Calgary Flames Interested In Trade For Jonathan Bernier?

The Calgary Flames goaltending situation is still a little problematic, which makes recent suggestions of scouting Jonathan Bernier quite intriguing.

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Jonathan Bernier would be a very interesting proposition for the Calgary Flames; he’s not shown himself as a bona-fide number one in all of his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Equally, he’s showing poor form at present, excluding his three shut-out streak with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League.

Obviously, there is the chance he may find some form in any city but Toronto, but the notion of trading for him poses a huge dilemma for the Calgary Flames in their present standing.

The rumour mill is certainly alive with this story, with the Calgary Flames general manager in Toronto to scout players, including Bernier on Tuesday. Bernier may not be the subject of any potential Calgary Flames trade though, as there are plenty of rental options in Toronto.

Looking at Bernier though, do you look to offer Jonas Hiller in return, as his cap hit is much nearer to that of Bernier albeit he has a shorter contract. Or do you trade an in-form Karri Ramo, who arguably is worth more right now?

The whole scenario offers up far more questions than it answers.

Is Bernier worth it for the Calgary Flames?

He’d be a Calgary Flames goaltender for the rest of the season and next season for a roughly equal cap hit to Jonas Hiller. If he found form, there’s a decent chance he may be worth more in a trade than Hiller, who hits free agency this summer.

“The Calgary Flames are looking at absolutely every possibility for a goaltender, and Bernier’s a guy who they have discussed in the front office openly because there is a potential upside” – Eric Francis (Sportsnet)

The hypotheticals are so daunting that you’d truly be questioning the Calgary Flames management team should they actually pursue the deal.

If they are keen on one of the Toronto Maple Leafs tenders, surely it should be the currently injured James Reimer. He has been on much better form this season and with the Calgary Flames blue line in front of him, has a lot of potential to solve the goaltending dilemma. However, he’d be expecting better money next year as he is due to, much like the Flames current pair, hit free agency also.

Until Jon Gillies is ready, there’s quite a dilemma about how the goaltending should be handled. Even when he does step up, he’s got the NHL learning curve to contend with, so it may not be smooth sailing even then.

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Does the thought of Jonathan Bernier in Calgary red strike fear into you? Or do you think the management team is looking to bring someone else in from Toronto? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.