Flames Claim Mikkelson off of Waivers

 

I promise a gameday preview of the Predators is on it’s way…

For now, we’ll deal with the Flames latest "huh?" roster move: plucking the Ducks Brendan Mikkelson off of waivers. Before we get into why a team with a forward roster hampered by injury and back-end stuffed to bursting with defenders would add another one to the mix, we’ll take a look at the player in question…

A former second round pick by Anaheim in 2005, Mikkelson has spent a lot of time bouncing around the AHL since turning pro. His best season came as a Toronto Marlie last year (7 goals, 22 points in 49 games). He appeared in 29 NHL games for the Ducks last year and started the season out on the parent roster owing to a dearth of depth and injuries to Lydman and Sutton.

Described as mobile with good puck handling skills by Hockeys Future, Mikkelson was considered the Ducks 6th best prospect by that same site as late as Spring 2010. At 23 years-old, he’s more competition for Matt Pelech and another young "tweener" type body to add to the ever growing pile on the back-end.

Now, as to why the Flames would add him – I don’t have the first damn clue. The Flames have Adam Pardy in the infirmary as well as Pelech, Negrin and now Brodie on the farm (plus, you know, 6 other NHLers on the active roster). It may just be a case of liking a player and adding him for nothing when the opportunity arose. And maybe the Flames have another move in mind (although I doubt it). Frankly, this is probably just Sutter servicing his "need to have as many defensemen as possible" fetish.