th pick in the first round and a 2nd round pick in 2009.
The result? The Flames move out a player making over 5 million on the last year of his contract for a player making 3.6 million that will also be unrestricted at the end of the season. As a result the Flames move down eight spots, and free up almost 2.0 million to go shopping and fill out the top six.
The Flames were never going to resign Tanguay, they have a chance to resign Cammalleri, and they have thankfully altered the culture in the top six, something sorely needed as evidenced in the playoffs.
Tanguay was wasted on the second line, but Cammelleri should be a great speedy fit to play with the soon to be announced Daymond Langkow, and captain Jarome Iginla.
Thumbs up from this writer.
I was hoping for some cap space out of this weekend, and they’ve already found 2.0 and a great top left winger to work into the mix.
Stay tuned for more Calgarypuck draft updates.
