Away we Go!

Thoughts on the Draft, another Sutter, and more…

Draft: Darryl Sutter takes a defenceman in the 1st round… big surprise!? He loves his defence and it’s gonna be a good ride for this young kid in the Flames organization.  With that said, the Flames did take 4 forwards and a goalie in rounds 3-7 (no pick in round 2) so it wasn’t a big splash of a draft but we’ll see how the Flames develop these kids!

Brent Sutter: As the THIRD Sutter brother to coach this team, I’m finding it hard not to give props to the NJ Devils for letting him walk and negotiate with another team… At least we’re in the other conference.  With that said, Brent has the best pieces to be the most successful of the Brothers to coach this team.  With his focus being leadership and defence, the Stars WILL be held accountable.  Brian Sutter was a great coach (Like MIke Keenan, probably wouldn’t fair that well in the ‘New’ NHL) but Brian was given Dwayne Roloson; Tyler Moss; and Rick Tabaracci in his first year… Fred Brathwaite; Ken Wregget; (an unproven) J.S. Giguere; Andre Trefilov; Tyler Moss and a kid named Tyrone Garner as goaltenders in his second season and finally, he had Brathwaite; Giguere and Grant Fuhr in his third season… With Kiprusoff and McElhinney, he’ll have stability and a slew of young ‘tenders in Matt Keetley and Leyland Irving.  Any Sutter coaching in Alberta has enough pressure in itself, I’m thinking Brent’s up for the job!

Free Agents: What to do? Darryl made it clear that he’s not counting on the FA market, and by trading the rights to Leopold (who they couldn’t come to terms with) for a chance at Bouwmeester, that was a great move to have a top four defence potentially look like Regehr, Phaneuf, Bouwmeester and Sarich with Giordano and Pardy filling things out. (we still have guys like Matt Pelech and John Negrin as solid prospects.)  Hate to see two-way Vandermeer go but we get back a decent young player who knows the organization and is well liked.   Finally, would you let Cammalleri and Bertuzzi walk? I say yes… WIth Jokinen here, no room for Cammi and no chemistry… Bertuzzi, unless he takes less money, no worth it…  Aucoin is a solid D but money speaks too loud and too high so let him walk… Lundmark may be the only Cgy UFA I go after if I’m Darryl Sutter… Among the RFA’s, Pardy and Boyd are a no brainer for the price and years you get for them.

Always a Pleasure!

Naoto Yuki