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Langkow cap strategy and some you tube highlights

O...M...G.... will this off season ever end?. Can we please get a training camp up in here?? When is that prospect camp again? I'm jonesin' hard over here for some real hockey to talk about. Last night I found myself on you tube looking up our prospects and found some cool highlights:

For Backlund: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqGTuS2YjeA

For Erixon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pmj23CxvOo
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Really the point is that there is NOTHING to talk about. What a boring summer! Jay Feaster was the big acquisition this summer! Now we keep hearing about Savard and trades to come but my feeling is that if we look to that and hope that happens we'll probably be disappointed. I think we may get a small signing and there will be demotions and waivers but nothing that makes us go crazy with excitement.

As far as trade watches go, I watched Kaberle with some amusement, I think I actually have a bet that he won't get a 1st round pick with a Toronto fan. Kaberle is over rated. I'm not saying that to troll out leaf fans but I'm being serious. I know he ended up top ten in terms of points but it's the other things that bother G.M.'s. It's the minus 16, it's the inconsistent point production where he was super hot and super cold last year, it was the 7 goals which is not very good for a "powerplay specialist". To prove I'm not trolling out Leaf fans I will go on record saying (Neon) Dion Phanuef will get you guys 50 points this year if he stays healthy.
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Usually by this point in the offseason we can look at our teams and have a pretty good guess how the lines will shape up but as I look at the Flames I can make up one line and the rest is a jumble. I keep hearing they want competition in the various positions which is a good thing but we all know they are over the cap so is it competition or a salary crunch? If the Flames send guys like Staios down, who play decent and are leaders, then UFA's will look at Calgary as an organization that does not treat it's players well, they should exercise caution when making those kind of moves. Kotalik is maybe a guy that the Flames should take a harder look at and that we should give a second chance to as well, he certainly fits in that category of moving to the minors.

I wrote a blog on Kotalik a while back on why there is a couple of reasons he could be kept, namely he almost always gets 20 plus goals a year and he hits everything that moves, he also possesses a great point shot as seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvskcGTf4EM

My blog on him is here:

http://my.hockeybuzz.com/...id=33826&post_id=9943

Stay with me here because I am introducing my newest theory for the year: Langkow out but not traded. I know we keep hearing about his recovery and that's great but we also heard that Jokinen was signed because of Langkow's recovery situation. Clearly the guys in the know think he won't be ready for the season when it starts at the very least. If you play my game and look at the cap hit relief that Langkow gives the Flames just being out, 4.5 million, they fit Kotalik and Staios as well as Backlund and have a million to spare roughly after Kronvall goes to the KHL.

Tanguay Jokinen Iginla
Bourque Backlund Kotalik
Hagman Stajan Moss
Glencross Conroy Jackman

That is four very solid lines consisting of 9 guys who have at 20 goal potential. If the Flames seek further cap relief simply sending Pardy through waivers would do, I doubt he gets picked up but if he does the Flames have enough defense prospects to make up for it. looking ahead the Flames have 9 million in space roughly for next year including Langkow so the fit becomes better. Should a trade take place that sends Staios or Sarich out of town at the deadline then Langkow could come back this season and all cap issues are avoided.

That's my theory of the week. Out.

S>O>

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