The Calgary Flames rank among a small group of Western Canadian teams being favored by New York Islanders defenseman, Travis Hamonic.
He had reportedly asked for a trade out of New York, citing displeasure with the Long Island/Brooklyn setup. Interesting for the Calgary Flames, no less.
The Islanders are not simply shipping Hamonic for a player upgrade, but rather looking for an equivalent opponent. Who could be a replacement for Hamonic?
Let’s look at some numbers.
Unlikely yes, here's last year's numbers.
— Lee Snowden (@Snowden4000) November 18, 2015
Hamonic - 71gp, 5g, 28a, 33 points. +15
Russell - 79gp, 4g, 30a, 34 points. +18#Flames #NYI
There we go again, exploring trade options for Kris Russell in the final year of contract.
To me this deal would make sense for both sides, I mean, the Calgary Flames would get rid of Kris Russell and get Travis Hamonic. In return, the Islanders would get a capable veteran defender who is more than comfortable on either side of the game.
This doesn’t mean it’s a done deal, nor does it mean that the Calgary Flames are even interested. But to me, this looks to be a match made in heaven. The Islanders expressed their desire to find an equivalent player in return and here it is. Pull the trigger!
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Hamonic will not be on the market long, even with his $3.85 million AAV cap hit. Oh, did I mention the contract length is 7 years? Right. That’s an issue.
That’s a long term contract to pick up on a seemingly disgruntled player, but that doesn’t mean teams should shy away from this deal. If anything, it entices me further. This is a building block for your future, one that you already know how it fits in given the fact that his contract is already set in stone.
This could prove to be the move that shores up the Calgary Flames’ lackluster bottom pair. Or purely to negate the possibility of Kris Russell and Dennis Wideman ever playing together again.
I shudder at the sight of those two together. Only time will tell, but I am intrigued.
Next: Calgary Flames Rumors: Semyon Varlamov An Option?
Could the Calgary Flames be Hamonic’s Western Canadian answer? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.