Flames Jambalaya - Covering the Calgary Flames and the Abbotsford Heat

Trade Deadline Highlights

2013-04-03T21:38:00.001-06:00

A small update on the news of the day in Flames land:

First of all, the Flames send Comeau to the Jackets for a fifth rounder coming back to Calgary.

Kipper's refusal to report

The biggest news of the day came early as Kipper decides to say no to the Leafs. You can tell Kipper battled with this choice and finally decided to stay. I really appreciated the class of Feaster coming to the defense of Kipper. He is hoping the fans do not hold it against Kipper and reminding everyone where this franchise would be without him. Kipper is still not making his mind up on what he is going to do next season.

2nd biggest story: 25 teams calling Glencross

Obviously, the Flames have made a commitment to Scarface (an affectionate nickname which I will never understand). I found this a little surprising, since he probably could have brought the biggest return. I guess it comes down to the Flames deciding to build around him.

Flames sign prospect goalie Reto Berra

The Flames are really excited about the young prospect, liking the fact that he is a great positional net-minder. They also feel they have the two best goalies not to play in the NHL. Who would of thought our goaltending tandem would be Ramo and Berra; but that is where we are.

Flames want no free rides

No excuses. Feaster has no patience for mailing it in. The Flames will be a hard-working team and they owe it to their fans to be so.

Extra cap space an asset

The Flames will be active in the off season. While other teams will be having to make decisions on getting down the cap, the Flames will be able and willing to take some of their players. This is why it was such a huge asset for the Blues to take the whole cap.

Randy

Jay Bouwmeester Traded

2013-04-01T20:54:00.001-06:00

BREAKING NEWS

Jay Bouwmeester traded to the St. Louis Blues.

The Calgary Flames trade NHL iron man leader Jay Bouwmeester and his $6.680 mill cap hit to the Blues for Mark Cundari, Reta Berra and a 2013 first round pick. It must be noted that if the Blues miss the playoffs this year, the 2013 first round pick turns into a 2014 first round pick, also the Blues would add a fourth round pick.

This trade brings the Flames to potentially having three first round picks in this year’s draft, and we still have deadline day to go. After the trade Feaster went on SNET & FAN960 radio to share his thoughts and answer a few questions. In the interviews he made it known that he is not done and said “we are open for business”. Trade rumors continue to circle around guys like Glencross, Kiprusoff, Tanguay, Stempniak and to a lesser extend Cammalleri.

Turning back to the trade, the Flames get two guys that we know very little about. Cundari is a steady defenseman who plays an “in your face style” game. Cundari is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Reta Berra is a Swiss goaltender (Baertschi will be happy) who Feaster said is one of the best goaltenders outside of the NHL. We heard similar praise about Ramo after the Cammalleri deal last year. Let’s hope he is correct on both guys.

Stay tuned as more trades are likely in the forecast.

Jarome Iginla Has Been Traded

2013-03-28T08:44:00.004-06:00

Iggy Leaves to Get His Cup

After a whirlwind of rumors and speculation we find out late on Wednesday that the Flames had traded Jarome Iginla to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In Exchange the Flames acquire Ben Hanowski, Kenneth Agostino and 2013 first round pick.

Neither Hanowski nor Agostino are elite prospects and many will argue if either of them will make the NHL at any point. Agostino is a left handed winger who has been scoring more than a point a game the last two years for Yale University. Hanowski is a right winger who plays for St.Cloud State, sounds like Hanowski has some size and is more mature and ready than Agostino.

Only time will tell if the return is worth anything. But when you trade a guy like Jarome, the return will never replace what he has brought to the fans and the organization.

Thank you Iggy!

Reload or REBUILD?

2013-03-22T20:59:00.000-06:00

Did you notice I put rebuild in capitals ? My pet peeve with this organization is that every year we go for broke so we can get eighth. Every year they fall short, and they ruin their chance for a good draft choice.

The Flames core, simply put, did not get it done. We have a lot of pieces that could build a bright future. A bright, future is whole lot nicer than a dark and dreary present and no future. We can't afford to finish ninth or tenth and miss out another top 10 pick. If you are not going to make the playoffs, you might take your losses and get out of town.

The pieces include:

Iggy

A leader, a power forward who can carry a team on his back. Several teams would be interested in his services. A first pick, and a prospect at least.

Jbo

Probably the Flames' best asset, a minute eater, and best offensive defencemen this season. Easily a first round pick, and a great young defenceman to build. What makes Jbo so valuable is that he still has another year left in his contract.

Scoreface

Leading scorer, cheap with a touch of grit. What makes him so enticing is his cheap contract. A $2.5 million contract is a steal. We could easily get in a bidding war for his services. I can imagine a couple of prospects and a number one pick.

Kipper

I still feel he is one of the best in the game; he thrives on pressure and plays with the best. I would think they could get a cheaper goalie with a second rounder, which the Flames so badly need.

I could go on but a future with three first rounders would hold a bright future. It would also give some cap relief in the off season. So yes, I am strongly in favour of a rebuild.

But not everyone agrees with me. Here is another opinion from Mike Walsh:

If I was running the Flames, I would never, ever intentionally rebuild. The only time I would rebuild is if it was forced upon the franchise, this is what happened up in Edmonton. They were hit so hard with injuries that they decided to blow it up. So, I would retool.

The Flames do have some attractive pieces that should be able to fetch a good return at or leading up to the deadline. I could list almost every single player who should or could be moved but it is much easier to list the players that should not move. I wouldn’t move Jay Bouwmeester unless the return is something they absolutely cannot turn down. I wouldn’t move Dennis Wideman, he has some shortcomings in his own zone but his work with the puck, particularly on the power play is something this teams has seen in a long time. I wouldn’t move Jiri Hudler. He is so incredibly smart with the puck and is rarely knocked off the puck. Despite becoming injury prone, I’d give Mikael Backlund another chance. He was well on his way to what appeared to be a breakout season so give him another chance. I think I’d hold on to TJ Brodie as well. He is developing nicely into a top 4 guy, Wideman has been a great mentor for him. All other are up for grabs.

In my ideal dream world, I trade Giordano for younger forward, preferably a center. I then turn around a flip Glencross for a defenseman. I put Comeau on the block and if there are no takers, I waive him.

So what do you think?

Let's make a deal!

2013-03-12T15:36:00.001-06:00

I found the second fan blog segment very entertaining, as we asked you to play General Manager, and gives us your best Iginla-to-Pens proposals. There has been so many Iggy-to-Pens rumours, I thought I would ask the fans what they think we could get for Iginla.

Here is what I consider best from the submissions we got:

From John and Shaun

Thinking Beau Bennett, Olli Maatta, and a first.

