With the Expansion and the NHL Entry Draft happening last week, we have some things to discuss as Calgary Flames fans.
Hello Calgary Flames fans and welcome to another edition of Monday Roundtable! The segment that we here at Flame for Thought bring you every Monday. Basically, I ask the other writers here questions surrounding a specific topic each week and we have a virtual roundtable discussion about it. Last week, we talked about some possibilities happening on Draft Day. With the Draft and the Expansion draft happening last week, let’s have a discussion about those.
Last week was one of the most exciting weeks you can have as a hockey fan during the off-season. Let’s face it, there isn’t always a lot to talk about during the off-season unless there are exciting trades happening. Which has been happening with the Flames! But anyways, these questions will be surrounding the Expansion and the Entry Draft. I asked the other writers here some questions and here is all of our takes on what happened!
Question 1: How do you feel about Deryk Engelland going to Vegas over someone like Troy Brouwer?
Jonathan Boulanger
Bitter-Sweet. Gonna miss Engelland, a real character guy willing to put his body on the line day in and day out (plus he has some sweet hands since he used to play RW). On the other hand, the Flames get off scott-free in a way compared to other teams like Nashville who lost James Neal… Ouch.
Alex Hoegler
Brouwer is the better player, but the Flames could have used the cap space. Brouwer is a bigger impact player, though. I think it was best for the Flames to have Vegas choose Engelland. Now that they have Travis Hamonic, Engelland’s loss isn’t so bad.
Related Story: Expansion - Deryk Engelland is Going to Vegas
Dan Raicevich
I don’t mind the loss. Its a veteran player that we had a chance to re-up with, so that locker room presence will be lost. But the end of the day, it opens a slot up for a promising young prospect. So I wouldn’t lose sleep over Engelland heading to the desert.
Ramina Shlah
It’s a little bitter-sweet like Jonathan said because I had a soft spot for Engelland, but he was most likely leaving anyways. It is unfortunate that the Calgary Flames couldn’t free up some cap space by having Vegas choose Brouwer, but nonetheless, there could be some sort of trade happening with Brouwer. I really don’t know at this point, but I would have preferred Brouwer over Engelland.