The Calgary Flames added a winger and subtracted one during
the first round of the NHL 2008 Entry Draft, acquiring winger Mike Cammalleri
from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the 17th overall pick,
and dealing veteran left winger Alex Tanguay to the Montreal Canadiens for the 25th
overall pick.
Cammelleri was rumored as a trade candidate during the past
week and for good reason given his contentious contract talks last summer with
Kings GM Dean Lombardi resulting in a two-year contract through arbitration for
less than he sought.
His current contract worth $3.35 million has one year left, giving the Flames time to determine
if they want to re-sign him this summer for more, or see how well he plays for
demanding head coach Mike Keenan and make a pitch during next season.
Cammalleri has 80 point potential, having achieved that
total in 2006-07 but fell off to only 47 points last season. With the Kings
have plenty of depth in young scoring forwards he became expendable, in this
case for a 17th overall pick which was then flipped to the Anaheim
Ducks along with the 28th overall pick for the 12th
overall pick.
The Flames however had to make salary room for Cammalleri
and that meant moving out Alex Tanguay, who surprisingly agreed to waive his “no-trade”
to facilitate a trade to the Montreal Canadiens for the 25th overall
pick in this year’s draft.
Surprisingly, because Tanguay last season repeatedly stated
he wouldn’t waive his clause to go to Montreal , citing the intense pressure
French-Canadien players feel playing for
the Canadiens.
Evidently the pressure of playing for Mike Keenan another
season in Calgary was enough to change his mind. By dumping Tanguay to Montreal
and taking on Cammalleri’s salary Flames GM Darryl Sutter saves himself nearly
$2 million in cap space which could be used to re-sign a key player or perhaps
pursue some depth via the UFA market.
Canadiens GM Bob Gainey has repeatedly stated he wants to
acquire an impact player and hinted of dealing his first round pick (25th)
in this year’s draft to do so.
Tanguay is a skilled offensive winger whose offensive stats have fluctuated throughout his career. He should post up strong offensive
numbers with the speedy young talented Canadiens, but he’s not considered an
impact player.
It’s a bit of a puzzling move for Gainey, adding another
finesse player into a roster already loaded with those kind of forwards, not to
mention the huge cap bite his $5.25 million salary for next season will take
out of the Habs’ salary cap.
Either Gainey is still shopping for that elusive impact
forward (he’s been granted permission by the Toronto Maple Leafs to speak with
Mats Sundin’s agent) or Tanguay is the best he could get.
Well I understand the move Lombardi made here but I just want to ask. You go public during the draft and say Lubo is on the block too. If you put that many 18 19 and 20 year olds on the blueline we will win the Viktor Hedman/John Tavares sweepstakes.
The Tanguay deal is a gamble. It chokes the cap if you want to add Sundin and adding both pushes someone down the depth chart. I counted Ryder as gone a long time ago, now you can add Streit. I would think Higgins would be the compensation for Sundin, because next year Mr. Gainey would have Higgins and Komisarek to sign. I doubt Sundin would come for only one year, so Tanguay, Kovalev and Koivu would need to extended also - just not enough money to do it all! But, the man does have options!
Simply dealing away Higgins to Toronto so they can sign Sundin seems a little steep a price to pay. Higgins and Komisarek have til next year to figure out their contract demands. Pittsburgh has the same scenario with Staal! I strongly doubt that Gainey will give up a top 6 forward and one of his best 2-way players to sign an eventual UFA before July 1st.
Lets not forget Higgins has the CH tatooed on his heart!
Remember this rumor was started by a T.O. journalist with lots of wishful thinking. If they do deal away Higgins, It'll be for a lot more than that.
Other rumors claim that Mtl will give up a second rounder plus a prospect like Mikhail Grabovski. I see that as more plausible.
Last edited by Cup_Junkie on June 22nd at 11:28 AM.
As usual, a totally befuddling move by Gainey to add a short term boost to an offense that is tops in the NHL. I imagine that Gainey refused to pay a fair price for an impact player like Jokinen who would have given Montreal All-Star size and skill up the middle. Instead, Montreal pursued their regular offseason strategy of obtaining a struggling dangler.
Sundin is a win now option for a team that may not yet be ready to win. And yet, somehow if this gets Koivu off the first line, it finally gives Montreal a fighting chance. Though, if the price is Higgins, I hope the deals falls through.
At least Gainey was consistent about making the team even faster.
Typical Kings, As soon a player is coming up on his prime, let him go. One more of a thousand reason I ask myself, why am I a kings fan. The owners don't want to win. The only goal is to make $. I don't have to support it. Hockey is a passion for me not a business.
30yearfan:
How can you claim to be a Kings fan and be shocked by this move? Cammalleri has made it known that he was going to test the FA market after this upcoming year unless he was given a BIG contract by LA. We have an abundance of young talented forwards, so moving him to shore up our defense is a logical move. Yes, it does make us VERY young on defense, but talented D-men who can move the puck are what we need.
yepitsme I am well aware of the kings history and that he want more $ that they were not willing to give. You go ahead and buy into the same line of #### with the young talent bs. Cami was one of the top 3 forwards the kings had, not exactly an old guy. As soon as these other "young talents" want their money guess whats going to happen? same ol #### Where did the kings finish again?? BOTTOM of the league. Keep going and giving them your money they love taking it in just not dishing it out!
how can you say cami was one of our top 3 forwards? He was only one of our top 3 for the first two weeks. he isn't strong enough on the puck to be a top three like Brown, Kopi, and Sully. He didn't just want more money he wanted unrealistic money. You need to learn your stuff before opening your mouth
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
