Sutter has experience with him and wanted him. They gave up virtually nothing to get him. He will likely get dressed infrequently. We're talking about him taking ice time from a 4th liner in possibly 20-30 games.

I don't really think that they need a designated goon, but the division seems to be stocking up on them. If somebody is going to have to fight Janssen and Eager then I would prefer it be an expendable goon.

I understand why people are questioning this move, but it isn't like they just traded Iginla for a bag of pucks. This is a really minor move and people around here are trying to form a Feaster lynch mob. Bizarre.

"The owners are not going to fire Feaster for bringing in a goon that makes the league minimum and whose contract expires this year."

You're right, they won't... but this move demonstrates poor judgement. And they may eventually fire him for having poor judgement once he starts using it on bigger deals. I don't object to the deal as much as I object to having someone run the ship who thinks that it was a good one

PS. 50 posts and counting on a low grade trade, this must be the Dog Days of Summer. Keep up the great work FN and FN readers. I love the conversation, keeps me awake at work.

As I keep trying to say feraster is not the person for this team he is going to destroy this team even more than the last few gms have with that stupid smile on his face I C another foolish move on it's way we have enough young talent lets give them a chance to prove them selves and leave the trading to a more intelligent GM in the future

I don't like it. But it isn't worth an over reaction either. He will play a couple of games against teams with a tough guy and give the fans something to chear over. It is about entertainment after all. And for whatever reason GMS like to have a tough guy on the team.

So Feaster comes in and says he's gonna aquire more draft picks and reduce the amount of NTC/NMC given out in the future.

So he: - trades a 5th round pick in 2012 - trades a 2nd round pick in 2012 - gives Glencross a NMC - gives Tanguay a NMC - gives Babchuk a modified NMC

Good job Feaster. Well done.

Wow! Sounds like Dec 21 2012! Geeesh! I was way more upset with the return on Regehr. This is a no big deal move, let it go & move on. Feaster simply cant get the proper $$$allocation/skill cap framework for this team until his cap starts fresh. I like fighting too so if this guy is a tough mean SOB, great. Our cup run had Oliwa & Simon & I loved it. Suprised at this deal because I dont think we need this type of player just yet but meh, it's a one year deal & Ivanans is done.

I agree.

When the Flames went on their cup run, it was pre lockout. Guys like Oliwa and Simon could beat up the opposition. Both of them are no longer in the league.

It's a minor move, but I do think it's a mistake.

Sorry, I forgot to use my tildes (`) of sarcasm before when I said Feaster is trying to get fired. And my point about giving away picks is this: while the statistics of a 5th rounder working out are low they aren't impossible, and you only have to get one right once every 7 or 8 years to make them valuable. An example of 5th round picks that have turned out pretty well since 2001: Kris Versteeg (134th), Mikhail Grabovski (150th), Darren Helm (132nd), Nathan Gerbe (142nd), James Wisniewski (156th), Kevin Bieksa (151st), Nigel Dawes (149th...okay, bad example). If you don't think the Flames have any chance at finding a decent prospect in the 5th round don't say the picks are worthless, question the quality of your scouting.

I know, I know... I'm one of the "negative" ones. But seriously

WHAT THE HELL?

This is even more stupid than 3 games of Modin for a 7th.

Now, we're giving away 5th rounders for an unnecessary enforcer?

FEAST-bag..... you suck!

Since he's from NJ, Brent Sutter might have had a say in this. Maybe he's getting Jackman an apprentice.

That's the only logical answer that would make sense.

What you say is reasonable. The stance of the world is caving & Feaster will destroy the team more than Sutter in his final years is over reaction. The biggest thing I agree with you is why are we stocking up on 4th line toughness when we dont have the talent to get to the playoffs. We also dont have the prospects to change that in the immediate future. So yes, 3 friggin trades & we are giving up draft picks when to me, based on the fact we are even debating a blow up or not, why are we trading any draft picks at all???? Thats what doesnt make sense. Just remember, Feaster may be purging players & making moves of assets that were brought into the Flames organization. Sometimes you would rather eat your own crappy cooking thnt eat somebody elses crappy cooking. Sorry, bad analogy.

Looking for logic in this is probably a bad idea. That's like asking Brian Burke for a moment of silence.

My final comment...

