Flames re-acquire Jordan Leopold
by Kent Wilson on Mar 4, 2009 9:03 AM PST
52 comments
In my Deadline preview, I wrote this about the Flames and Leopold:
My secret fantasy is that Sutter manages to grab Leopold for a song this Wednesday. Although he's had terrible luck with injuries since leaving town, he's actually managed to stay healthy for the entire season. Calgary has rotated a number of partners through the #2 slot beside Reggie since Leopold left with varying degrees of success. None of them have seemed to compliment Regehr they way Leopold did during his time here, although I may be remembering the pairing through a rosy recollection colored by the 03/04 run to the cup.
While I was hoping for some help up front, I couldn't be happier with this move. I have always been a fan of Leopold and it's great to have him back in the organization, especially with the potential to re-sign (for cheap) next season.
The price the Flames paid isn't too steep: the TSN story says "a draft pick and a prospect" and what I'm hearing is a 2nd rounder (Sutter's favorite draft pick to trade) and Ryan Wilson, who was a undrafted free agent signing by the Flames this past summer and a long shot to ever be an NHLer.
This gives the Flames a pretty full compliment of NHL defensemen now - Regehr, Aucoin, Sarich, Phaneuf, Leopold, Vandermeer, Pardy, Giordano (injured), Eriksson (minors), Nycholat (minors), with Pelech and Palin on the cusp. While I know Sutter loves to have "too many" defensemen heading into the post-season, this could mean Darryl is setting up to move a blueliner for a forward laster today. I guess we'll see what happens...
EDITED to add that James Mirtle says Lawerence Nycholat was included with Wilson and the 2nd rounder (Montreal's from the draft deal last year). Odd that they would want him, but no big loss from a Flames perspective.
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The double good news is:
Now Sutter’s hands are that much more tied when it comes to acquiring Olli Jokinen.
My calcs (based on NHLSCAP) is that they’d have to assign Peters back to QC (JV moves up to fwd); put Bourque, Primeau, and Giordano all on LTIR (this is fine I think); and lose or send back ~$2.8M in salary — which I have no idea how they can manage. (And if Vandermeer goes the other way, the bad trade isn’t so bad.)
What's on the table for Jokinen?
Lombardi likely has to be part of it, but do the Flames have enough cap space if it’s just him? They would adding about an extra 3.4 million pro-rated in cap hit. Somebody, Phoenix or some other team in combination, might have to take another contract from the Flames.
As I said at your other place, Kent, I’m not sure Leopold goes right to Regher’s side this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went with Sarich to start, and maybe with Phaneuf if Vandermeer regressed to the mean. That’s presuming there aren’t bigger roster shakeups in the hopper, of course. He’s a good add. He gives them another good skating puck mover than can help out on the PP, and I’m sure he’ll fit in the room just like he did before.
You guys are both right – Flames have very little cap room to be making anymore move. If Sutter make a play for a forward, he’ll have to move some dollars to do so. Sarich moves to the front of the “suddenly trade bait” line.
Yeah, and is anyone going to waive their NTC to go to a 14th place team? Not Aucoin certainly. Sarich still has the contract going forward, but he wouldn’t want to either.
I don’t remember him having one. That would get a big ticket off the roster come the cap apocalypse in 2010/2011, but they’d need one more D for this year. Can they sneak Sauer out of there?
by Robert Cleave on Mar 4, 2009 9:32 AM PST up reply actions
And of course, now TSN is speculating Aucoin. Phoenix should take that contract as opposed to Sarich, because his contract expires and frees you up for next year.
by Robert Cleave on Mar 4, 2009 9:35 AM PST up reply actions
Unless PHX already has a deal in place to flip him elsewhere.
Fourth Period says the only Flames with NTCs are Aucoin, Iginla, Kipper and Regehr. This seems wrong to me, but I’ll defer to them.
I love this trade, because we basically gave up nothing.
Nycholat was a waiver pickup who never even wore the jersey
Wilson was a free agent filler for QC
the 2nd round pick was Montreal’s.
So long as Leopold doesn’t get hurt, this is a great deal for us. Perhaps not so great for Vandermeer though, as he is either now a forward or eating popcorn.
Good trade for the Flames
Leopold has had a good season for the Avs – one of the few we can say that about.
Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 4, 2009 9:22 AM PST reply actions
jokinen trade
if this goes down the way i think it’s going down, then sutter has changed the face of this team and i’m totally devastated. what an absolute waste.
And I like Lombardi a hell of a lot, but he’s another small centre, and Calgary has a glut of those.
by Robert Cleave on Mar 4, 2009 9:43 AM PST up reply actions
they’re saying it’s a done deal: jokinen for lombo and a 1st rounder. sutter doesn’t deal first rounders unless he’s getting a first rounder back. which means we’re not done.
so much for not changing the chemistry.
this team is screwed. i don’t even know if i think we’ll hang onto the division.
They might try to get the 1st back at the draft, WI.
by Robert Cleave on Mar 4, 2009 9:46 AM PST up reply actions
I didn’t think the money worked, but I must be wrong.
$5.5M for Olli next season creates a lot of problems.
this is on the board for tsn, yeah. jokinen for lombo, prust and a 1st rounder. sutter is not done. we just lost two roster players for one in return: a team already suffering from too many fill-ins. and i think we’re over the cap.
this team will not resemble the flames by end of day.
Aucoin or Sarich almost need to go in a 1 for 2 type of deal. Sutter made a lot of talk about liking his team, which was obviously just talking the market down.
by Robert Cleave on Mar 4, 2009 9:48 AM PST up reply actions
LIKE IT!
Darryl has this team closer to a cup than he did this morning… why so many complaints?? Isn’t that the goal?
"It's a great day for hockey" - BBJ
by jealous broadcaster on Mar 4, 2009 9:54 AM PST reply actions
Man they better get it together and do something special in playoffs. Lombardi was their best PK forward. I wanted sutter to go and get another scoring DEPTH player, not Jokinen. You gotta think Cammalleri is all but gone now. I think the dollars will work out from all the players on IR. Their salary doesnt count against the cap until they come back and I bet its just enough.
I dunno what I think about it, Jokinen can make the team a contender maybe but I was enjoy Lombardi a lot… All I know is the pressure on Jokinen and Iggy and the rest of the Flames is HUGE. I dont see how Cammalleri is retainable now but maybe they dont need him with Jokinen being iggys center next year. Maybe they could with the removal or Sarich and Aucoin…
Actually Jealous Broadcaster is right. They are closer to winning a cup now than they have been in a while. Why go out and assume player like Lombardi, who never got anything done, will take them there. I want a cup more than anything else and next season they can still remain competitive (maybe more) although Sarich or Aucoin (hopefully both) are gone
Jokinen has had gawdy counting numbers in the past, but he’s played in a soft division and been gifted a lot of PP time. Im not sure he’s as good as his stats make him look.
Is he better than Lombardi? Probably, but Im not sure the difference is as large as the difference between their salaries. I guess we’ll see.
Jokinen gives a first line center for this year and next who, theoretically, should play well with Iggy. A first line of Iggy Jokinen and Camm… That looks pretty good for the playoffs. I hope Sutter can keep Camm. Any idea if he can?
That is an intimidating line on paper. Jokinen was actually pretty good under Keenan and playing with two good-to-great players certainly shouldn’t hurt him.
Keep in mind Boyd has been trained as a replacement for Lombardi all year. Hes a fast two way center with more offensive upside and is younger. Lombardi is an easy replacement with the current pieces.
hmm heres a sorta weird and intriguing idea for you all… Maybe Sutter will trade Langkow in the offseason and his high salary for a 2nd line center. I wouldnt be against the idea because 5 is a lot of money for what Langkow brings and will no doubt not live up to expectations later in his career. Thats a good way to free up a lot of room for resigning Cammalleri. We all think Aucoin and Sarich (and I want both gone too) but you have to replace them with someone. Vandermeer is essentially a cheaper Sarich who fights and Aucoin is a slower Leopold. They still need someone else though. Langkow should be traded for a pretty good return, Hamhuis anyone? Unfortunately losing Lombartdi in the trade makes this unlikely because he would have been the guy to take the spot. Jokinen may still play on the second line too to spread the wealth a bit.
Great pick up and with Gio on the shelf for the rest of the year, bolsters the defense now here’s the question do we resign him?
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