Two solid prospects and a first. I really like this package, it gives us a starting point. If the Pens were to offer this, I would be very happy to receive this. Beau Bennett is the typical power forward. I like his ability around the net, maybe in a few years he can replace Iginla. Maatta is a solid defenseman with good size and good hockey sense. He has tons of potential, and is a good solid package.

From Matt and Frank

Despres, Beau Bennett, and a first round pick - which I think is fair value.

I like this package because of Despres, a solid defencemen with Beau Bennett who has been getting a lot of ice time. He is a solid forward with a lot of potential, I still like the Bennett and Maatta offer a little more, although Despres is a play-now offer. The Flames do need a solid young d-man to come in now.

From Terry

Flames need a second round pick. So, first, second (conditional on re-sign or cup), Brian Gibbons, Derrick Pouliot.

I would love the Flames to have Derrick Pouliot. He is a solid d-man with loads of potential. Gibbons, a Centre, might fit into the Flames plans very well, as we are very weak down the middle. Two solid pieces, plus a first and a second conditional would be great, if the Pens would give us this much.

Stealth

I won't be at all surprised if it's Kennedy and a first, possibly another prospect.

Kennedy would be a nice addition to the Flames. He could be inserted into the line-up right now. The first round pick is a must. Also, getting another prospect would be nice for our depleted prospects. A pretty fair option, which I think the Pens would be willing to do.

Deren

Letang, Bennett, Morrow, and a first for Iginla and Nemisz.

If the Pens would do this, I think I would go screaming with delight in the street. I would also vote Feaster for Prime Minister, despite him being an American. I love Letang; he is one of the best today, Also, getting rid of Nemisz would be an awesome benefit.

Then there is the comment I got from a Pens fan:

Dee

I'll give you the Pittsburgh perspective. It’s gonna happen. But we don’t know what will happen. We are interested.

There you have it; everyone knows the Pens are interested, it is only a matter of whether we we can put the packages together to make both parties happy.

I myself would love to get Bennett and Maatta from the Pens. It would an awesome beginning for a rebuild.

Rebuild or reload: Part One

2013-03-04T17:07:00.001-07:00

Today's blog is part one of two: Should the Flames rebuild or reload. We have been telling people we are a fan site, so I felt that I should put my money where my mouth is. As a result , I thought it was time for the fans to have a sound off.

Bryan Murphy ‏

Rebuild is required. I want to be heard.

When the past shines better than there present or the future, you should know it's time to rebuild.

This seems to be the most frustrating for the fans. Why is the most obvious option only obvious to the fans and not to the Flames? The Flames refuse to believe this team cannot win the Stanley Cup. They go through this every cycle every year. Thanks, Bryan. Bryan is a great fan who has always been a great support.

Terry

A retool/rebuild can happen IF the Flames trade Iginla, Kipper, & Bouw this year. Re-sign Iggy in off season & run with Ramo.

Terry also had another solution; Plan C: Getzlaf.

Terry, I really believe this is the way Feaster is planning to go. I like the addition of Getzlaf, a solid first line centre. He has all the tools to be one. Great insight, Terry

Wess

Yes, ownership and management need to know we won't accept or support this team anymore without change. Rebuild like yesterday.

Wess added on why he wanted to be heard: Maybe if enough fans show they support a rebuild, the Flames brass will move forward.

Wess added a comment that I thought that was insightful, bringing the ownership into this. I feel they have a stronger say in this. I think that they feel there is no money in a rebuild. Just maybe everyone needs to change their thinking. Get a little more open minded. Ownership should listen to their fans.

Primlar ‏

Primlar said they should have blown it up four years ago.

Fans have been wanting this for years, Primlar is not alone. Fans have been telling me this all season, hoping over and over that someone will listen to them.

Cory

Major changes need to happen and it starts with Iggy and Kipper. It's time to move on. Cory adds: hope Ken king and Feaster read this.

Obviously Cory is not alone. The core of this team has not got it done. Our prospects cupboard is bare and has been bare for some time. Here is another person hoping the Flames management is listening

Shaun

Yes; not a year down but do need to change this mediocre culture of success. We have heard it for 2 years now, yet realistically, improvements that need to be made have not been made.

Shaun, you're making some good points. I wrote a blog just recently called the "stupid cycle" about the Flames going over the same mistakes over and over again.

Another Shawn:

There was another Shawn who just plainly said "rebuild". He has said this to me several times recently. He, like other fans, is very frustrated with this team.

One of my best friends described the problem in a nutshell: When Jackmen and Begin are your best players, that should tell you something right there about this team.

Several other fans have made comments to me: Why is the youth like Crevenka being benched? Why is Sven on the fourth line? Why is it when we have a great prospect we misuse him?

I am sure there are fans out there who want to reload; but they have not come to me. These fans feel the Flames need to change direction. I am just not so sure management and ownership have the patience to do so.

This a part one of "Rebuild or Reload?" We will be doing a Flames panel on the same question.

Avalanche Match Offer Sheet

2013-02-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

OFFER SHEET THURSDAY PART TWO

BREAKING NEWS:

During the first period of the Flames vs Avalanche game, the Avs announced they have matched the Ryan O’Reilly offer sheet.

A bold move by Feaster but one that will not result in a young centre man coming to Calgary. Now we wait to see what else Feaster may have planned.

Feaster find a center

2013-02-28T16:07:00.002-07:00

OFFER SHEET THURSDAY

A Thursday that started with the Flames making a trade; Piskula for McGrattan followed by Feaster throwing an offer sheet at Ryan O’Reilly. Oh, and Ryan O’Reilly accepted the two year offer sheet. As a result the Colorado Avalanche have seven days to match the deal. It is a two year offer, 5 million the first year and 6.5 million the second year.

If the Avalanche do not match the offer, the Flames would give up their 1^st round and 3^rd pick. Depending on where you think the Flames will finish this season, the compensation is very reasonable to acquire a 22yr old established center. Also, if the Avs match the offer, they will not be able to trade Ryan O’Reilly for one year. Avalanche had expressed that Ryan’s days in Colorado were numbered…

O’Reilly registered 55 points in 81 games last year with the Avalanche.

Clearly this is Feaster trying to address a dire need and what better way than to go after a young center that will fill a massive hole for years to come.

Now we wait and see what happens.

The Amnesty Clause

2013-02-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

It is never too early to plan ahead and the Flames should preparing for two issues right now. The first is The Amnesty Clause, a interesting new clause put in the new CBA. It gives the Flames a couple of options they wouldn't have otherwise. Should they use it, and if so, who should they use it on?

This is intertwined with whether or not they should re-sign Iginla, and of course which direction the team is intending to go next season. This will be answered by the trade deadline depending on whether the Flames are in the hunt or not. For example, if they are within 4 or 6 points of a playoff spot, I really do not expect team to send their Captain packing. But of course if they are long out of the race, that is a whole new ball of wax. Seriously, is there a real need to keep Iggy if they are out of the playoffs? Why not trade the captain and his $7 million for cap relief in the off season? If the Flames decide to go this route, they may very well take advantage of the Amnesty Clause and do some buyouts.