“Pierre-Luc is a hard-hitting, physical player who tends to get under the skin of the opposition,” said Flames General Manager Jay Feaster. “The way he plays the game causes other players to be aware of his presence and he is willing to defend himself and stand-up for his teammates as well. We want to continue to add to our team toughness but do so with players who are capable of playing a regular shift and contributing within the team concept. In Pierre-Luc not only have we achieved our objectives but we have done so by bringing in a player who comes very highly recommended by our Head Coach who worked with him previously.”

Well, if he turns into Jackman - the sequel I'll be the first to apologize and admit I was wrong.

Sounds like NJ just went and signed Cam Janssen to a 2-way deal.

Well said.

Is there any chance this is part of some other deal with the Devils (so to speak)?

Eklund spun it that way. But I doubt it. NJ went out and signed another enforcer a few moments after to a similar contract.

Jay wanted an enforcer that could play. Brent was familiar with Leblond and thought he fit the build. NJ had given up on Leblond and wanted to clear him to get someone else.

Don't think its any more complicated thent hat.

*le sigh*

I'm just curious. How does the Feast and crew find these guys? They are random and don't put up significant numbers, it's just odd to me.

If Ivanans is 'done', how come he hasn't retired? Maybe we will hear something in the near future.

I was hoping a trade with NJ would have yielded Calgary one of Parise or Zajac. There a lot of rumblings NJ cannot keep both signed with the Kovalchuk deal.

Plus, there is the familiarity factor with Sutter. Even though familiarity didn't work with Richards and Feaster. It could work with Parise/Zajac with Sutter. Richards went where his coach went.

Hey Kent... random question, have you ever examined the underlaying stats of guys commonly thought of as Goons/Enforcers? I'm just curious which one is "least bad" in terms of actual hockey skill?

Considering that the Flames are going to be spending over a Million dollars this year on guys who seemingly offer no skillset beyond throwing punches (P3L & Ivanans) and are willing to throw away a draft pick to get one I've now given up hope that they'll ever abandon their baby blanket and go without. That being the case I'll now shift my hopes that if they must have a goon that they get one who is the least liability when he's on the ice.

Steve Yzerman said it best: 'We don't need a goon.' I wish more GMs would follow this.

By no means do I love the deal, but:

Whether you agree with them or not, the Flames brass aren't complete retards. The fact that Feaster could have got an enforcer for free, leads me to believe they didn't just want any enforcer. If the team is giving up assets for this guy, they must see something in him; more than we do in our YouTube clips. I'm not saying he's the next Tim Jackman, but we had this response when Jackman was brought to CGY. He was a more effective player than we realized when he signed on July 1. The fact that a draft pick was given up leads me to believe that they didn't want any of the FA enforcers.. they actually wanted this guy. Of course NJ isn't going to be choked up over losing him... were we choked when we lost McGrattan or Godard? These are replaceable players, so if you're looking to the reactions in NJ to make up your mind on the trade, you're barking up the wrong tree. You think they're genuinely pumped about getting a 5th round pick? No, it's just easy to take that approach when you're the team giving up a player.

He's not even close to an offensive threat, but seems to have decent speed for an enforcer. I'm hoping he's more of an agitator that can drop-em, rather than a full-fledged goon. I think a fourth line of PL3-Bouma-Jackman would be decently competitive. As for the 5th round pick, methinks that won't be difficult to re-acquire within the next calendar year. I'm not prepared to lose my cool over this move.

Well said. And I would like to see a 4th line of Kostopolous, Bouma & PL3 then 3rd line GlenX Moss Jackman then 2nd Line Bourque Langkow Joker(sigh)

then 1st line Tangs, Backlund & Iggy

Take note of who I left out(Hagman & Stajan) & move those contracts. Maybe Hagman would be a great stop gap for Columbus to replace Huselius. Injuries will open opportunities for some of our young kids as well during the year. The above is a 6.5 mill cap hit we could sign a top forward. Why I was saying, Feaster is limited with trying to sort/balance $$$ spent to each line & balance our cap efficiently.

Desbiens may be the next Jackman. I have a good vibe about Desbiens. And a fourth line of Kostopoulos/Desbiens/Jackman, if one of the three can be converted to centre, may be interesting to watch, and difficult for other teams to play against.

Being there is no evidence PL3 has any offencive tools whatosever, and strong evidence Desbiens does... I'll take the latter. Note, too, Jackman was often in double-digits goals and assists in both the NCAA and the AHL.