Calgary Flames Trade Rumors

Hawks acquire veteran Morrison
January 28
Chicago Tribune
 
"General manager Stan Bowman made a move Friday night to strengthen the Blackhawks up the middle when he acquired veteran center Brendan Morrison in a trade with the Flames. The Hawks sent minor-league defenseman Brian Connelly in exchange for Morrison, who has appeared in 923 career NHL games over parts of 14 seasons and could be the answer to the void at second-line center. "When you can bring a player of Brendan's caliber into your group, and you didn't have to really tear your team apart, is important for us," Bowman said. "(Morrison) having the experience and having the ability to play with skilled players gives us a lot of options. He has been a point producer in the past and he also"
Flames expect Giordano to return this week
January 10
Calgary Herald
 
"At last, there was some positive news from the Calgary Flames' bulging injury bay on Monday. Top defenceman Mark Giordano could be back in the lineup as early as Thursday against Anaheim or, possibly at the latest, in time for Darryl Sutter's return to the Saddledome as coach of the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. "I feel good, feel pretty close to normal if not normal," admitted Giordano, following his first full practice with the team since suffering a torn hamstring Nov. 29, an injury many thought might even end his season. "That's where I'm at right now. I got through a pretty tough practice and skate (Monday) so hopefully I just keep feeling better (Tuesday).""
Lightning trade Jones to Calgary for defenseman Mikkelson
January 7
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Lightning traded forward Blair Jones to the Calgary Flames on Friday, getting defenseman Brendan Mikkelson in return. The 31st player overall in the 2005 draft, Mikkelson has struggled to stick on an NHL roster. He played in 86 career NHL games with the Flames and the Anaheim Ducks, recording six assists and 40 penalty minutes. He made his NHL debut during the 2008-09 season, when he played in a career-high 34 games with Anaheim. Mikkelson (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) has appeared in 33 games for the AHL's Abbotsford Heat this season, scoring three goals and 15 points. Mikkelson has played in 183 career AHL games with the Portland Pirates, Iowa Chops, Toronto Marlies and"
Leland Irving gets shot at Calgary Flames net
December 6
Calgary Herald
 
"Leland Irving is going to get a shot. Finally. With Calgary Flames backup netminder Henrik Karlsson on the injured-reserve list after hurting his right knee — sprained MCL — in a net-front collision Sunday in Vancouver, Irving has been recalled from the Abbotsford Heat. The 23-year-old is one of only four first-round picks from 2006 not to have yet played in the National Hockey League."
Sarich itching to contribute but didn't demand trade
December 4
Calgary Herald
 
"A routine day off at home with the kids turned anything but Friday morning for Calgary Flames defenceman Cory Sarich.Appearing as an analyst on Sportsnet 960, retired Flames rearguard Rhett Warrener reported that Sarich had asked for a trade. At that precise moment, Sarich's cellphone blew up. Well, not literally. "I was caught a little bit by surprise," Sarich said Saturday after the morning skate in Edmonton. "People started texting me left and right. Usually, I don't generate that much interest." Frustrated with life as a frequent healthy scratch, the 33-year-old Sarich indeed met with Jay Feaster more than a week ago to talk about his situation in Calgary. Reading between the lines,"
Sarich says he didn't demand trade from Flames
December 4
Calgary Sun
 
"Yes, Cory Sarich is frustrated with his irregular role with the Calgary Flames. No, the veteran blueliner did not dress Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers — replaced by rookie Joe Piskula. Yes, it sounds as if Sarich would be open to the idea of moving on if it meant new life for his playing career. But, no, he did not demand a trade during a meeting with GM Jay Feaster nearly two weeks ago. While they "discussed a wide variety of things," Sarich said he just wanted to plead his case for a regular role and see if that was even a possibility. "I've voiced what I feel would be best for me to help the team out. Whether or not they agree with that — I know there's a lot of young guys"
Flames GM quashes Iginla trade rumors
December 3
Calgary Herald
 
"One question, in a whole mess of them Friday, did succeed in getting a rise out of Jay Feaster. The Calgary Flames general manager heard the reporter out, laughed mirthlessly, uttered a few preliminaries on the topic, then shook his head and dove right in. Yes, time for a definitive answer. Again. "Which camera do you want me to look at?" spouted an agitated Feaster, encircled by media at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Right here. "Yours? OK, I'll look straight into yours and I will tell you that it is not true. Jarome Iginla has not been asked to waive his no-trade (clause). Jarome Iginla has not demanded a trade or asked for a trade. There is no list. There is no smoking gun. This is nobody"
Flames GM stands by coach Sutter
December 3
Calgary Sun
 
