Flames Deal Erixon to Rangers

The Flames have dealt Tim Erixon and their 5th Round selection in this years draft to the new York Rangers for Roman Horak and two 2nd round picks (projected to be 43rd and 57th overall) in the 2011 draft.

Feaster and the Flames were unable to come to terms with Erixon, the Flames 1st round pick in 2009, and instead of sending him back into the draft they were able to get something in return.

First thought is that it's a shame the Flames will lose Erixon. This guy has a ton of potential and probably would have gone Top 10 if he had been put back into the draft this year. On the other hand, they do salvage something out of him and stockpile some much needed draft picks.

Apparently Feaster's hands were tied on this one and Erixon never had any intention on playing in Calgary. He wanted to play for the Rangers like his papa and nothing was going to stop him. It's tough luck for the Flames as they lose arguably their best young talented player and probably the one closest to being able to play in the NHL.

So what do you do when you are given a lemon?

You make lemonade, or some variation of it. That's what Feaster did. He managed to get draft picks and another less touted prospect back. Sure, none of them might turn out as well as Erixon, but then again you are trading potential for potential and nothing is certain. Heck, look at Alexandre Daigle or Patrick Stefan.

Ok, maybe a little extreme but the Flames lost the best player in the deal yet again, and it stings.

Horak, who hails from the Czech Republic, can score as he put up 26 goals and 52 assists in 64 games with Chilliwack last season. He played with another Flames prospect LW Ryan Howse all year long, so the Flames were very familiar with young Czech. Howse put up 51 goals and 32 assists.  Horak is 20 years old, while Howse will turn 20 this summer. Both should be slated to play in Abbostford next fall and hopefully inject some offence into the lowest scoring team in the AHL.
Some numbers on Horak: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=112706

Newman

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