Flames Acquire Cammalleri, Ramo from Canadiens for Bourque, Holland

The Calgary Flames swung a major deal on Thursday by acquiring left wing Mike Cammalleri, goaltender Karri Ramo, and a fifth round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for left wing Rene Bourque, right wing Patrick Holland, and a second round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft. The trade came just one day after Cammalleri made disparaging remarks on the Canadiens' play as of late. The tam currently sits at the bottom of the Northeast Division with a 16-20-7 record in 43 games and have 39 points. They are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and have lost two straight games. In 38 games this season with Montreal, Cammalleri has nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. In 35 games with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, Ramo has a 13-15-7 record, five shutouts, a 1.97 GAA, and a .927 save percentage. Bourque has 13 goals and three assists for 16 points in 38 games with the Flames. He is currently serving a five game suspension for elbowing Washington's Nicklas Backstrom in the head on January 5. In 40 games with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, Holland has 17 goals and 40 assists for 57 points.

This is an excellent trade for the Flames, as Cammalleri adds plenty of offensive and scoring depth to the team despite struggling in Montreal this season. He enjoyed a productive 2008-09 season in Calgary playing alongside Jarome Iginla, so the two wingers will likely play on the same line once again and hopefully find the offensive spark they once had together. Ramo was drafted by GM Jay Feaster while he was with the Tampa Bay Lightning, so he adds some familiarity in net. However, there is no guarantee that Ramo will play for the Flames in the near future, as he has been playing in the KHL in recent years. Despite struggling for much of the 2011-12 season, this move clearly shows that the Flames are definitely going to make a push for the playoffs. As for the Canadiens, they dealt a player who had clearly lost his passion for the team and also cleared up some salary cap space in the process. In Bourque, they get a big winger who can score and play a physical game despite being a bit of a streaky scorer. He is also excellent on the power play and penalty kill, so they get a well-rounded special teams player in the deal. Holland has shown some promise in the WHL over the past few seasons, so the Canadiens get a prospect with some upside. In the end, the trade is a shakeup for both struggling teams. Cammalleri and Bourque will also look for fresh starts with their new teams and hopefully improve their offensive games.

Flames Sign Forward Bourque to Six-Year Contract Extension

The Calgary Flames announced today that they have signed left wing Rene Bourque to a six-year contract extension worth $19.8 million. The deal averages out to $3.3 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 53 games so far this season with the Flames, Bourque has 18 goals and 23 assists for a career high 41 points and 74 penalty minutes. In 294 career NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames, he has 72 goals and 84 assists for 156 points and 280 penalty minutes. He is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. This is a good move for the Flames to get Bourque signed to a contract extension, as he is a very physical winger, can score goals, and is great on the power play. However, signing him to a six-year deal is a bit excessive in my opinion, as he is starting to become a bit injury prone. A three-year contract would have been a bit more reasonable. $3.3 million per season for a player of his caliber is okay, and if he improves offensively over the next few seasons, he could be a bargain.