Calgary Flames in July

By D. Newman

Well now that the two-week party known as 2011 Calgary Stampede is over, I can get back to writing.

By the way, if you have never been to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, I would highly recommend it. It’s...a lot of fun.

Anyways, enough bull bustin’, let’s talk some puck.

The Flames have been busy of late making a couple of signings and a small trade.

Non-Moves: Flames Strategy

Courtesy: CP

I go to Idaho for three days and the entire NHL loses it freaking mind.


James Wisniewski 6 yrs, $33 million? Erik Cole 4 yrs, $18 million? Ville Leino, 6 yrs, $27 million?

Is everyone taking crazy pills? And that’s not even half of the outrageous deals that have been handed out over the past couple of days,

What about the “Pick up as many players as possible and sign them to 4 year contracts” strategy that Dale Tallon has employed in Sunrise, Florida?

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.