Problems Solved! Calgary Flames Trade For Blair Jones of Tampa Bay
by ArikJames on Jan 6, 2012 10:29 AM PST
in The Ministry of Features
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PrintI wrote this morning that sweeping changes are coming, and clearly this is it. Blair Jones, a center for the Tampa Bay Lightning has been acquired for Brendan Mikkelson, according to the Twitter feed of Flames head PR guy, Sean Kelso.
Jones is a 25 year old 4th round draft pick (I'll give you one guess who picked him) who's never played beyond a depth position in the NHL. In fact, it seems like the main reason he was acquired is due to the connection he shares with Brent Sutter, who coached him for 3 years in junior with the Red Deer Rebels. Certainly the Flames need more offensive depth due to current injuries, but a player with 2-2-4 on the season is hardly the one to provide it.
Of course, that's assuming he even plays in Calgary. While he's spent most of this season with the Lightning as opposed to the Norfolk Admirals (a team I actually covered once), the player traded away, Brendan Mikkelson, was with the Abbotsford Heat, the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate. It's entirely possible that Jones is merely meant to spend time there and deepen that team, but it seems unlikely.
If he is intended for the big club, it's hard to see where he slots in. The most reasonable assumption is that he replaces Raitis Ivanans, given Jones can switch from center to wing. Of course, that begs the question why Ivanans was brought up at any point to begin with.
The news isn't all bad though: Blair Jones has some terrific underlying numbers. With a zone start ratio of 34.2 (absurdly low) his CORSI Rel is an amazing -1.8. When adjusted for those zone starts, it comes out to a Balanced CORSI Rel of 6.88, good for fifth on the team. Blair Jones will hardly turn the Flames fortunes around, but he's a decent acquisition. With Mikkelson being the only piece going the other way, there is little cause to complain, aside from the fact that this is surely not enough to fix the Flames multitudes of problems.
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The only fallout of losing Mikkelson is for the Heat. But, unlike Sutter, Ward can make due.
by Jeremywilhelm on Jan 6, 2012 10:39 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Okay, so who is Brendan Mikkelson
and will he help my Bolts?
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Rakastan suuria maalivahteja Skandinaviasta.
Love is but a song we sing And fear's the way we die.
d-man who doesn’t skate well. I’m not sure about TB’s depth on the back end, but mikkelson’s been an ahl guy for most of his career. his sister is hot though.
by Justin Azevedo on Jan 6, 2012 11:43 AM PST up reply actions
Hot and married. (sigh)
http://instantmemoriesportfolio.com/weddingphotographyblog/?p=1331
Well, how desperate is your defense, i mean, ours is complete shit and he wasnt being called up. I dont think he got his fair shake in CGY, but then, on this team, everyone looks like shit (except TJ “duncan keith” Brodie!)
by Jeremywilhelm on Jan 6, 2012 11:44 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
The Bolts defense sucks and absolutely REQUIRES mobility for defensemen. So that’s great! /sarcasm
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Rakastan suuria maalivahteja Skandinaviasta.
Love is but a song we sing And fear's the way we die.
The more you look at advanced stats and legit coaching strategies on the ice, the more i realize how fucking useless Brent Sutter is. What a fucking clown.
by Jeremywilhelm on Jan 6, 2012 12:37 PM PST via mobile reply actions
oh, I’m looking forward to that one. I just get so damn frustrating with his matchups… or lack thereof.
"Well, we're gonna need all hands on deck if we're gonna go to Regionals!"
@MG_mslepp
In my view we are seeing a folding of the tent here.
B Sutter’s disposition after that Bruins loss was one of a coach resigned to a non-playoff team. Sutter had way more fire last year and in the early season. His post-game interviews have been very casual for the last month, win or lose.
Feaster may be chewing on his foot from his dumb playoff prediction but my take on how the team is being managed / coached now is not one going for the playoffs but rather for a draft pick and for giving youth experience. They may have started the season all fire and brimstone but they are going through the motions now imo and are being coached in this manner.
Who starts a rookie G against the two Stanley Cup finalists? On the bright side this is what everyone in the rebuild camp has wanted for years now.
Consider contributing to Wiki if you can. It is has come a long way since its inception in quality and its founders have resisted attempts to commercialize it. Lets keep it alive with a few dollars each.
Preachin’ to the choir. For real, if Butter (god forbid, knock on wood) get’s an extension the post here annoucing it will get a comment from me that will be 95% profanity witht he remaining 5% will likely consist of the the words “and”, “the”, and “a”.
Brent Sutter is not a good coach. The entire time he’s been here I’ve never felt like he does anything other then make the team less then the sum of it’s parts.
I’ll take it as another small step in the right direction.
Mikkelson from what I saw of him wasn’t even going to make the Flames, even with a thinned out D and Sarich as his competition.
Consider contributing to Wiki if you can. It is has come a long way since its inception in quality and its founders have resisted attempts to commercialize it. Lets keep it alive with a few dollars each.
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