30 in 30 Calgary Flames

Discussion in 'WEST: Pacific Division' started by DP, Aug 6, 2011.

  1. DP

    DP He shoots, he scores!

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    http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=585320
    In his first summer as Calgary Flames General Manager, Jay Feaster faced a conundrum.

    The Flames have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in back-to-back seasons and Feaster could do one of two things to change his team's outlook for 2011-12 -- unload some of the team's aging but talented assets and rebuild from scratch, or do a little bit of tinkering and hope the veteran core clicks for a push to the postseason.

    Feaster chose the latter, and Flames fans are hoping that commitment to the core will pay dividends.

    Entering the summer, Calgary had most of its salary-cap room accounted for, along with 10 players with some version of a no-trade or no-movement clause.

    Feaster gave the team a little financial flexibility by trading defenseman Robyn Regehr and forward Ales Kotalik to the Buffalo Sabres for up-and-comer defenseman Chris Butler and young center Paul Byron.

    That allowed the Flames to sign offensive blueliner Anton Babchuk to a two-year extension and re-sign forward Alex Tanguay to a five-year contract.

    Add that to a roster that includes 34-year-old captain Jarome Iginla -- coming off 43 goals in 2010-11, the third-highest goal total in his illustrious NHL career -- veterans Olli Jokinen, Jay Bouwmeester and work-horse goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, and the Flames believe they have a roster that's seasoned -- and ready to make a run at the Stanley Cup
     

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