Canada Day Frenzy: Flames Analysis

By Nick Symon

Friday brings more than just a national birthday, it also brings hockey fans together to get the low down on which free agent will be dawning their favourite teams colors come September. Our hometown Flames have an interesting summer coming up, as GM Jay Feaster gets to start putting his stamp on the franchise. The Flames don’t have a lot of holes to fill but also don’t have much cap space as their current payroll sits at just over 56 million dollars, according to nhlnumbers.com. Feaster already filled the most glaring hole, by re-signing LW Alex Tanguay to a 5 year deal to once again play alongside Captain Jarome Iginla. The cap has once again risen and will sit at 64 million dollars next season, giving the Flames just under 8 million dollars to spend.

Chris Butler and Paul Byron: The Newest Flames

Chris Butler

So who exactly did the Flames get in return for Robyn Regehr?

Well, Their names are Chris Butler and Paul Byron. Butler is a defenceman who's played a couple seasons in the NHL with the Sabres and Byron is a small forward who played a handful of big league games but has mostly toiled in the minors. Byron can score, as is evident in his stats seen below. I wouldn't call the trade a write off quite yet.

Remember when we traded Theo Fleury to Colorado for some young defenceman named Reggie?

Regehr Traded and Tanguay Signs

Exhibit A: Regehr on Hemsky

The Robyn Regehr era in Calgary has come to an end.


After spending 11 seasons donning the flaming C, Regehr will have a new address in Buffalo, NY.

The durable defenceman (he has only missed 15 games in the last 5 seasons) was one of the Flames true leaders, and the second longest tenured player behind the one, the only, Jarome Iginla.

He will be missed in these parts.

I think the happiest person in Alberta right now has to be Ales Hemsky though. Hemsky will no longer have to endure getting tossed around like a Raggedy Ann doll in the corners by the hulking Regehr. For so many years, Regehr has made it his top priority to ensure that Hemsky can’t even peel himself off the end boards.

This is my fondest memory of Rocket Robyn and I will miss him.

But in saying that, I understand the need to trade him.

Bye Bye Birdie: Robyn on his way out of Calgary?

It looks like Robyn Regehr could be on his way out of Calgary.


The second longest tenured Flame and a perennial team leader could be packing his bags and moving to Buffalo.

This move would free up $4 million for the team and open the door for another move – a move that would have something to do with Ryan Smyth becoming a Calgary Flame or so the rumours are saying.

It’s also being speculated that Stajan and/or Hagman could be involved in the Regehr deal as well, which would really help the team shed some serious dough.

Am I happy to see Regehr leaving?

Yes and no.

He’s been a fixture on the blue line for the last 11 years. He has the ability to instil fear in forwards making a break into the Flames zone. He’s mean, which is what a lot of fans loved about him.

The Missing Word in C-Town

P-R-O-S-P-E-C-T : anticipation; expectation; a looking forward.

It’s been a tough go for our Calgary Flames when the word prospect comes up, words like disappointment and phrases like, ‘how’d we let him go’, are usually front and centre. The trend continued this summer, when top prospect, Tim Erixon, who the Flames selected 23rd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, refused to sign his entry level contract with the Flames, handcuffing GM Jay Feaster and forcing him to deal Erixon to the New York Rangers. Erixon was by far and away the Flames top prospect. Rated 15th in the Hockey News’ top 50 prospects in the NHL, Erixon is a steady two-way defenseman who should have challenged for a spot on the Flames’ blue line next season. In my eyes, the Flames, or I should say Feester, could really only do so much in this situation and I do give him credit for getting two 2nd round draft picks (45th and 57th overall) and prospect Roman Horak in return. I question the Flames scouting staff and then GM Darryl Sutter on drafting Erixon in the first place. How, with all the testing, scouting, interviewing etc, would something so important (not wanting to play in the organization) slip through is beyond me. Never the less, Darryl is gone but there is even more pressure on this scouting staff to make sure this year’s draft produces some excitement when the word prospect is brought up around Calgary.