Conroy returns to Calgary
The Calgary Flames reacquired centre Craig Conroy this afternoon from the Los Angeles Kings, pulling the trigger on a deal that had been rumoured ever since the former Flame struggled to an extremely poor start this season in California.Calgary gives up Jamie Lundmark, who has had his own struggles this season, and two draft picks.
It's a good move for the Flames, if only because there's a chance Conroy can recapture the magic he had with captain Jarome Iginla from 2001-04. At the very least, he's a strong defensive presence, and will help a team in a dogfight for its second consecutive Northwest Division title.
Calgary has lost four of its last six games, but managed to produce a few goals with Iginla out of the lineup. Still, the Flames are obviously a team in search of some offensive depth with only five forwards on pace to crack 40 points this season. Daymond Langkow, Kristian Huselius and Matt Lombardi have been pleasant surprises, and Calgary is amazingly the 10th highest scoring team in the league this season after finishing in 27th in that department in 2005-06.
Conroy will make $2.4-million this season and next, although the Flames will only have to fit roughly $900,000 of that under their salary cap for now.
For Los Angeles, a team in dead last in the Western Conference, the veteran purge begins.
- I've got more thoughts on the trade at Globe on Hockey, and I expect Eric Duhatschek to weigh in any time now
- - Duhatschek's piece is here, while The Globe's other Calgary-based sportswriter, Al Maki, weighs in on the Conroy-Iginla reunion at Globe on Hockey
by James Mirtle @ 4:23 PM
Trackbacks
| Permalink |
4 comments
4 Comments:
Stunning.
I think this is less about scoring depth and more about getting someone to help Calgary's woeful PK and face-off stats. The fact that he likes the team/city and had chemistry with the franchise winger previously doesn't hurt either.
That fat contract extending beyond this season sure makes me nervous though.
Does this put to rest the Tucker-to-Calgary rumours that The Star started today?
Tucker is a winger and the Flames could still use more scoring.
Or it strengthened the Tucker-to-Edmonton rumours.
I wonder what Eklund thinks?
i think the real sweepstakes in l.a. is for mattias norstrom, who (assuming he's on the market) is the second best defenceman available, after stuart.
Post a Comment
<< Home