Let's see; if I was Jay Feaster and decided to use the Amnesty Clause, who would I trade? I will mention the most obvious options for the buyouts. Iginla is not an option, being an RFA at the end of the season.

1. Mike Cammalleri

Mike has been playing very well, arguably on the best line of late. So far, he has 5 goals and 8 assists, which projects his season at 13 goals and 21 assists. That would not be not that bad, rounding off to $461,000 a goal. His 13 assists work out to be rounded off to $285,714 an assist. Now strictly financially, that is not too impressive, but you have to look at his other values. Cammy is a +-3. The team is a minus 8 at the time I started writing the blog, putting them 26th in the League. He has one more year on his contract, making the buyout more economical. In reality, I really don't think the Flames will use this option. Use Cammy as trade bait or to build the team around for next season.

2. Jiri Hudler

At the beginning of the season, Jiri was one of the best forwards on the team, coming up with big play after big play. So far, Jiri has 4 goals and 6 assists this season, which projects his season totals to be 11 goals and 16 assists. Which rounds off to $363,636 a goal. His assists round off to $640,000 an assist. To me, Jiri has been the best
forward on the team most games. I would never consider him a option. He also has 3 more years of $4 million a year cap hit, making it an expensive buy-out proposition.

3. Matt Stajan

At the beginning of the season, I will be honest, I thought he would be a perfect option for a buyout. But of late, Matt has been one of the best forwards on the team. On one side, he is financially very friendly towards a buyout with only one more year at $3.5 million per season. His stats are 3 goals and 6 assists, which projects out to be 8 goals and 16 assists. Which rounding off, works out to be $437,500 a goal. His assists work out to be $218,750 dollars an assist. Matt is one of the best penalty killers on the team, and has been outstanding in this area. Again, at the beginning of the year I would said he as good as gone; right now, though, it is a lot harder.

4. Alex Tanguay

Alex is the best play maker on the team, there is no doubting that. His $3.5 million cap hit is quite cap friendly for his contribution to the team. He also has three more years after this season, making it a rather expensive buyout. So far, he has 6 goals and 10 assists, which projects his season to 16 goals and 27 assists, making him the top point getter on the team. His goals work out to be rounded off $583,333 a goal. His assists turn out to be the best bargain at $129,629 an assist. Alex leads the team in so many ways. With how happy I am with his play, there is no way he gets bought out. Unfortunately he may be a piece in the rebuilding process if the Flames go that route.

5. Curtis Glencross

Curtis has curbed his antics this season and has become more mature. His stats are 7 goals (which I think leads the team) and 4 assists (which does not lead the team) His season totals are projected to be 19 goals and 11 assists. His goals work out to be $131,578 a goal, which is the best bargain per goal. His assists turn out to $227,272 an assist, which is one of the best totals again. Curtis also has 2 more years at $2.5 million per season. Again, I would keep Curtis as a piece to do a rebuild around. The only way he goes is by his asking.

5. Lee Stempniak

Lee has been a very pleasant surprise this season. He has done extremely well with Cammy and Glencross. This season so far he has 5 goals and 7 assists. That projects out to be 13 goals and 19 assists. It works out to be $285,083 a goal. His assists is the best bargain now at $75,021 an assist, which beat Tanguay's total. Stemp also has 2 more seasons at a $1.4 cap hit, which is one of the best in the League. That should answer your question on what I think.

Now on to the best options on using the Amnesty Clause on defense:

1. Jay Bouwmeester

Jay has been the best defenceman on the team this season. He has rarely been caught of position this season. Judging on his play, I would never consider it. Now judging on his cap, which is $6.68 million this season, may be he is an option. His points so far this season are 3 goals and 7 assist. That works out to 8 goals and 19 assists for the season. Which works out to be $835,000 a goal. His assist totals turn out to be $351,578 dollars an assist. The only factor that says he is a candidate, is the fact that if the Flames want to clear his $6.68 million cap, he may very well be easier to trade.

2. Dennis Wideman

It is not very likely that the Flames would use this option, as Denis has three more years at $5.25 million a season. Denis has been a inspirational leader on this team all season. His offensive totals so far 3 goals 7 assists, which projects to be 8 goals and 19 assists, the same as Jbo. That works out to be $656,250 per goal. His assists work out to be $276,315 an assist. Which makes him a bargain compared to Jbo. No way do the Flames use Dennis as a buyout. Too expensive of an option.

3. Mark Giordano

Mark has struggled this season. He has not been the strongest of late. His season totals are 1 goal and 2 assists. A projected 3 goals and 5 assists for the season, which is really disappointing for Mark. I am sure he will improve. Right now he is costing $1.3 a goal and $804,000 an assist. Mark has been solid defensively. He might be a good candidate for a trade. As a buyout, he still has a little over $4 million for the next three years. I am not so sure the Flames would eat that much money in a buyout.

4. Anton Babchuk

Just buy him out already. Seriously, he has only played 2 games and scored 1 assist. Either use him and see what he can do, trade him, or buy him out. His projected totals would be 0 goals and 3 assists this season. Making him $2.0 million per goal and $667,000 an assist. Easy buyout.

In my opinion, the best buyout options are Jbo and Babchuk.

Randy

Flames MAKE A TRADE...

2013-02-25T17:30:00.005-07:00

Flames make small trade with the Flyers.

Monday afternoon the Flames sent Mitch Wahl, former second round pick to Philladelphia for 26 year old winger Mike Testwuide.

Testwuide has been struggling in the AHL this year but brings some physical play. Mike Testwuide was never drafted and has yet to play an NHL game. However, he has seen some success in the AHL as the 6’3” winger did score 18 goals with the Adirondack in 2011.

Simply put, Wahl never fit in to the Flames organization. This is a trade to add some depth to the Heat. Perhaps Mike Testwuide can benefit with a fresh start and regain his aggressive game with the Heat.

Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

2013-02-20T21:46:00.003-07:00

As I write this blog, I dread watching the Flames game as they host the Kings tonight. The main reason is because they are the most frustrating team in the league.

They continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. The difference is there is no Kipper to bail them out. To make it worse, even when Kipper was there, he was not bailing out this team. With shaky goal tending and all the mis-cues this team is making, who is really surprised they are simply bad every second game.

It would not be so comical if this was a new problem. Year after year, forwards not skating; defense pitching in at the wrong times; players giving up half-way through the game. This team continues to take time off; in fact, if they worked in a office, they would be fired for taking too many coffee breaks. Or maybe shabby work, messy work area, and mass confusion.

