"Jay Bouwmeester is a shy, non-assuming type who never says much.

On the rare occasions he does talk, the Calgary Flames defencemen speaks in hushed tones. An orator is he not.

All that is fine and dandy. A hockey team is a collection of 23 individuals with varied personality types. They can't all be rah-rah leaders.

But Bouwmeester's meek and mild ways spilled onto ice in his first season as a Calgary Flame. Gone was the smooth-skating defenceman who carried the puck up the ice with authority.

Simply put, Bouwmeester lacked assertiveness in any area of the ice and the proof showed up in the stats.

Just three goals and 29 points? For a player with career highs of 15 goals and 46 points?

And he's the second-highest paid player on the team with an annual cap hit of $6.68 million US — just $320,00 shy of captain Jarome Iginla.

"Lots of up and downs," Bouwmeester said, in assessing his season. "It's a lot like our team. For a lot of guys, there were times when it was good and things were going well. And there were a lot of times where it was a struggle to get things going.

"Why? I don't really know.""