On Team Building and the Fourth Line
Kent Wilson
August 13 2010 11:27AM
For a long time now - certainly since the league expanded to 30 teams - the fourth forward unit has been the place to ditch the least capable even strength players on the roster. Usually that means checkers and goons, although the odd doddering vet and fresh faced rookie makes an appearance occassionally. This was mostly pragamatics: a combination of dilution of player talent, a need to budget and the recoginition that playing the worst guys the least is a good thing.
August 12 News and Notes
Robert Cleave
August 13 2010 07:07AM
After an unavoidable delay due to life's usual intrusions, the round-up returns. This week, the Flames re-up their elder statesman, Ilya Kovalchuk is on the loose, and Tomas Kaberle's Leaf days might be numbered.
Flames Sign Conroy
Steinberg
August 11 2010 03:00PM
The Calgary Flames have signed free agent forward Craig Conroy to a one year, two way contract, basically ensuring Conroy will get to 1000 games in a Flames uniform. The deal is for the league minimum salary, and with what he brings on and off the ice, there is little downside to it.
Picking Your 13th Forward
Kent Wilson
August 10 2010 10:10AM
Although the Flames currently have 13 NHL forwards under contract, one of them is Ales Kotalik who is the most likely candidate to be cast into purgatory should the club fail to shed salary in some other fashion come October 1. So assuming Kotalik makes his Abbotsford/KHL/SEL debut this season, the Flames will have one open roster spot up for grabs.
Staffan Kronwall Looking to Move Back to Sweden
Kent Wilson
August 10 2010 09:13AM
According to an article out of Sweden, Flames defender Staffan Kronwall is hoping to be released from his NHL contract so he can return home. Kronwall has one more year left on his deal set to pay him $500,000.