The Flames are changing lines constantly, in complete disarray. They remind me of a dysfunctional family; no-one knows their roles, they are running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

The leaders are leading this team in the wrong direction. There are new leaders on this team in Hudler, Wideman, and Cervenka. They lead by by example, trying to cut down on the coffee breaks. What bothers me the most are the silly penalties received out of pure laziness, hooking instead of taking that extra stride. And the selfish ones -- the refs always catch the second one, so stop hitting back.

As long as the players take the easy way out, they will not have success. As long as there is mass confusion, they will not have success. As long as there is coffee breaks, they will not have success. As long as there is no success... <sigh> I will continue to dread watching these games.

Randy

Iggy, Iggy, where art thou?

2013-02-12T16:10:00.001-07:00

So there has been a lot of calling out our Captain. The main problem I have is that he has not played with his heart. I can forgive the slumps and the mistakes, but cannot forgive the lackluster effort of this team. As captain of this team, Iggy has to lead by example.

I am not even worried about his numbers. He does not have to lead this by numbers; we have other players: Hudler, Cervenka, Stempniak, and Glencross. He does not have to hit everyone in sight; we have
Jackman, Jones, Sarich, and Begin to fill that role. He does not even have to be be our fastest skater; we have Glencross or Comeau to do that.

So what do we need from our leader? We need his heart. The Flames need him do his job. Iggy of late has been invisible. We need to see the Captain show some emotion. Previously, whenever we needed a play or a hit, a shift, or the big goal, Iggy would be the one to do it. Lately he has been a no-show sometimes and has played well at others. He just has to be there all the time.

The Flames have been guilty of not putting teams away. We have to bury chances and put the teams away. If the Flames want in, they have to bring the heart back in. The leaders have to lead and the followers will follow. Paging Mr. Iginla!

This and that:

Kipper is gone for at least two more weeks. The Flames are showing us why they claimed MacDonald, a move which gives us 49 player contracts. We have four goalies and 8 dmen; both numbers are rather high. So what happens next? Here are my wishes. (Only my personal thoughts, not inside info.)

1. Simply please pick up a Center. The Flames are a little weak up the middle. My preference would be Brassard from the Jackets.

2. Get a winger with some grit. We need a ***** disturber. Someone to get the stars off their game. We need a player like Prust who will go to the limit for his teammates.

So there is my wish list. What is yours?

Joey MacDonalad -- What could it mean?

2013-02-11T16:07:00.000-07:00

Joey MacDonalad -- What could it mean?

Most people seem to think there is a trade coming. I am not necessarily of the same opinion. The waiver claim of the Red Wing vet seems odd, and it begs the question: "Is Kipper's injury long-term?" The Flames have denied again and again that the injury is serious, but why else would they sign MacDonald?

I understand that people have jumped to the conclusion that there must be a deal in the works, but think -- in reality, what assets are the Flames really willing to trade to get some value? Their assets are slim, outside Iggy, Gio, Kipper, JBo, and Glencross. And the only way one of those players are going, is if the Flames are giving up this season. I think it is a tad early to do that.

Unless the Flames are willing to trade Sven or Brodie, upon which I would personally lead a mob to the 'dome, the only other players to consider are:

Tangs, who would bring a decent return, but he has been the best forward on the team,
Cammy, but no-one would be willing to take that contract on, and
Lee Stempniak, but without him the Flames would not have any offense at all; taking his 5 goals away would lead to the Flames losing every game for the rest of the season.

On the defense, the Flames have 8 roster spots, a tad too many; but again, the problem is that four of them are pretty much untouchable, There is no way the Flames should be willing to part with Wideman, JBo, Brodie, or Gio. The defense is the foundation of this team; we can't just trade the top four. Even though we have a very strong top four, our depth in the system is... well... weak. Sarich is a soldier of epic proportions. Smith is adequate at best. These players could get us mid-level picks or mid-level prospects. The best asset we have seems to be Chris Butler, who I feel is a solid young stay-home dman who still has tons of potential. Chris could get use a solid third line centre who would be a number 2 centre on this team,

Packaging Butler with one of the untouchables may very well get us a 2 line centre, but the problem is that we would still have 4 goalies, which really leads me to think that the Kipper situation is more serious than people think. Unless the Flames are shopping Butler and Irving as a package. Right now, who would be willing take a gamble on Irving, who is the last year of his contract and has not proven himself?

As I am writing this, TSN Bob McKenzie is tweeting that Kippper is skating and if all goes well he could play on Wednesday. Which begs another question: "What does that mean to Irving's position? Can the Flames actually be giving up on him after 2 games?" There are many questions. People are waiting, but it does not necessarily mean that there is a trade imminent.

Sven - top 6 forward, yeah or nay?

2013-01-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Before I get into days flames panel, let's chat a little. I guess I chat and you read. A couple of concerns I have:

1. Flames handling of Iggy contract extension

There have been lot of Iggy rumblings lately; on whether to sign him or not. Feaster said he did want this to be a distraction. Well, guess what? The longer they do not sign Iggy, the stronger the rumors get. Which will make it a bigger distraction. Which will kick Iggy in the butt to motivate him to play to his best abilities. So Jay is causing a distraction by putting the signing off.

2. A backup goalie

This has to be handled soon. Or are the Flames planning on playing Kipper a full 48 games? To add to the problem, if Kipper goes down, Irving is the only goalie. The other two in Abbotsford have AHL contracts only; at least, I thought so.

On with the Flame panel question.

Should Sven Baertchsi be given top 6 forward minutes.

This is one of my greatest pet peeves. Seriously fourth line minutes? As far as I am concerned, you might as well send him back to Abbotsford, because you are derailing any progress Sven will have.

How do you expect him to succeed with fourth line minutes? He needs linemates who can add to his skill. Everywhere he has played, he has been a star. Right now what is the message the Flames are giving him? A wake up call? That is garbage; he was the best forward on the ice. If you are not going to put him on the top 6, at least put him on the third line.

Right now, you are saying Sven is muckler or a disturber. Okay then. Right now Matt Sajan is getting more minutes than Sven. Sven got a little over five minutes of ice time. Yeah, that makes sense. Someone please explain that to me.

Mike Walsh:

In my opinion, he should not be in the top 6 but he should be in the top 9. Sven should play 3^rd line minutes but see significant power play time. Based on this year, 4 games, here are the Flames top 6 forwards: Tanguay, Iginla, Glencross, Backlund, Cammalleri and Stempniak. You can’t really argue with those guys right now except maybe Cammalleri who has struggled early this season. A big factor his struggles was when he was moved to the opposite wing when playing with Backlund and Baertschi. Stempniak has been real good so far this year. Having Baertschi on the third line could form the all Euro line for the Flames, if they played Sven with Hudler and Cervenka. But will the Flames have Cervenka play in the middle? He didn’t in his first game.

