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Sat Nov 23, 2019 9:32 am
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CALGARY - The Calgary Flames were sellers heading into Wednesdays NHL trade deadline, but buyers had yet to open their wallets a day out. Fergie Jenkins Rangers Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Interim general manager Brian Burkes theory for slow business was shoppers were temporarily preoccupied elsewhere. Other forwards said to be on the market were New York Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler, Matt Moulson of the Buffalo Sabres, Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers and Thomas Vanek of the Buffalo Sabres. "I think theres a logjam thats been presented or created by two, three, four players thats going to paralyze the rest of the league," Burke told reporters Tuesday at Scotiabank Saddledome. "Youll see other deals happening but I think the hold up for a high-end forward has kind been captivated by two, three, four players. "I think were on the backburner for a lot of teams right now. Doesnt mean nothing is going to happen, but thats where we are today. "Weve been in discussions with every team in the league and what theyre trying to do. We have some unrestricted free agents we will move if the price is right. Im not close on anything that makes sense for us." Trade speculation in Calgary has centred on Cammalleri, but with a record of 23-31-7 and destined for a fifth straight season out of the playoffs, the only Flames that Burke considered off limits were captain Mark Giordano and rookie sensation Sean Monahan. "When youre in the place we are in the standings, your list of untouchables should be either nonexistent or tiny," Burke said. Burke, the Flames president of hockey operations, stepped in as interim GM when he fired Jay Feaster on Dec. 12. He intends to hire a new GM. But Burkes mandate is to speed up Calgarys rebuild by whatever means necessary: trades, spending to the cap or the signing of free agents. "You cant be waiting for the next guy," Burke said. "Were going to do what we can to improve. If that means theres a few less decisions for the new guy, thats fine. "The dynamic of the trade deadline is, you want to show your players first and foremost, if youre close, you want the room to feel youve done something to add. You want the players to believe management is trying to make the team better." Only the Buffalo Sabres have scored fewer goals than Calgary in the NHL this season, but upgrades are needed both up front and on the blue-line. Cammalleri, 31, scored 39 goals and had 43 assists as a Flame and a linemate of Jarome Iginla in 2008-09. Cammalleri is in the final year of a five-year contract paying him $6 million annually. With the right linemates, Cammalleris offensive skills and experience make him an attractive rental for a playoff push. "Things change very quickly in the business," Cammalleri said. "When it comes to that, I think you understand why certain things take place and why they might be thinking along certain lines. "I feel my best hockey is ahead of me and I feel great about my game. Whether its here, or whatever happens, Im not concerned about my ability to help my team out." Stempniak, also 31, is in the second year of a two-year deal that counts $2.5 million against the salary cap. He has eight goals and 15 assists in 52 games this season. His wife gave birth to twin girls following the Olympic break and he could be on the move Wednesday. "I know thats a very likely possibility and have sort of braced myself for that," Stempniak said. "Ill either get a phone call or I wont get a phone call. "It could be two big life changes in the span of five days, but its part of the business. Thankfully on the family front, everything is going well there and everyone is healthy. Thats the most important thing. Whatever else happens, you think you can deal with it." Defenceman Chris Butler, whose salary is $1.7 million this season, is also scheduled for unrestricted free agency in July. Burke said he prefers adding a player who can upgrade the Flames immediately over acquiring draft picks. Calgary has a healthy dose of cap space to take on unwanted contracts as part of a deal as well. "I hope to be up here in a year talking about buying players, not selling players. Were selling," Burke said. "That being said, if we can salvage a hockey deal out of this were going to do that. "If we can turn our cap space into assets were going to do that. It could be a very important day for the franchise, the next 24 hours, but its not the same as when youre adding to try to make a push." The Flames host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. Coach Bob Hartley said Joni Ortio will get the start in net. Ortio was called up from Abbotsford, B.C., when goaltender Karri Ramo injured his knee Feb. 2. Ramo skated Tuesday for the first time since the injury prior to Calgarys optional skate. Hunter Pence Rangers Jersey .Y. - Brooklyn Nets centre Brook Lopez has a strained lower back and will miss at least a week. Jose Trevino Rangers Jersey . MacArthur scored two goals, and the Senators outlasted Detroit in a testy third period to beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday night. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/362h-ivan-rodriguez-jersey-rangers.html . Ted Ligety, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller and Tim Jitloff underlined the squads enormous potential on the Rettenbach glacier in Austria.The Winnipeg Jets begin a stretch of 22 games in 44 days to close out the NHL regular season schedule with a 7pm ct face off tonight at MTS Centre against the Phoenix Coyotes. The (28-26-6) Jets are three points behind Vancouver for a Western Conference Wild Card playoff spot following the Canucks 1-0 win over St. Louis last night. Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal. Evander Kane and Jim Slater return to action.? Kane has missed the last six games while Slater last played October 18. Jets Projected Lines: Ladd-Little-Frolik Kane-Scheifele-Wheeler Setoguchi-Jokinen-Byfuglien Thorburn-Slater-Wright Enstrom-Bogosian Stuart-Trouba Pardy-Ellerby Andrew Ladd is on a five game point streak (two goals and 4 assists). Tonight is the second of three regular season games between these teams. ?Winnipeg were 5-1 winners JJanuary 13th when Paul Maurice made his debut as Jets Head Coach. Willie Calhoun Rangers Jersey. ? The lone contest between these teams in Phoenix is April 1st. Under Maurice, the Jets record is 9-3-1. Only Toronto at 11-2-1 have had a better winning percentage since the Jets coaching change. The (27-21-10) Coyotes are one point behind Vancouver for a Western Conference Wild Card playoff spot. ?Phoenix has three games in hand on the Canucks and two games in hand on the Jets. Mike Smith will start in goal. Coyotes Projected Lines: Korpikoski-Vermette-Boedker Klnkhammer-Hanzal-Vrbata McMillan-Ribeiro-Doan Chipchura-Halpern-Moss Ekman Larsson-Michalek Yandle-Morris Schlemko-Stone Antoine Vermette had the hot hand for Phoenix going into the Olympic break with eight goals and five assists in his last 10 games. ' ' ' |
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