"For those who remember the Calgary Flames coaching carousel at the start of the century, this is a refreshing switch. Despite the club's struggles to start the season, a 10-12-2 record going into Saturday night's road clash with the Edmonton Oilers, Brent Sutter is safe in his job as head coach, according to GM Jay Feaster. "I'm happy with this coaching staff," Feaster said Friday morning at the Saddledome. "That's probably the dreaded vote of confidence or whatever they call it, but this coaching staff has done a good job. "They work hard. They've done a good job of teaching." Remember what it was like around the Saddledome a decade ago? For fun, or to bring up painful memories for Flames"
Feaster flatly denies Iginla trade rumors
December 3
Calgary Sun
 
"No matter how hard he tries, Calgary Flames GM Jay Feaster can't make the rumours of a pending Jarome Iginla trade go away. The Twitterverse was fluttering Thursday night with reports — created by people who don't put their face or name to their claims — Iginla was the key part of a major deal with the Montreal Canadiens, and all that was left was for the Calgary captain to waive his no-trade clause. Feaster initially didn't want to respond to the rumours but did emphatically. "It is not true. Jarome Iginla has not been asked to waive his no-trade, and Jarome Iginla has not demanded a trade or asked for a trade," he said. "There is no list (of teams he'd go to). There is no smoking gun."
Y all the fuss about Iginla?
November 30
Calgary Sun
 
"Steve Yzerman is well aware of the obvious parallels drawn between his career and that of Jarome Iginla's. Both longtime captains and snipers played for just one organization and are local icons who will reside close to one another in the Hockey Hall of Fame soon after Iginla retires. The Detroit Red Wings legend also knows they are further linked by the fact Iginla was on the ice in Motown the day Yzerman's career was ended by a puck to the face, as well as by the assist Iginla had on the Golden Goal that gave Yzerman's Canadian team Olympic glory in 2010. What he can't understand is how the two are being lumped together with regards to Yzerman's shift in focus from offence to defence."
Iginla patiently shrugs off trade rumours
November 30
Calgary Herald
 
"Jarome Iginla has a game plan when it comes to forcing the media to cease with rampant trade speculation. "The best way to stop the stories," the captain said Tuesday, "is to win games and climb up in the standings." In recent years, the future of Iginla has dominated talk around the water cooler in Calgary even more than the regular griping over civic tax hikes and questionable snow removal. Will the face of the Calgary Flames franchise ever come to the conclusion his chances of winning a Stanley Cup here are negligible, at best? Will he pull a Ray Bourque and request a trade in hopes of realizing the dream harboured by virtually every Canadian kid to pick up a hockey stick?"
Sources say Iginla considering options
November 27
Calgary Sun
 
"Jarome Iginla would never admit it, but he's thinking about the possibility of life without the Calgary Flames. So say several sources close to the longtime Flames captain who believe the 34-year-old winger is quietly struggling with the realization his dreams of winning a Stanley Cup will not play out in Calgary. If he's to complete the championship journey he fell one game short of in 2004, he will have to waive his no-trade clause or sign elsewhere two summers from now. Until now, Iginla has publicly refused to believe what the hockey world has known for some time: The Flames' downward trend is real. Publicly, he's steadfastly insisted he wants to be part of the solution and win a Cup"
Flames pull Comeau off waivers
November 26
Calgary Sun
 
"Dangling Blake Comeau on the trade market didn't amount to anything for the New York Islanders. It sure panned out to the Calgary Flames, who had talked to Isles GM Garth Snow about the 25-year-old forward who had apparently fallen out of favour on Long Island, but by holding out only had to cough up a waiver fee in acquiring Comeau. Their bid from fourth on the priority list was successful after the Isles decided to dump the Meadow Lake, Sask., product. "He's a player we've been watching for some time," Flames GM Jay Feaster said. "He is someone our scouts feel very strongly will fit into the way we want to play — he's a very good skater, he is a responsible guy defensively, he's a"
Flames put Hagman on waivers
November 11
Calgary Sun
 