Sven’s first full season is going to full of learning curves and opportunities up and down the lineup. If he wants more minutes and to play a more important role, force the coaches to give you more time and better line mates, not easy when you are stuck playing with Jones and Comeau.

Dearen Tiest Van de Velde

There is so much excitement around this young Swiss forward and rightfully so. He is a skilled young prospect who has great hockey sense and shows up every day with a smile on his face. He is believed to be the guy who takes over the face of the franchise once Iginla moves on or retires.

His junior stats and short time in the AHL where he recorded 18 points in 21 games, point to a future star. But in my opinion he is not a top 6 forward in the NHL. Not yet anyway. The Flames are deep on the wings and have plenty of guys who can play in the top 9, including Baertschi. Before Cervenka and Hudler got in to the line-up, Baertschi got some top 6 play time. He looked decent, didn’t register a point and was a minus player. But he showed glimpses of what is to come and I think we should all be excited.

Now, with Cervenka and Hudler being in the mix, perhaps it is time to move Baertchi to the top line in the AHL and let him continue to develop. Fourth line duty and playing 5 minutes per game is not where I want Sven to be playing.

On the Calgary Flames today, Sven Baertschi has not proven to be a top 6 forward. And with the depth up front (you can argue the quality) he does not fit on the top two lines of the Flames. He has not been given the opportunity and games to show he is a top 6 guy. Unless something changes quickly, I don’t think he will see that opportunity any time soon.

Today Sven Baertschi is not a top 6 forward. But I believe he will be very soon. A shortened season may result in Sven not getting the chance he should unless the Flames fall out of the playoff picture fast.

I am trying to involve the fans in the column by asking one fan per week for their response. This was Regan's answer:

Regan

I think they should give him the chance again to be on the top two lines. It's hard to learn or get better with 9-12 mins on ice

2013-01-07T18:17:00.002-07:00

Camp Roster and More

With the belief that the Flames training camp will open Saturday January 12, 2013 let’s take a look as to who may be part of that camp.

Projected players coming to camp: *subject to change

Goaltenders- Kiprusoff, Karlsson & Irving

Feaster stated that he plans to only have three goalies in camp. But rumors have it that Barry Brust has garnered attention by other teams who would like to sign him to an NHL deal. Perhaps, the Flames should beat them to the punch and burn a contract on the tender.

Defensemen- Giordano, Wideman, Sarich, Brodie, Babchuk, Smith, Bouwmeester, Butler & Carson.

No surprises here. Guys like Breen and Piskula will remain with the Heat. McCarthy may get a call to come to camp on a PTO. In my opinion, Carson, Smith or Babchuk will be pushed through waiver before opening day- if not traded.

Forwards- Iginla, Tanguay, Cammelleri, Backlund, Hudler, Cervenka, Baertschi, Jackman, Stajan, Glencross, Stempniak, Jones, Street, Horak, Comeau and Byron.

Only strange name here is Street. The Flames brass has been impressed by him and Feaster stated that Street had earned an invite to camp.

Question Marks- Kolanos, Begin, McCarthy and Aliu

Kolanos has had injury troubles and has not played that well when he has been healthy. He will likely remain in Abbotsford. Same goes for Aliu. But considering the Flames may need some grit. Aliu may just be told to come to Calgary for camp.

Begin was given a PTO back in the summer. However, Feaster did not confirm that they will indeed still honor that try out.

Will Baertschi play with the Flames during this 48 game season?

Clearly the fan base thinks he will be. He played some games up with the big club last year, and did well. Some question remain if there will be a spot in the top 6 for him. If not, is it smart to ask him to play on the bottom six? Perhaps the answer will be to have him on the third line with a lot of power play minutes.

Leadership will need to pay off. We have a shortened season with a 5-7 day training camp. All that, plus a new coach with a new system. We know that the Flames haven’t consistently bought in to coaches’ systems over the past few years. If that is the case this time around, it will be a rough 48 games. I hope veterans like Iginla, Giordano and Tanguay can lead the rest into buying and executing a game plan. Bob Hartley and the coaching staff have very little time and will lean heavily on the players to push each other along.

I am intrigued and excited for training camp to begin.

Why oh why?

2013-01-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

How many of us remember where we were at 3:25 am Calgary time this morning? I, for one, was fast asleep. For the hockey world, it began a new world. Let the season begin and the hockey fans rejoice.

With the rejoicing, the questioning, and huge questions there will be.

The first question: How many games does Kipper play?

That depends on whether it is a 48 game schedule or a 50 game schedule. If it is 48 game schedule, Kipper plays 48. guess how many he plays in a 50 game schedule? Seriously, he has to play 40-45 games. If he doesn't, he won't be eligible for the first pick next season.

The biggest question I had for Jay Feaster: Are you crazy? Jay will be questioned on the signings of Wideman and Hudler.

Why did we pay Wideman over 5 million a season?

Mostly because our powerplay sucked. Let's face facts: it was beyond terrible. With Wideman the Flames pick up a dman who can be a powerplay quarterback. He has decent puck-moving skills, which the Flames desperately need. Yes, he was expensive, but other owners would have given him at least $6 million.

Why did the Flames pay Hudler $4 million a year?

Simply put, we needed a top-6 forward. Our top 6 were weak last year. We could not score last year. Even if Hudler scores 5 goals, he will triple our offense. Hudler would not be a top-6 forward on most teams, and paying $4 million for a third line forward is a reprehensible.

So going into the season, there are a lot of question, and with them, some anxiety.

Should the Flames trade Iggy?

Only if they are rebuilding. Because that is the statement they will be giving their fans. Iggy has said time and time again that he does not want to go, and he should not go.

My thoughts:

This lockout has taken its toll on the image of the game. The owners and players have made complete fools out of themselves, having complete mental breakdowns and temper tantrums and not speaking for weeks at a time.

What was really distressing to me were the players' comments on Twitter, especially if you disagreed with them. I am very disappointed in the way the players and owners handled themselves. This season wasn't saved, it was almost lost. There there is a difference. It was a total farce, and it was embarrassing that it went this far. The biggest losers in this mess were the fans, who had no voice in the negotiations.

Randy

2013-01-06T09:22:00.001-07:00

NHL Hockey Is Back

After 113 days, the NHL & NHLPA have agreed to a new CBA. No schedule has been released. Also, we do not know when the season will start just yet.

Here are some of the details:

- The players' share of hockey-related revenue will drop from 57 percent to a 50-50 split for all 10 years.

- The league coming off their demand for a $60 million cap in Year 2, meeting the NHLPA's request to have it at $64.3 million - which was the upper limit from last year's cap. The salary floor in Year 2 will be $44 million.

- The upper limit on the salary cap in the first year is $60 million, but teams can spend up to $70.2 million (all pro-rated). The cap floor will be $44 million.

- The 10-year deal also has an opt-out clause that kicks in after eight years.

