Jokinen to the Rangers
February 2nd, 2010 by IanOlli Jokinen and Brandon Prust were traded to the Rangers for Christopher Higgins and Ales Kotalik.
in short, the Flames got owned in this one when you look at fantasy value alone. Jokinen is the best player in the deal and he was just a bad fit in Calgary. in moving him they sold short on his value and they came away with little serviceable value in Higgins and Kotalik. their hope is that Higgins returns to the value that he showed as a Hab but that isn’t a guarantee by any means and if he doesn’t … then … where’s that paddle again? oh yeah, they’re up that creek WITHOUT a paddle. and Kotalik is a PP specialist, and that’s if i look at him in a generous, you married my sister so i have to like you sort of light.
the Flames let Cammalleri go this past summer so that they could keep Jokinen around and now they have virtually nothing to show for it. Jokinen didn’t mesh well as a Flame because he’s a SOGger, a sniper, and they already have enough of that. if you can’t dish to Iggy then you’re not a good fit and Olli likes to shoot, traditionally anyway.
rumours still abound that the Flames have something more going with the Stars and Flames fans are drooling that it might be a pass happy forward like Brad Richards. i’ve got to think that they need something like that but i don’t know how that’ll come about. i also don’t know how Olli is a good fit on the Rangers either, i suppose i’d suggest that they team him up with Brandon Dubinsky and they resist the urge to put him with Gaborik except on the PP.
so … who does this trade help? the Rangers. Brandon Dubinsky. maybe it helps Christopher Higgins, at least the Flames hope that it helps Higgins.
if i were a Flames fan then i wouldn’t be liking this deal … but i’m not a Flames fan.
Posted in trading