"Amidst the excitement of seeing Mikael Backlund practising fully and ready for action was the noticeable absence of Niklas Hagman Thursday morning. Hagman, the left winger who's struggled pretty much since coming to Calgary in the Dion Phaneuf trade nearly two years ago, was placed on waivers and is awaiting the result. If Hagman isn't claimed, the 31-year-old winger with one goal and one assist in four games this season will likely be sent to the AHL Abbotsford Heat, along with his salary of US$3 million. "I've played with him a long time, and he's got a lot of skill," said Matt Stajan, who also came to Calgary in that trade. "Hopefully, he gets a chance and things turn for him. He's"
Brodie called into duty
November 10
Calgary Sun
 
"Tuesday's flight was from Vancouver to Houston, Texas, and started with a bus trip that departed Abbotsford at 4:30 a.m. On Wednesday, T.J. Brodie backed his bags for Calgary, making the trip all the way from southeast Texas. On Thursday, Brodie will practice in the Stampede City before hitting the air again, with the destination being Chicago. Is all that travel time worth it? "For sure," said the weary but excited Calgary Flames defenceman after checking into a hotel Wednesday evening. Brodie is finally getting his second look at the NHL."
Flames' Backlund nears return
November 8
Calgary Sun
 
"Mikael Backlund insists he's ready to go. As for his proof? Not exactly rock solid. The talented Swede practised with the Calgary Flames Monday afternoon for the first time since breaking a finger prior to the season-opener. The legs were certainly there. But when asked if he could take faceoffs, he said he's been dominating one of his teammates in the circle lately. "I was with Brett Carson Saturday and he can barely bend (over)," Backlund said with a chuckle. "He has a sore back, so it wasn't too hard." Backlund will have to prove himself against more than a hobbled defenceman before his return to the lineup."
Flames' woes have 'vultures' circling
November 6
Calgary Herald
 
"At this rate, Jay Feaster may very well rack up the most exorbitant monthly cellphone charges in Calgary. Perhaps even all of Alberta. Such is life for the general manager of a hockey team mired in mediocrity like the Calgary Flames. "I make phone calls," Feaster says in a rare quiet moment on the road. "I get phone calls. That's part unfortunately of being where we are. "You don't have to generate a lot of calls in a time like this. The vultures circle." In fact, the vultures are swooping over their target in the ditch. Heading into action Friday night in Buffalo, the Flames (5-5-1) sat tied with Detroit for 12th place in the Western Conference."
Backlund might practise this week
November 6
Calgary Herald
 
"Calgary Flames fans desperate for a flicker of positive news can take comfort in the latest injury update. Centre Mikael Backlund (broken pinky finger) could join the team in practice in Calgary as early as this week. Next up is a doctor's appointment in the next couple days to ensure the wounded digit is healing on schedule. "We should have a pretty good idea then on a return to play date," said general manager Jay Feaster. "Backlund has been skating. He's now cleared to do light stickhandling and skating. We'll see how it responds.""
Calgary's top line flaming out
November 3
Calgary Herald
 
"Say this for the Calgary Flames: They possess the National Hockey League's finest penalty-killing on the road. A perfect 11-for-11. So that's something to savour — or which to cling. In the aftermath of Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks — a division game, a conference game, a litmus test, in which the Flames collectively took a knee after only 10 minutes — the news isn't so cheery. The Detroit Red Wings, who have beaten the Flames five straight times, host Calgary on Thursday night. Friday, it's a visit to the Buffalo Sabres."
Flames tickets sixth most expensive in NHL
October 27
Calgary Sun
 
"The six most expensive NHL teams to support are in Canada, according to a report from Team Marketing Report. The Calgary Flames have what would seem to be the envious position at No. 6 on that chart. The report not only listed the top six clubs all being north of the border but added NHL ticket prices around the league have increased an average of 4.8% compared to the 2010-11 campaign. "I suppose it looks good to be less than almost all the other Canadian teams," said Flames president Ken King. "But it would be hypocritical to be taking a bow for that given we feel the methodology is not favourable to all the teams in the NHL.""
Flames have a goal: More goals
October 26
Calgary Sun
 
