SLAM! Sports
SLAM! Hockey
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
COLUMNS
NHL
The Teams
Full Schedule
Monthly Schedule
Standings
Statistics
Rosters
Injury list
Movement
Trades
Hits Gallery
INTERACTIVE
JUNIOR
MORE HOCKEY
ALSO ON SLAM!
Sunday, February 28, 1999
Playing with fire on Fleury
Amend that. Flames general manager Al Coates already knows the answer to that question. He knows what has to be done. The more accurate question is when to do it: Before the March 23 trade deadline, or on July 1?
Fleury, of course, is about to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He also is the Flames' career leading scorer and a big reason why they are in the playoff hunt.
Despite all the posturing by the ownership that it will do everything possible to re-sign him, the fact remains the Flames will have supreme difficulty paying Fleury the $6 million-$7 million US he wants, without dramatically increasing their overall operating budget by roughly $4 million-$5 million US. In other words, forget it.
As Coates put it earlier in the week, life in Calgary has gone on without Lanny McDonald, Al MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk and Mike Vernon. The Flames will struggle on without Fleury.
Although the Flames would like to get something for Fleury rather than lose him for nothing to free agency, their return to the playoff hunt has muddied the picture. The fact is, unless they are offered something more substantial than the Kings' package of prospect Pavel Rosa and Yanic Perreault, they would be better to keep Fleury and pursue a playoff spot. They won't get there without him.
At worst, the interest generated by a playoff race, especially one involving the hated Oilers, would sell tickets. And should the Flames get a couple of home playoff dates, they would make some extra money.
There is no shortage of teams interested in Fleury's services. Dallas, Los Angeles, San Jose, the Rangers, Buffalo and Philadelphia are a few that have made inquiries. But so far, they either have failed to offer the Flames enough to make the deal or, like the Kings, have insisted on signing him to a long-term deal before making the trade.
Although the thought of getting nothing for Fleury concerns Coates and his critics, as long as the Flames have a shot at the playoffs they owe it to their fans to keep Fleury and go for it.
Hell, if they make it, the money they pocket in the post-season and the money they will save on Fleury's salary next year will be enough to sign a couple of spare parts in the off-season.
TRADE TALKS:
The Red Wings are still looking for help on the blue line, but are offering only draft picks or marginal prospects. They have talked with Edmonton about Boris Mironov, but don't like the asking price, which is either Darren McCarty or Martin Lapointe. They have also inquired about Rangers future free agent Ulf Samuelsson ... No doubt the groin injury suffered by Felix Potvin, who is out for at least a month, has changed the Oilers' thinking in terms of acquiring a goaltender. They were interested in former Leaf, but GM Glen Sather told the Potvin camp prior to the trade to Long Island that he was making too much at $2.7 million. Potvin is a free agent this summer ... After being cast off by Tampa, centre Craig Janney now
appears destined to be leaving the Islanders, who claim he isn't in shape ... Anaheim is looking for a centre to play between Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. Nice work if you can find it. Ducks coach Craig Hartsburg prefers using Steve Rucchin on the second line with Tomas Sandstrom. Marty McInnis has been playing centre between the two superstars, but the Ducks intend to go shopping ... Carolina will try to move a defenceman before the trade deadline. The likely candidates to go are either Curtis Leschyshyn or Adam Burt ... Nashville has had inquiries about centre Cliff Ronning, but GM David Poile would prefer not to trade him ... Funny, but the Coyotes are looking for a second-line playmaking centre. Hmmm, didn't they trade Ronning earlier this season? ... The Bruins have made it known they're willing to part with the likes of Steve Heinze and Don Sweeney and they're also trying to find a taker for goaltender Jim Carey, who may yet wind up in Edmonton.