- Each team will be allowed two amnesty buyouts that can be used to terminate contracts after this season and next season. The buyouts will count against the players' overall share in revenues, but not the team's salary cap.

- The salary variance on contracts from year to year cannot vary more than 35 per cent and the final year cannot vary more than 50 per cent of the highest year.

- A player contract term limit for free agents will be seven years and eight years for a team signing its own player.

- The draft lottery selection process will change with all 14 teams fully eligible for the first overall pick. The weighting system for each team may remain, but four-spot move restriction will be eliminated.

- Supplemental discipline for players in on-ice incidents will go through NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan first, followed by an appeal process that would go through Bettman. For suspensions of six or more games, a neutral third party will decide if necessary.

- Revenue sharing among teams will spread to $200 million. Additionally, an NHLPA-initiated growth fund of $60 million is included.

- Teams can only walk away from a player in salary arbitration if the award is at least $3.5 million.

More details will emerge in the coming days. As for the Flames, they do not seem to have any cap issues at the moment. However, it will be interesting to see if the Flames use one of the buyouts at the season’s end.

I hope the fans are ready!

GO FLAMES GO

Flames Panel: Keep or Trade JBo?

2012-08-07T21:26:00.001-06:00

Today panel is on whether the Flames should trade JBo. This is an ongoing question since the Wideman trade. Before I ask my good friends Dearen and Mike, I thought I would give my own opinion on this question.

Reasons Why They Would Trade JBo

NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR WHAT YOU ARE GETTING

Most people with his cap hit are scoring in bunches; most stay home defence do not get his cap hit. A good stay home Dman .

The biggest complaint is that Jbo does not get involved in the play enough; he needs to know when to pitch in. His defensive game is very good, but seems to have hindered his offensive game.

FLAMES NEED A NUMBER ONE CENTER

This problem has been here since the beginning of time. The Flames have not had a major number one center since the 90's. At this time, their number one man is Cammy, who is not even a center.

Reasons Not to Trade JBo

JBO IS A MINUTE EATER

Lets face facts -- the Flames used Jbo for every situation; he was a steady influence on the back end. He is basically a 1A dman. Some people have even put him ahead of Gio. He was good for over a 20 minutes a game. The Flames need him for his minutes. If they trade him, they do not have the manpower to make up for his ice time.

FLAMES LACK OF DEPTH.

The prospect pool is not as deep as it used to be. We do not have the prospects ready to come up right away. We had to use Butler as a number 4 dman. If we do this trade, he would be a number 3 moving up in the depth chart.

My Choice

My choice would simply be with keeping JBo. I really do not like weakening our defence. We do not have enough scoring to make up for the loss of JBo. Though I do agree that we need a number one center, the need on the defensive end is greater.

Now it is time for Dearen's reply.

Flames Panel: Keep or Trade Jay Bouwmeester?

For me, this is an easy answer. Keep Jay Bouwmeester. We all know I have not been pleased with his performance in a Flames uniform. But the reality is that in my opinion, his trade value does not make him worth trading.

When Wideman was acquired and signed, a lot of people saw the writing on the wall. But did we really expect Wideman to come in and replace Bouwmeester? I sure didn’t. Wideman was brought in to help the power play and provide some character in the dressing room. There is no way Wideman is even remotely as good of a defenseman as Bouwmeester. Plus, Wideman’s skating is sub-par and can’t be relied upon to be a top guy defensively.

With all that said, I like Wideman and I believe he does make the Flames a better team. Wideman was brought in to improve the team and take the pressure off Bouwmeester to perform offensively. I just can’t see Feaster moving JBo for a couple of average players and weakening our defense core.

Unless Jay Feaster can get a top 4 d-man plus a prospect in return, I would not look to move Bouwmeester. We don’t have cap space issues as of right now and frankly, our team is better with Bouwmeester on the roster. I believe that if last season Chris Butler did not have to play top 3 minutes and we did not have the Giordano injury, the Flames would have been a playoff team. Jay Bouwmeester and the addition of Dennis Wideman give us a solid top 6 and a better chance to win. It allows Butler to play a little less, and play where he should.

Feaster continues to preach “win now”, and trading Bouwmeester does not go with that mentality.

Dearen's Verdict:

Keep Bouwmeester . . . for now.

That is a major point, Dearen. The Flames need to get a top 4 dman back, and I really don't see the Flames getting a top dman and a center back. We just do not have enough depth. Great answers, buddy.

I also asked for Mike Walsh's opinion.

Should the Flames trade Jay Bouwmeester?

I imagine that this is not an easy decision for Jay Feaster. On one hand, Bouwmeester has underachieved and has never really lived up to his contract, a Sutter contract, a move that was considered a major coup at the time; and has really become a whipping boy for the local fan base. But then there is the other side: if you move Bouwmeester, you are not likely to replace him with another top 4 defender and get another major piece to help your team with in the now.

It is clear, and has been clear, that this organization will not go into a rebuild, so the Flames moving Bouwmeester for picks and prospects is not going to happen. Feaster likely wants a first round pick, a top 6 forward, and maybe even a younger blue liner who has the potential to be a top 4 guy right now. The problem I have with that kind of move is that it would weaken the Flames' blue line significantly. I don’t mind the blue line the way it is right now. I think you will see Wideman and Gio paired together, Bouwmeester with Butler again this year, and then Brodie with a combination of Sarich, Smith, and maybe Babchuk, although I do believe Babchuk will be gone by the time the season starts. It is not a great blue line, but better than what they finished with last year.

Back to my comment on Feaster likely wanting a top 6 forward: I believe that the organization wants a legit number 1 center. In my opinion, the Flames cannot acquire a true number 1 center. They simply do not have the assets to get one via trade. Bouwmeester is not worth a number one center. He would likely get a 2^nd line center, plus another asset, but is it worth the loss on the blue line?

I say keep Bouwmeester and go into camp with what you have right now. They have to get production from Cervenka and Backlund this year. My surprise for the upcoming season is Matt Stajan, who I believe will rebound under Bob Hartley.

I like your comment that the Flames don't have the ability to pick up a center. They really don't have the assets. Great comments Mike.

Flames update

2012-07-30T11:16:00.003-06:00

Breaking news - I have been told that the Wings offer for JBO is Jonathan Ericsson, Valterri Filppula, and a late round draft pick. I am not too sure on the pick ; all we know for sure is that it is a late rounder.

The problem with the Flames' side is that Filppula only has one year left. The Flames want a commitment from him before the they make the deal.

The problem with the Wings' side of the deal is that it is contingent on the Wings losing out on Yandle. The Wings' priority right now is Yandle. The other key factor here is that Jay Feaster is in no hurry to trade Bouwmeester. They don't need to and Feaster won't trade him until Feaster gets what he wants, period. Additionally, Ericsson has not yet waived, and the Wings can't move until he has.