"The Calgary Flames have a goal to end their playoff drought — two seasons and counting. If they don't actually start scoring goals, that futility run will hit three years. As much as the Flames can feel they were the victim of bad puck luck in their 2-0 loss to the Nashville Predators Saturday afternoon, that blanking was just the continuation of a trend. The Flames (2-4-1) have scored two or fewer goals in all but two of their clashes this season. They've managed only six goals over the last four games, and haven't scored in 119 minutes and seven seconds of action — all on home ice."
Flames bad across the board
October 24
Calgary Sun
 
"Some of you are doing your best Dennis Green impressions regarding the Calgary Flames right now. ("They are who we thought they were.") Outside the organization, pundits were predicting another rocky season before the puck dropped. And now that we're seven games in, the early review looks to back that up. The Flames woke up Sunday morning sitting second-last in the Western Conference standings with a 2-4-1 record. They've lost their last two on home ice and are 1-1-1 in the first half of a six-game homestand. Things don't look great. In fact, over the first 10 games of the last two seasons — which both resulted in the team missing the post-season — the Flames actually had winning records."
All signs point to Morrison playing Tuesday night
October 18
Calgary Herald
 
"This grind is nothing new to Brendan Morrison. Blew out his right knee in March 2008. Blew out his left knee in March 2011. "Which is a good thing and a bad thing," said the Calgary Flames centre, offering a wry grin. "The first time I went through it, every single time you have a tweak, you think to yourself, 'Geez, did I do some damage? Like, what happened?' But all that stuff is normal. "So this time I haven't had any concerns about pushing. Nothing. I have no concerns as far as the stability goes. Those are good signs. I'm not wasting my time thinking about that.""
Flames honour heart-and-soul Giordano with an 'A'
October 7
Calgary Herald
 
"Gung-ho service at night is one thing. But Calgary Flames defenceman Mark Giordano does not limit all-out efforts to games. In practices, too, he's noticeable. A full-steam presence at all times, basically. "Watch every drill — every drill means something to him," coach Brent Sutter said after Thursday morning's session at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "He takes practice very seriously, which he does so he can improve and make our team better. "He's a very well-respected guy inside of our dressing room. Rightly so. He's got everything in the right place and he handles things very well.""
Flames insist they've lost little toughness
October 7
Calgary Herald
 
"Countless nights, their numbers got circled on the blackboard in the visitors' quarters. The message, no matter the inhabitants, was surely the same. No. 3 wants to knock your block off. No. 28 wants to smash you into the glass. So you might want to, you know, keep your head up. For the Calgary Flames' version of the Bruise Brothers, the local pond had turned into a hunting ground. If Dion Phaneuf didn't rattle your molars in open ice, Robyn Regehr could be counted on to smear your carcass into the right-wing wall."
Injuries thin out Flames' depth at centre
October 5
Calgary Herald
 
"It makes you wonder when Garry Unger will become an option. After all, he was handy and known for durability. Unger, the former NHL ironman, was one of the many spectators pressed against the Plexiglas during the Calgary Flames' practice Tuesday at Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Even if Unger is 63, the Flames may want to keep the old centre's phone number within reach. That's because at their current rate of middle-ice attrition, the situation is dire. "Oh, we'll just shuffle up our lines a bit," coach Brent Sutter said after the latest twist, "and we'll be fine.""
Flames lose Backlund for six weeks
October 5
Calgary Herald
 
"Don't ask Mikael Backlund which of his Calgary Flames teammates is responsible for his broken pinky finger. He's not saying. "That's going to stay within the team," Backlund said Tuesday, a few hours after undergoing surgery to repair the digit. "I don't want to put him out there as a bad guy. Stuff happens. If people saw (the incident), they know. But if they didn't, it's going to stay within the team." What he will share is disappointment over the injury. "A tough day," said Backlund, who's expected to be sidelined for six weeks. "I'm starting to feel better, preparing myself for being out for a long time. But I'm feeling really sad and disappointed. Hopefully, I'll recover faster than"
Flames forward David Moss fired up about new season
October 4
Calgary Herald
 
"It seemed every time David Moss got into the groove last season, he was knocked back by an injury. None, however, was as serious as a high ankle sprain that caused the versatile Calgary Flames forward to miss the final 11 games of last season and, eventually, a good part of his off-season training regimen. In all, the 29-year-old had to pass on 24 games during a bounce-back campaign in which he was on pace to easily enjoy a career National Hockey League season. "We were right in the hunt and I think were playing some of our better hockey, so to get injured at that point was extremely frustrating," recalled the six-foot-three centre/winger of that day when he caught a skate blade in a rut"
Flames rookie pegged for opening-night roster
October 3
Calgary Sun
 
