It’s been a rough couple of days for Calgary Flames fans. Not only has their captain and franchise leader in goals, points, and games played, been traded, but they got absolutely ripped off in the deal which saw him leave town for the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the NHL Trade Deadline only 5 days away, teams are making the decision of whether they are buyers or sellers. Clearly the Flames, and general manager, Jay Feaster, have decided this year they will be sellers, which officially starts the beginning of a rebuild out in stampede-country.
Jarome Iginla’s name had been rumoured to be leaving Calgary for the past couple weeks, and after he submitted a list of four teams he would accept a trade too, it was almost a guarantee the Flames’ captain would be on his way out of Calgary before April 3rd. On Wednesday night, TSN and Sportsnet insiders, as well as twitter feeds were reporting that Calgary had accepted a deal in which Jarome Iginla would be traded to the Boston Bruins for a conditional first-round draft pick, Alexander Khokhlachev, and Matt Bartkowski. Everyone went to sleep envisioning Jarome Iginla wearing number 12 in black and yellow for the rest of the season. However, when everyone woke up the next morning, it would not be the black and yellow of Boston, that Iginla would be donning, but the black and yellow of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yes. In what seems like a last minute, last-ditch effort by Penguins general manager, Ray Shero, Iginla was traded to the Penguins in an astonishing turn of events. The Calgary Flames received a first-round pick, and NCAA college prospects Kenneth Agostino and Ben Hanowski.
I know what you’re thinking…who the hell are Kenneth Agostino and Ben Hanowski. I thought Jay Feaster had gone on record asking for a first-rounder, a prospect on the verge of signing an entry-level deal, and a significant roster player for Jarome. Aside from the first-roudner (which remember, will be fairly low because the Pens will finish in top 10, if not top 5 in the league), they got nothing they wanted in those two players. I understand they are young, ‘promising’ (even though no one has heard boo about them) prospects, but this is ridiculous. The Flames could have had Khoklachev who is a sick player. The Russian kid has shown flashes of brilliance for the Russian junior team. Bartkowski has already played a few games in the NHL and has shown some great potential. Yet, the Flames received what seems like a bag of pucks for Iginla.
This trade reminds me of another deal the Flames made with the Toronto Maple Leafs back in January of 2010. The Leafs acquired Dion Phaneuf, Fredrick Sjostrom, and Keith Aulie for Matt Stajan, Nicklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers, and Ian White. Damn the Leafs stole Phaneuf in that one! Look what happened here. The Pens stole Iginla!
The Flames have been a team that everyone had expected to start rebuilding. The past couple of years, Jay Feaster was adamant that his team was a playoff team, and that they were buyers come the trade deadline, and that they were a few pieces from being real contenders. Well what the hell happened to that? (that’s sarcastic, don’t answer)
If Jay has actually started a rebuild, he’s totally ruined it. A player of Iginla’s calibre is not given up for two average prospects and a low first-round pick. Even though Jarome had the last say on where he wanted to go, the least Jay could have done was bring a little more back from Pittsburgh. Instead, Jarome decided to leave for Pittsburgh, Jay missed out on a soon-to-be Russian superstar (if not already one), and Jay received practically nothing in return. This deal may have been done out of frustration and wanting to deal Jarome to hush the media about when the rebuild was going to start and when Jarome would be dealt. Even if it was done out of frustration and in a rush, Jay still messed it up.
If the rebuild has begun, the next player to go is goalie Mikka Kiprusoff. He has already gone of the top saying that he would not report to a new team if he was traded. However, if Jay really wants to rebuild this team, he needs to get rid of Mikka and bring something HUGE (and I mean a big fish) back in order to make up for the Iginla deal. If he isn’t careful with what he does, he will get ripped off again.
But if I’m Flames ownership, I think it’s time to send Jay on his way. This Iginla trade is too big a mistake to let slide. I’d rather the Flames fire him and get someone in there quick, who may have a better solution to the rebuild, and may be able to get a better return for Mikka than Jay will. If Jay stays, he better do something quick to fix the problem and get the rebuild back on the right track. If he doesn’t, Jay Feaster may be on his way out come seasons end. As Bob McCowan put it today on Prime Time Sports on the FAN 590, “If another trade ever happens like this in our lifetime, the GM should not only be fired, but executed.” Amen, Bob. Amen.
Eh Sport 360 