Flames Waive Blair Jones - UPDATE, Flames demote Irving as well
Kent Wilson
February 16 2013 11:02AM
As per Darren Dreger today, the Flames have waived fourth line center Blair Jones, likely with the intention of sending him to the minors.
FGD: No More Blues in St. Louis
Kent Wilson
February 15 2013 03:35PM
It has been a long, laborious rebuild in St. Louis over the years. For a long time, they resembled one of those clubs who is always lousy, always picks high, but never seems to get anywhere (*cough* Islanders and Oilers *cough*).
Until a couple years ago. All of sudden, the Blues hit a sort of critical mass of quality players and things started to click. David Backes emerged as a Selke quality center. He's joined by David Perron, Patrik Berglund, Andy McDonald, TJ Oshie, Alex Steen and Alexander Tarasenko up front these days, backed by a blueline featuring quality kids like Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk.
As you can see, there aren't any established superstars on the Blues roster (maybe in the future), but what they do boast is line after line of quality, effective skaters. The Blues can shut you down in waves, as evidenced by their league leading shot against/game average (21.9). The only other team even in spitting distance of the Blues by that measure is the Kings (24.9). No one else allows less than 25 shots per game.
Random Thoughts - Iggy's Demotion, Brodie's Emergence
Kent Wilson
February 15 2013 07:47AM
The big story after the Flames win was - by many accounts - Jarome Iginla "responding" to Rhett Warrener's public criticisms of the captain. I can't tell you whether Iginla was in fact fired up by Warrener's words or not - I'm not in the room or his head. Nor can I say whether it would overly matter if Iginla was angry or not. Jarome's known for having another gear whenever he's "engaged" emotionally, but he's not the hulk either. Otherwise the Flames could simply employee someone to punch Iggy in the face and insult his mother before every game and watch the cups roll in.
Flames Must Make a Play For O'Reilly
Kent Wilson
February 13 2013 12:00AM
They probably have for at least a couple weeks now.
There is absolutely no negotiating going on anymore between Ryan O’Reilly and the Avalanche. While the Avs were optimistic right after the lockout ended that they could sign O’Reilly and my sources said he would not be traded, things have changed and it appears a virtual certainty O’Reilly will be traded now.
Back when we discussed a potential ROR offer sheet, it was a suggestion made partially in jest since it seemed unlikely the Avalanche would allow this feud with arguably their best (or at least second best) young forward to go too far.
The Flames Through 10: Identity and the Rebuild Continuum
Kent Wilson
February 12 2013 10:30AM
The Flames slow start, unfortunate early injuries and subsequent spanking at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks recently has caused the rebuild debate to rear its ugly head in Flamesland again. This is an inevitability until the club does one of two things: takes a firm step forward and becomes a meaningful contender again or bottoms out completely and starts from scratch out of necessity.
