"While the head-scratching continues, most of the league-wide laughter has finally subsided following the Calgary Flames' re-acquisition of Olli Jokinen.

Good thing, too, as it's time to turn the page on a deal and a player that caused Darryl Sutter and the Flames so much grief in the court of public opinion.

Detractors around the city and league were obviously shocked Sutter overlooked the fact Jokinen failed to build any chemistry in his first go-round with the Flames.

However, while many may never see the wisdom in trying once again to get Jokinen and Jarome Iginla on the same page, something important needs to be pointed out: Sutter went into free agency with no money and the need to upgrade his offence.

On July 1, he managed to come out with two top-six forwards.

Granted, both forwards — Jokinen and Alex Tanguay — are reclamation projects.

However, given the possible upside of both proven veterans, it was a gamble Sutter had very little choice but to take. Throw in questions about Daymond Langkow's health, and it made even more sense to add a centreman like Jokinen for US$3 million a year.

Surely, it was a better proposition than Sutter doing nothing and counting on his farm system to fill important gaps his youngsters can't possibly fill.

Take the emotion out of it — and there's plenty of that in this hockey hotbed — and the deal may not be so ridiculous after all. Only time will tell whether Sutter or the rest of the heckling hockey world is right.

To be clear, few argued with the Tanguay signing as the $1.7-million gamble came with knowledge the sorely-needed playmaker had his best year in Calgary four years earlier, when he helped Iginla to career numbers. He'll help spearhead an ailing powerplay from the point and provide the captain with creative setups he hasn't seen since playing with Sidney Crosby at the Olympics."