Toronto-The Calgary Flames have completed another transaction, sending struggling forward Olli Jokinen and fourth-liner Brandon Prust to the New York Rangers. In exchange, Calgary received underachieving wingers Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins.
Miraculously, Rangers general manager Glen Sather was able to dump Kotalik’s ridiculous contract, representing the second deletion of an overvalued asset from the Broadway Blue Shirt’s mediocre roster in less than one year. “Why?” is a question which should be reverberating through Flames Land.
The salary cap implications of the trade are a wash this season. The combined cap hit of Higgins and Kotalik is identical to Jokinen’s $5.25 million. Prust’s contract makes up an additional $500 000.
GM Darryl Sutter’s acceptance of Kotalik’s pact is perplexing.
The thirty-one year old native of the Czech Republic is the only player in the deal whose contract will not expire on July 1. He has an additional two years and $3 million annual cap hit remaining. Ouch.
Kotalik has not come close to justifying his inflated value this season. In 45 games, he has eight goals and 14 assists. The seventh year pro has surpassed the 20 goal mark once; his career high is 25. Since a 62-point 2005-06 campaign, Kotalik’s performance has steadily declined. He has not eclipsed the 43-point mark since.
While Jokinen may have been a distraction in Calgary, adding an overpaid veteran with double the term is not a reasonable alternative. If the Rangers’ proposal was the top option, the club would have been better served to put the former Florida Panthers’ captain on waivers.
Calgary is not in a position to be a Stanley Cup contender this year. Though adding “cheap” rental players for the purpose of competing for a playoff spot is a viable strategy, any deal that undermines the team’s ability to make meaningful changes in the summer is unwise.
After moving Dion Phaneuf’s salary to the Maple Leafs, Sutter put himself in a position to address the Flames’ offensive incompetence. At $3 million, Nik Hagman, who was obtained in the Phaneuf blockbuster, was a start. Assuming Kotalik’s cap hit is a step in the wrong direction and could prevent the franchise from acquiring a significant forward.
This was desperate move, as Sutter is under immense pressure to make the postseason this year. A paranoid general manager can be fatal.
Dwyane Wade had a tremendous week. The Miami Heat’s superstar averaged 33.3 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds per game. He shot to a 49.3 field goal percentage and a 35.7 clip from behind the three-point line. The twenty-eight year old recorded three double-doubles in as many games and Heat victories. For the season, Wade is averaging 26.4 points per game, fifth in the National Basketball Association. He is also fifth in steals, 1.83 SPG. Wade was named the Eastern Conference player of the week.
"“I’m excited that for the first time this season I was able to earn Player of the Week honors,” he told Miami Heat.com, “but I’m more excited by the fact our team played well and captured three wins during the week.”