Value Signings & Bouwmeester Rumblings

2012-07-15T17:20:00.005-06:00

Value Signings and the Bouwmeester Rumblings

With the NHL free agency signings slowing down, could there be a value signing in store for the Flames?

I know we have just over three million in cap space remaining and we have 23 NHL players signed so one can think that Feaster and the Flames could be done for the summer.

Feaster continuously brings up the words “trade” and “improve”. Of course if he can improve this team through a trade he will do so, and no I do not mean trade Jay Bouwmeester. A lot of rumblings have been circling since the draft that JBo is being shopped by Flames management. True or not, JBo will not be traded for the sake of making a trade. Plus his value is not as high as most fans seem to believe it is. The rumors of Edmonton offering Gagner and a pick for him are bogus. Reality is a JBo trade would look more like the Regehr deal unless we add more to entice the other team.

And why would Jay Feaster make a trade that weakens the team? Especially when this team is trying to win and ownership has instructed Feaster to remain competitive. Eitherway, regardless of what you believe when it comes to rumors some of them are pretty hilarious and entertaining.

Last year Feaster signed Hannan late in the off-season. And for one million bucks Scott Hannan ended up being a valuable part of last year’s team. I believe Feaster could have something similar in store this year. I know we have multiple players signed but competition and depth come camp is something Bob Hartley believes strongly in. Let’s take a look as to who could be that value signing this year.

Daniel Winnik- Right handed shooter that could fill an important role in our bottom six. Winnik is an aggressive penalty killer who plays up tempo game. Winnik has shown he can score the odd goal and seems like a good guy in the room. Reports are out there that he was asking for an annual salary of around $2.25 million. Obviously that cap hit will not intrigue the Flames but with free agency moving along and teams focusing on guys like Doan & Semin. Perhaps Feaster can add him at a more reasonable price.

Dominic Moore- Last year was not a pretty one for the Ontario native. But I would take him on my team. Great character guy who plays hard and can win the odd face off. Moore has bounced around a lot in his career which could be a bad sign. But Moore is one of those guys playoff teams love to add. Moore has scored 18 goals in the past, but I do not expect that again. I would take Moore over Stajan, Jones, Bouma and Backlund to patrol our third line center position. Perhaps a guy you can sign to a one year one million dollar deal.

Kurtis Foster- I’ve always had a soft spot for him so you can take this as me being biased. Big right handed shooting defenseman who was originally drafted by the Flames back in 2000. Foster has had many downs in his career which has limited him from becoming a solid top 4 guy. Again a guy who you can probably sign to a one million dollar deal who when healthy could help in many areas. I know we have 9 one way d-men but do we really expect Carson, Wilson or Babchuk to be part of the big club come October? I don’t.

These are just my thoughts and ideas as to how we can still improve this team by way of valuable signings without hog tying ourselves. Plus if Feaster does make a trade like he keeps saying he may, this could close a hole if one is left by a veteran guy leaving for youth.

On a side note: interesting to see Mike Green (local guy) turn down an extension by the Capitals. I will be keeping an eye on that.

Small update on Jbo.

2012-07-11T17:57:00.001-06:00

The Flames may not be shopping Jbo, but that is not stopping the list of teams from knocking at Jay's door. So far, we have heard there have been inquiries from the Wings, Flyers, Blues, Isles, Bruins, and of course you have to add the Oilers.

Mr. Feaster continues to tell everyone we are not shopping Jbo, but you have to wonder if Jbo's days are numbered. On a curious note, the Oilers offer will not come until they talk to Jbo. They, of course, will first have to ask the Flames if they can talk to Jbo!

Appearantly, they want to make sure he will waive to play. They are the first team to go this route. The other teams are confident he would. The Oilers are kind of gun shy.

I did some checking into this and was told Jbo was not interested last time they asked. The Oil showed interest before, but Jbo declined. They seem to think the young playes could persuade him to waive.

Fouthperiod.com have been told several teams have shown interest for Jbo's services. So if you were GM, what would you do?

What the Flames don't want you to know

2012-06-28T19:41:00.000-06:00

I was going to do a blog on the Flames needing a first line Centre, but a little trade happened yesterday in the Stampede city. That seems to have gotten the Flames fans’ danders up. The Flames have acquired Dennis Wideman from the Washington Capitals in exchange for minor leaguer Jordon Henry and a 5th rounder in 2013.

This sure has gotten the ire of most Flames fans. Yea, there is much gnashing of teeth, many threatenings, and some have even come to question Feaster’s mental stability. Behold, there is much wickedness among the Flames fans, threatings of crashing down the doors of the Saddledome. You might say they are not happy.

Some people seem to remember that Feaster said there would be no “No Movement Clauses” handed out. Yea, people have come to call him a smooth talking lawyer, who has two tongues. Yea, people have gone a little too far, even calling him a politician.

Yea, the ire of the fans doth not come with the trade, it comes with the $5.25 million and the NO MOVEMENT CLAUSE. (I had to capitalize that to make it look important.)

So my sources had to go undercover to get some classified documents. Yea, these classified documents are the Calgary Flames Bylaws. It seems these documents clearly point out that we must sign all new players with NMC clauses and give them exorbitant amounts of money, and do the belly dance. Once in a while, the dance turns the players off, so the management now brings in authentic belly dancers instead of Jay actually doing the dance. (I am using big words to make myself look important.)

The owners did a lot of research before they added this clause into the by-laws -- they asked 5 people off the streets -- and found the only way they can get people to come to Calgary is to give them a whole bunch of money. The no movement clause was put in to make it look like the players want to stay. Good image. We have worry about what the people think nowadays, you know.

So now that we have Wideman aboard, Jay can try to make a trade. Oh wait; he can't, because everyone seems to have a NTC/NMC. The Flames are researching to see how this happened. We will get back to you with their findings.

Randy

Flames + Wideman = $26.25

2012-06-27T14:09:00.000-06:00

Feaster says “expect moves” and he delivers.

Flames acquired the rights to Dennis Wideman for Jordan Henry and a 5^th rd pick. Then the Calgary Flames announce they have signed the 29 year old right handed defenseman to a 5 year $5.25mill deal.

Right after that the Flames also announce they have re-signed Blake Comeau to a 1 year $1.25mill deal. The money is right and the term is good for Blake to prove his 20 goals was not a fluke.

But let’s get back to Wideman. His stats show he is not afraid to shoot the puck and QB a power play. Clearly the Flames needed to get better on the power-play and add a right handed shooter. Well they have taken that step and did so before other teams could get their hands on Wideman. Dennis had 46 points last season. He is not a defensive guy, and let’s not pretend he is. In his career he is a -39 but average almost 0.50 points per game played. Clearly he will be paired with someone like Gio, a reliable guy who can allow Wideman to be offensive when needed.

