 | Trade Rumors: No Russian to make move |
GM says Flames won't trade for pending free agent
By ERIC FRANCIS
Despite his club's offensive struggles, Darryl Sutter sees no scenario in which he'd be part of the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes he's been linked to.
"He's a star player who is unrestricted next year, so you'd have to give up players under contract for a guy who isn't -- I don't think that's a move that's in the best interest of the organization," said Sutter, who told the Sun Saturday he has no plans to do anything radical such as trading Dion Phaneuf or Robyn Regehr before the deadline.
"When you have a $7-million player (Jarome Iginla), you aren't going to be able to have a $10-million player, too."
Kovalchuk is currently a $6.4-million cap hit but is asking for $11 million annually from Atlanta, prompting a likely move as a rental player.
Sutter insists that while a lack of cap space will restrict many teams from being active at the March 3 swap deadline, it's not an issue tying his hands.
"Today, we are 17th or 18th in payroll and 22 teams are over $55 million (the cap is $56.8 million) -- not a whole lot of teams can move. For us, salaries are not the issue."
Sutter simply believes his current crew can work its way out of a funk that has the rest of the city up in arms.
Another concern many Flames have these days is the possibility of losing forward Rene Bourque to unrestricted free agency this summer.
"We've talked to Bourque and Olli (Jokinen) off and on all year, but it's not to the point we're going to talk about finalizing any sort of deal," said the Flames GM.
"I think it can be a distraction. It's not a priority."
Now more notes, quotes and anecdotes from a sports scribe who can't help but believe former Red Deer Rebels sparkplug Colby Armstrong will be a Flame by season's end.
http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/columnists/eric_francis/2010/01/25/12599561-sun.html
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| "No Russian to make move" | Login/Create an Account | 19 comments |
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Re: No Russian to make move (Score: 1)
by cam7777 on Monday, January 25
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Sutter is so sly. Isn't this exactly what he said about Olli Jokinen last year? "There is no truth to the notion that this club is looking for a big center". If anything, his denial shows that he is in fact interested in landing Kovalchuk. |
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Re: No Russian to make move (Score: 1)
by broc on Monday, January 25
(User Info | Send a Message) | Good thing he's not hitting the panic button, but the NHL is so competitive these days. Get in one bad funk of games, and you can be out of the playoff picture just like that.
Boston and Calgary are on the outside looking in... crazy.
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Re: No Russian to make move (Score: 1)
by mojo19 on Monday, January 25
(User Info | Send a Message) | If they could pull it of, could you imagine going into a playoff series against Regeir, Bouwmeester, Phaneuf, Kovalchuk, Jokinen, Iginla, and god forbid a hot Kipper on his game? Not to mention good depth behind those stars with the likes of Langkow, Bourque, Sarich, Moss, Glencross, Conroy etc.
Obviously at least 1 roster player would be involved in a trade so you can take 1 name out of there but still, that would be f**ing scary to come up against. |
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Re: No Russian to make move (Score: 1)
by mojo19 on Monday, January 25
(User Info | Send a Message) | Okay Cam and Reinjosh, how about this:
To HotLanta:
- Robyn Regehr, age 29, $4 million cap hit for 3 more seasons
- Dustin Boyd, age 22, $0.65 million this year, RFA this summer
- Greg Nemisz, age 19, needs/has entry level deal?
Calgary 2nd round pick 2010 or 2011, not sure what they have. I think the 2011 came to Toronto in the Primeau trade.... if they don't have 2010 either then make it 2012.
Atlanta would get an awesome shut down d-man in Regehr, a solid young roster player and promising prospect (plus some kind of pick).
Flames line up would be this:
Kovalchuk - Langkow - Bourque
Glencross - Jokinen - Iginla
Nystrom - Conroy - Moss
Dawes - Lundmark - Sjostrom
x - Prust, McGratton
Bouwmeester - Phaneuf
Sarich - Giordano
Pardy - Johnson
x - Kronwall
Kipprusoff
Mac-o-lainey |
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Re: No Russian to make move (Score: 1)
by cam7777 on Monday, January 25
(User Info | Send a Message) | | In other news, I just thought HTR'ers should know that I am absolutely raping the HTR hockey pool. |
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