In this edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumors, a trade for Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel is unlikely to happen despite wishful thinking from some fans. There was some good news for Flames fans too, however, as Troy Brouwer’s contract, which was bought out by the team during the summer of 2018, has finally come off their books. Meanwhile, Cassie Campbell, who does play by play for the club alongside Rick Ball, has been hired by ESPN as an analyst.
Eichel Not Coming to Calgary
Many, including myself, have discussed the possibility of the Flames trading for Eichel ever since his end-of-season presser, where it became very clear he would be moved. A trade still appears to be imminent, but the chances of him coming to Calgary appear very slim, according to Sportsnet’s Eric Francis. In a column written this past week, Francis stated that this deal is very unlikely to happen given the fact that other teams who are supposedly in the running have more assets to send to the Sabres.
This trade has always seemed like a bit of a pipedream, and Francis’ column all but confirms that. With that being said, general manager Brad Treliving wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t at the very least inquire on what it would cost to pick up the 24-year-old superstar, but there is no denying they don’t have nearly the same prospect pool as other teams in the running such as the L.A. Kings as well as the Anaheim Ducks.
Brouwer Buyout Finished
The Flames will have a little extra cap room to make some moves this offseason, as Brouwer’s contract is finally paid off entirely. On the opening day of free agency in 2016, Treliving chose to sign Brouwer to a four-year, $18 million contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million per season. While this did seem like a slight overpay at the time, he was able to score a combined 64 goals over the previous three seasons and was expected to provide a great veteran presence given the fact he won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
Unfortunately, the deal was not even close to going as planned and resulted in Brouwer being bought out in August of 2018. He ended up playing a total of 150 games as a Flame, registering just 19 goals and 47 points. After the buyout, he had short stints with the Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues. He last appeared in the NHL during the 2019-20 season. He had been taking up $1.5 million of the Flames cap space for the past four seasons.
Campbell Joining ESPN
If you have tuned into a Flames game in recent years, you would likely recognize the voice of Campbell, who has been working for Sportsnet since 2013. The 47-year-old has a huge background in the sport of hockey which includes two gold medals for Team Canada at the Olympics, as well as an additional six gold medals at the IIHF World Women’s Championships. She is regarded as one of the best female hockey players of all time.
Given her impressive resume, ESPN has chosen to add her for hockey coverage for the 2021-22 season. She will be just one of many well-known names contributing to ESPN’s hockey coverage, as they have also hired individuals such as Mark Messier, Ray Ferraro, Chris Chelios, Ryan Callahan, and many more. It has since been confirmed Campbell will also remain with Sportsnet, though it is unclear at this point and time whether or not she will continue calling Flames games.
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