Money and term in this deal is what most people will talk about. 5 years is a long time and 5.25 million is a lot of money. But with the weak UFA class and the Flames needs to improve this team, this is a good deal. He is 29 not 34 years of age. Wideman was going to be highly sought after and likely would have received slightly more on July 1^st.

Don’t forget James Wisniewski got 6 years at $5.5mill per season last year from Columbus.

Jankowski it is!

2012-06-22T22:06:00.000-06:00

Flames draft Mark Jankowski from Stanstead Quebec Prep School. Flames made this selection after trading the 14^th overall pick to Buffalo for the 21^st overall pick and the 42^nd overall pick.

Jankowski is a prospect that is going to take time. He is a project. Some fans will be angry and some will be eager to see what Mark Jankowski becomes. I believe if this is who Flames management and scouting staff felt was the best prospect available outside of the top 10, then I will support the decision.

Jankowski was asked who he models his game after. He responded saying “I like the way Malkin plays”. This came after Flames management said “he looks like a young Nieuwendyk”. Comparisons are easy, remember Kris Chucko? Needless to say, we are going to have to be patient. Mark Jankowski will likely take 3-4 years before he can potentially crack the Flames line up.

Jankowski played hockey against the weakest competition compared to any other first round pick. Now he will go to the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL. We will quickly find out how he handles better competition and he will have an opportunity to grow and gain experience rapidly.

The Jankowski selection makes it two consecutive years where Randy Workman guessed the players the Flames would draft. It shows you how Randy (@thefanblogger) is not afraid to make a bold educated prediction. He clearly did his homework and had some inside info. Well done Randy!

Flames will select in the second round due to the trade they made. Pick number 42 now belongs to the Flames. Stay tuned to Flamesjambalaya for your Flames news.

2012-06-15T20:43:00.005-06:00

Flames Panel Draft Style

Today I want to pick the brain of Randy. Last year Randy picked Sven Baertschi as his choice and who he believed the Flames would draft. So let’s see if he can do it again!

Obviously, the mentality come draft day, has changed with Jay Feaster being the GM. Last year he added skill with Baertschi & Granlund while securing a stay at home defense man in Wotherspoon, from the Portland Winterhawks. Feaster was forced to trade Erixon to NYR which allowed for Wotherspoon and Granlund to join the team’s prospect cupboard.

I have a few questions for Randy before we ask him for his pick as the Flames first round draft choice.

Randy will be basing his selection on the Flames remaining in the #14 selection spot.

Randy, does the signing of Roman Cervenka (signed one year deal) affect at all who Feaster and Button will select?

ANSWER: No, not all, Dearen. The Flames still want a playmaking centre. Roman is not signed as a number one centre. This does not change what the Flames will do at all. Feaster knows the Flames are weak down the middle.

-I agree Randy. Plus Cervenka is only signed for one year and who knows how he will adapt to the NHL game.

TSN has Craig Button, the brother of our head scout Todd Button. Craig has stated that he believes the Flames will draft Radek Faksa, a skilled centre from the Kitchener Rangers. Randy, does Craig Button have some inside info? And what are your thoughts on Radek Faksa? Keep in mind, last year Craig Button stated the Flames would draft Zach Phillips.

ANSWER: I've met and talked with Craig a few times. I trust Craig Button as a hockey insider. He has quite a few contacts. Faska is a very skilled player. I like his ability with the puck. He is a great passer and has great potential. But I don't feel that he is the best centre for the Flames.

-Many centers are projected in the first round. So Faksa may not be the centre they pick.

I know some believe Griffen Reinhart or Matt Dumba could be around come pick #14 (although I highly doubt this). Is it at all possible Feaster will draft a defenseman in the first round? Perhaps Cody Ceci or Lampus Lindholm?

ANSWER: The only way the Flames would draft a defensemen is if Reinhart was still there. Which won't happen, Reinhart is just too gifted to still be there at pick #14. The Flames' top priority is a playmaking centre.

-I agree that Reinhart will not be available. Yet for some reason, I feel the Flames will draft a d-man.

Randy, which prospect will slide down the table? Some reports indicate that Alexander Galchenyuk could be that guy.

ANSWER: Mikhail Grigorenko, Center (Quebec). His attitude seems to be a problem. Scouts have really backed off with this kid. He has all the talent in the world, but does not have the attitude to go with it. I am surprised at the value drop of this prospect. He is, in my opinion, the best skilled center in the draft. If he continues to drop, the Flames might very well grab him.

-Interesting…although I believe his skill and size may be too much to pass on if I was Montreal. Matt Dumba’s name keeps being tossed around at different numbers by scouts. Perhaps the stud from Red Deer drops out of the top 10.

Here we go, Randy -- who should and who will the Flames draft with the 14th overall selection in the 2012 NHL entry draft?

ANSWER: The Flames really might trade down. Outside the top 10 picks, the Flames are seeing much drop in talent between numbers 11 to 25. The only way the Flames don't trade down is if one of Dumba, Reinhart or Grigorenko is there. But in my opinion there is no way any of those three will still be there at 14.

In the real world, the Flames' best option, if they don't trade down, is Mark Jankowski, and he is my pick. The problem is; he won't be there. He is a terrific centre, who has the potential to be a number one centre. If they do trade down, look for them to go after Zemgus Girgensons. Zemgus is a skilled offensive centre, who needs some help with his all-around game. He is not a complete player yet, but has the potential to be one. I just think the two Quebec centres have more skill than Faksa.

I should also tell you that from what I have been told, the Flames really love Henrik Samuelsson, and would love to get a 2nd rounder to draft this kid. He has tons of ability to make the big play. Henrik has some dazzling moves, and the Flames love his grittiness.

-There you have it Randy has selected Mark Jankowski from Stanstead. Last year he picked Baertschi and this year he has chosen a centre man to go along with Sven.

I on the other hand will go with Cody Ceci from Ottawa. If available, and I believe there is a high chance he will be at 14; he is too good to pass up. Explosive puck moving defenseman with size (which he does not yet know how to properly use) and could be a power play QB. He has been compared to a Brent Seabrook & Brian Boyle. I see him being more offensive than Seabrook.

Couple more twitter predictions from Flames fans:

@mwalsh20 – Mike also picks Cody Ceci for the Flames if they stay at #14.

@cecilekayce- Kayce believes the Flames will select C Radek Faksa at #14.

@justinbeatty777 – Justin was stuck between Faksa & Maatta and decided to go with D Olli Maatta.

I want to thank Randy for taking the time to once again give us his insight. Last year Randy hit the nail on the head and this year he goes with a bold pick. On Friday June 22 we will find out who the Flames draft with their first round selection. That’s if Feaster decides to not trade away the pick. There are some rumblings out there that the 14^th overall pick is available.

Only time will tell.

GO FLAMES GO