"Brent Sutter didn't mince words. When asked about Roman Horak still being with the team in the final days leading up to the season opener, the Calgary Flames coach said: "He's here. The way he's played (to) this point in time, you've got to expect him in the opening day lineup." How long Horak remains with the big club remains to be seen. It could be all season. It could be just a couple of games. There are players every year who stand out in the pre-season but can't elevate their games when there are points in the standings on the line. Still, it's a credit to the 20-year-old centre who came over with a pair of second-round draft picks in the summertime trade that saw 2009 first-round"
Youngster Horak wins job with Flames
October 3
Calgary Herald
 
"Roman Horak arrived in Canada two years ago as a promising Czech hockey player with little command of the English language — minus, of course, the cuss words passed on by his helpful teammates with the WHL's Chilliwack Bruins. Come Saturday, Horak will need to flip through his mental dictionary in search of the proper words to describe his first taste of regular-season action in the National Hockey League. Although he went scoreless in the pre-season with the Calgary Flames, the 20-year-old centre turned enough heads during training camp to secure a roster spot on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins."
Sutter mulling his options as Flames prepare for final cuts
October 3
Calgary Herald
 
"The Calgary Flames are heading for the hills on Monday — but even with a tantalizing three-day retreat in beautiful Banff, Alta., in the plans, serious work remains. The Flames still have in camp 27 men in various states of health. By Wednesday, National Hockey League teams must declare their 23-man rosters. "There hasn't been anybody we've been disappointed with," coach Brent Sutter said after Sunday morning's fun-filled (honestly) practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "That's why we have to sort through our roster first. We'll sit down and go through that."
Bubble boys face anxious wait as Flames ponder cuts
September 30
Calgary Herald
 
"Good morning, Paul Byron. Rise and shine Guillaume Desbiens. Dobry Den, Roman Horak (how's our Czech?)Hope you — and the rest of the bubble boys — slept OK in anticipation of another round of cuts in the wake of a 4-2 Calgary Flames victory over the Phoenix Coyotes at the Scotiabank Saddledome. With pre-season finally (thankfully) extinguished, nine days stand between the Flames (3-3) and their regular-season opener Oct. 8 against the Pittsburgh Penguins."
Juniors, prospects axed from Flames
September 27
Calgary Sun
 
"Their future with the Calgary Flames appears bright. That didn't take away the sting of being sent back to the junior ranks for either of the team's blue-chip prospects, Sven Baertschi and Max Reinhart. "It's tough," said Baertschi, the 18-year-old Swiss winger drafted 24th overall by the Flames this summer. The disappointment in his voice comes through clearly through the phone as he prepared to hop on a plane. "I was hoping I would get the chance to start the season with them. But it's their decision," Baertschi continued. "One thing is for sure, they want to start with the best team available. If I don't fit in, it's not their fault.""
Flames' Letourneau-Leblond gets five-game suspension
September 23
Calgary Sun
 
"Let's give credit where and when it's due. In this case, it's over the suspensions handed by the NHL to Calgary Flames forward Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond and Philadelphia Flyers forward Jody Shelley Thursday. Not so much for the banishments handed down — both received the rest of the pre-season, while Shelley had five regular-season games tacked onto his sentence and Letourneau-Leblond received one — but for finally having some openness as to how those decisions were made."
Flames trim 17 from camp roster
September 22
Calgary Sun
 
"A couple of pointed messages came within the news, but there weren't any real surprises when the axe fell at the Saddledome Wednesday. The Calgary Flames reduced their training camp roster by 17 players, of which 13 were dispatched to the AHL Abbotsford Heat. The cuts leave 46 in camp: four goalies, 15 defencemen and 27 forwards. It was a shorter-than-expected stint in Calgary for a few players who the organization had big hopes for in recent times. First-year pro Ryan Howse, the 2009 third-round draft choice coming off a 51-goal season for the WHL Chilliwack Bruins, was among the crew dispatched to the Heat. The organization had high hopes for the 20-year-old in his first professional"
Flames are baaaack!
September 21
Calgary Sun
 
