The Calgary Flames are in full-on rebuilding mode.
After shipping captain Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh last week, the Flames traded away their alternate captain and top goal-scoring blue liner Monday night, sending Jay Bouwmeester to St. Louis in exchange for defenseman Mark Cundari, goalie Reto Berra and a first-round draft pick the 2013 draft. Neither Cundari nor Berra have seen action in an NHL game.
Should the Blues, who currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference, fail to make the playoffs, Calgary will instead receive a fourth-round pick in this summer’s draft and a first-rounder in 2014.
Bouwmeester, whom the Bruins had also reportedly shown interest in, is tied for sixth among defensemen with six goals this season — his highest total in a Flames uniform — but has seen his offensive production diminish since leaving Florida after the 2008-09 season. A former third overall pick, he tallied 12 or more goals in each of his final seasons with the Panthers, but was unable to hit double digits north of the border.
Along with his six goals, Bouwmeester has nine assists and a minus-11 rating through 33 games.
The Flames have also allowed the Toronto Maple Leafs to initiate discussions with representatives for goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, according to TSN’s Aaron Ward, though the former Vezina Trophy winner has stated that he will not report to a new team if traded.
Through 17 games, Kiprusoff’s goals against average (3.52) and save percentage (.873) are on pace for career worsts.
