Some questions were answered and others were brought up when Scott Howson traded the Blue Jackets 3rd rounder in 2010 to the Calgary Flames to pick up Anton Stralman.
Questions Answered
The CBJ was desperate for a right handed shot on the blue line and made, in my estimation, a slightly desperate move to acquire Stralman. Giving up a 3rd rounder was not the desperate move but putting a 7th rounder from 2005, 23 years old and only has 88 games of NHL experience on the roster without being in a Ken Hitchcock system in the past is.
I talked to General Manager Scott Howson about it and he seems a lot less worried but made it very clear that the right handed shot was a big deal. "He has a right handed shot with offensive upside that we feel he will show," stated Howson. "We have had interest in him when he was in Toronto and Calgary."
Remember the last defenseman that Howson had a long time interest in and he went out and got? Fedor Tyutin ring a bell?
Another questioned answered is when Howson likes a player, he's willing to wait to get him. He did it with Tyutin and now with Stralman.
More questions answered; Hitchcock wasn't comfortable going into the season without a right handed shot from the blue line or with Grant Clitsome, Nick Holden or Jonathan Sigalet.
Questions Raised
Howson made it clear that Stralman is here to play. So, who of the established defenseman will have to sit? My guess would be Marc Methot. By adding up all the comments that Hitchcock has said to come to some conclusions, it's pretty clear he wants to pair a defensive defenseman with a more offensive one. Thus, lines of Commodore and Tyutin. Hejda and Russell and now Klesla and Stralman might be what Hitch has in mind.
Another question yet to be answered; how long will it take before Hitchcock pulls his hair out when he pinches when he shouldn't or gets beat on the boards due to a lack of strength or any other number of defensive let downs that are sure to happen with a young offensive defenseman? My guess is the 1st game. With Hitch, he knows with the new NHL that offensive defenseman are a necessary evil but that doesn't mean he has to like it.
The other question we will never know; if John Moore had a right handed shot, would he have made the team? My opinion, is that they probably still wouldn't have but it would have made it gut wrenching to not keep him.
Whether Stralman plays opening night will determine whether he gets his "green card" for the US in time to get enough practice time to make Hitchcock comfortable. We will have to wait and see for that.
Here is some video of Anton Stralman and Matt Calvert update below video.
Calvert Decision Coming
Matt Calvert has had a very impressive camp and has obviously impressed management enough that they are currently working on an entry level contract. At this point, I believe the decision is totally up to Calvert.
His game as got to the point that he will get nothing from going back to juniors. So, what's the problem? Calvert plays for the Brandon Wheat Kings where the Memorial Cup will be played this year. By Brandon hosting the Memorial Cup, the automatically earn a bid. If you don't know, the Memorial Cup is a HUGE deal in Canada.
The other reason that Calvert might be struggling with his decision is the line mates that he played with last season and would again this season. Scott Glennie, 2009 1st round (8th overall) draft pick of the Dallas Stars and Brayden Schenn, 2009 1st round (5th overall) pick by the Los Angeles Kings will be his partners in what would be a super-power line for the Wheat Kings. The firepower that this line would be a lot of fun for any player to play with and for Calvert, he may feel a once in a lifetime experience that he won't be able to pass up.
Tomorrow will come the final decision but I feel that pre-season camp has proved to Calvert that he is ready for the next step and he will sign a entry level contract tomorrow.
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