"It's a night for youngsters to put themselves in contention to unseat a veteran. That's what you hope for in the pre-season opener. Ultimately, it was the vets showing they're not going to give up a roster spot that easily in the Calgary Flames' 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks collection of wannabes, has-beens and never-will-bes Tuesday night at the Saddledome. Oh sure, a couple of Flames youngsters made a good first impression in the pre-season opener. Diminutive centre Paul Byron, who skated mainly on a line with Alex Tanguay and Rene Bourque, showed some of the offensive flair he's been advertised to have. As well, 2008 first-round draft choice Greg Nemisz had a strong effort"
Flames' Young Baertschi's stock rises with dazzling play
September 16
Calgary Herald
 
"Hey, it's not name dropping if you've been there. And Troy Ward was. Three years with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Meaning his points of reference carry a certain legitimacy. Which is tinglingly swell news for the Calgary Flames - and for Sven Baertschi. "Any time you're asked to take a big step up, it usually has to do with sharing the puck," said Ward, who, 1997-2000, had been part of Kevin Constantine's staff in Pittsburgh. "I remember coaching Jaromir (Jagr) and (Alexei) Kovalev and (Martin) Straka and (Robert) Lang . . . and you learn right away with great players. For me to embrace a young man like (Baertschi), he has to have the ability to share the puck and he has to have a good feel"
Flames GM chillin' through grillin'
September 2
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"There were plenty of softballs lobbed at the panel at Flames Central Thursday night as the Calgary Flames hosted a Town Hall question-and-answer period with season ticket-holders. But there were some curveballs from voices of discontent, as well. Despite a pretty promising summer of work by GM Jay Feaster, some worries still exist regarding a club that's missed the playoffs in two NHL consecutive seasons. They worried about being 'stuck' with Alex Tanguay for five years, Curtis Glencross' no-trade clause, the loss of a second-round pick in the Robyn Regehr trade and Miikka Kiprusoff's workload. It didn't take long, however, to get the crowd applauding. All they needed was Feaster to"
Cap space benefits for Flames
August 31
Toronto Sun
 
"It wasn't so long ago the Calgary Flames were suffocating against the salary-cap ceiling. Handcuffed, strapped in a straightjacket and locked in a box filling with water. When GM Jay Feaster took over officially in the spring, he inherited a team with no monetary wiggle room, and a few holes to plug on the roster. He called it "salary-cap jail" as he addressed his issues moving forward before the draft. With almost a dozen of his players owning no-trade or no-movement clauses, the chances of Feaster wriggling out of his straightjacket appeared slim for the short-term. Many burdensome contracts are set to expire after the 2011-12 season, so talk was of patience before real changes could be"
Flames score youth in deal for Stempniak
August 30
Calgary Herald
 
"Lee Stempniak missed a life-changing call Monday from his agent on his way to the dentist. Before he could check his voice mail, his younger brother Jay called with word of the scuttlebutt swirling in the hockey world: the Phoenix Coyotes had traded him to the Calgary Flames for Daymond Langkow. Suddenly, the pending needle to the gums seemed not so excruciating after all. "Half my mouth is still numb from the Novocaine," the 28-year-old said a couple hours later via cellphone from his off-season home south of Boston. "But I'm just really excited to get to Calgary. I've always loved playing in the Saddledome. You can tell when you're a visiting player, there's energy in the city."
Flames trade Langkow to Coyotes for Stempniak
August 30
The Globe and Mail
 
"Lee Stempniak went to the dentist Monday and got a real jolt – news he'd just been traded to the Calgary Flames. The former Phoenix Coyotes winger was shipped north Monday in exchange for veteran centre Daymond Langkow, who played just four games with Calgary last season because of a neck injury. According to Stempniak, the news came courtesy of a phone call from his agent – just before the shot of Novocain – and wasn't a huge surprise. "You look at the lineup in Phoenix and there weren't any centres," Stempniak told Sportsnet Radio Fan 960 in Calgary. "I didn't think I'd be the one moving on. But I'm excited to be going to Calgary. I love the city and that buzz when you're playing the"
NHL policy change on substance abuse?
August 18
Toronto Sun
 
"The recent off-ice deaths of two NHL players could spark a change in how the league conducts its substance abuse and behavioural program. Commenting on the passing of New York Ranger Derek Boogaard and Winnipeg Jet Rick Rypien at the league's research and developmnt camp in Toronto, commissioner Gary Bettman told a wire service that he will soon approach the Players Association to study the current policy. Boogaard passed away in May after a mishap with alcohol and a painkiller drug. Rypien, who reportedly suffered from depression, died Monday and police will only say the circumstances were not suspicious. Both men had been in the program, which has helped many players with varied"
Flames add former all-star Scott Hannan
August 14
Calgary Herald
 
