Calgary baits Vegas by leaving veteran unprotected

The Calgary Flames are dangling one of the Las Vegas GM's old favorites as draft bait

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Calgary baits Vegas by leaving veteran unprotected
KEYSTONE PRESS

Stanley Cup champion and NHL veteran Troy Brouwer is expected to be left unprotected from the prying hands of the Las Vegas expansion draft this summer.

The 31-year-old from Vancouver, British Columbia signed a four-year contract with the Calgary Flames worth $4.5-million a year after walking away from the St. Louis Blues as an unrestricted free agent last summer.

Brouwer skated in 74 games for the Flames, notching 13 goals and 12 assist for 25 points. With the team in Calgary making the Playoffs again this season and maturing faster than was perhaps expected, Brouwer’s value with for the Flames may have shifted away from his price point.

Why would Vegas take the 2010 Stanley Cup Champ? Their General Manager, George McPhee has dealth with Brouwer in the past, signing him to a lucrative three-year contract extension when both where in Washington back in 2012.

At the time, McPhee praised Brouwer’s value as a leader and as an adaptable physical presence with an offensive punch on the ice.

The safe bet is that the Flames will protect players like Mikael Backlund, Sam BennettMicheal FerlandMichael FrolikJohnny Gaudreau, Curtis Lazar, and Sean Monahan. Breakout players like the infamous Matthew Tkachuk cannot be taken by Vegas.

Only McPhee knows for sure who he has his eye on from each team. The rest of us will have to sit by, worry, and speculate until Wednesday, June 21st, when the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft will be held.

 


Source: NBC Sports