"Like him or despise him, former Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter deserves credit for one of the best free-agent signings of the 2010 off-season. At a bargain-basement price of $725,000, Brendan Morrison collected nine goals and 43 points in 66 games. Heck, he even ended up on the first line between Alex Tanguay and Jarome Iginla. In an ideal world, Jay Feaster — Sutter's successor — figures he locked down a similar dark horse Saturday in defenceman Scott Hannan, formerly of the Washington Capitals, Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks. "I think we'll be having the same kind of conversation about Scott at the end of this season that we did about Morrison," Feaster said. Like"
Flames trade Seabrook to Panthers for Henry
July 10
Calgary Herald
 
"The Calgary Flames have swapped minor-league defencemen with the Florida Panthers. To the Panthers went Keith Seabrook, younger brother of Brent Seabrook, mainstay of the Chicago Blackhawks. In exchange, the Flames receive Jordan Henry. "Jordan Henry is a two-way defenceman who plays with an edge to his game," said Flames general manager Jay Feaster, who signed the Milo, Alta., native to a one-year (two-way) deal Saturday. "He is a responsible and smart defender, yet he is also adept at joining the rush and pinching down the wall to support the offence. He is still a solid prospect and we viewed this trade as an opportunity to give two young players a new start with different"
Contract worth $2.5M ensures Babchuk stays a Flame
July 5
Calgary Sun
 
"It may turn out to be a bargain. The way some defencemen have been raking in the cash over the first few days of free agency, the two-year, US$5-million deal the Calgary Flames negotiated with Anton Babchuk doesn't seem so bad. But that will all depend on what the 27-year-old with the booming shot from the blueline does in his first full season with the Flames starting this fall. With veteran rearguard Robyn Regehr being traded to the Buffalo Sabres, the Flames still had a hole on the back end. GM Jay Feaster said Monday at the summer development camp the team would gladly make a deal for a legitimate top-four contender, but if nothing comes to fruition, he likes what he's got in Jay"
Flames lose Pardy, sign Butler in defencemen dealing
July 1
Calgary Herald
 
"The Calgary Flames have lost one defenceman and locked down another. Veteran Adam Pardy has reportedly signed a two-year contract in Dallas for $2 million per season. Pardy, 27, is coming off major shoulder surgery. Meanwhile, the Flames have signed defenceman Chris Butler to a two-year deal worth $1.25 million a season. At the draft, general manager Jay Feaster acquired the six-foot-one, 200 pounder along with centre Paul Byron for defencemen Robyn Regehr, forward Ales Kotalik and a 2012 second-round draft pick. "We are very pleased to have Chris signed for the next two years, " Feaster said. "This enables him to focus solely on preparing for the upcoming season and not have to worry"
Flames out with the old
June 28
Calgary Sun
 
"Jay Feaster spent the weekend in St. Paul, Minn., but it's almost like he went to Las Vegas. The Calgary Flames GM now has money to spend like he hit a jackpot or something. With about US$7 million off the books for next season thanks the Robyn Regehr trade, Feaster has the flexibility to be one of those players in both free agency and the trade market. "We're open for business," Feaster said Monday upon returning to the Saddledome from the draft in St. Paul, Minn. "We wanted to create that flexibility. We're in a much better position today with flexibility than we were going into the draft." The Flames have some holes to fill and could obviously upgrade at a several positions. Feaster has"
Flames net much-needed salary cap relief
June 26
Calgary Herald
 
"General manager Jay Feaster likens the salary cap predicament of the Calgary Flames to an unfortunate game of Monopoly. On Friday, the Flames resided in the jail space on the bottom left corner of the board. A day later, Feaster shipped defenceman Robyn Regehr ($4.02 million), disgruntled winger Ales Kotalik ($3 million), and a second-round draft pick in 2012 to Buffalo for defenceman Chris Butler (a restricted free agent with a cap hit last season of $850,000) and speedy centre Paul Byron ($550,000). Suddenly, the Flames can look at the cap charts without sobbing in agony over the absurdity of it all. Suddenly, they have $7.6 million in cap space with 19 players under contract for next"