Bagging Bouwmeester

by James Duplacey

For someone who likes to avoid the spotlight, Darryl Sutter certainly knows how to steal the focus. Calgary were stoically silent on the first night of the 2009 Entry Draft, making only a minor move by exchanging selection spots with the New Jersey Devils – a transaction that was widely considered as a polite gesture of conciliation for the hiring of former Devils coach Brent Sutter as the new bench boss of the Stampede City squad. The Flames, who dropped down two pegs on the draft board as a result of the Devil deal, selected Swedish rearguard Tim Erixon – son of former NY Ranger winger Jan Erixon – with their first pick (23rd overall) in the 2009 lottery.

After that decidedly dull opening day of Draft Night ‘09, the Flames gm lit up the dance floor on Saturday. Sutter set tongues-a-wagging and mouths-a-drooling with the news he had acquired the negotiating rights to dominant defender Jay Bouwmeester, the coveted free agent who was set to hit the market when the signing frenzy began at noon on July 1st. The price Sutter paid for a commodity he may never actually own was reasonable, surrendering the rights to Jordan Leopold and a third round draft choice in the 2010 sweepstakes. Even the most skeptical scribes had to agree that Sutter had spun some draft floor magic and the Calgary conductor completed the web late Tuesday night by signing the bruising blueliner to a lengthy multi-year deal, believed to be in the vicinity of five years and $35 million. If that’s the area, it will be a profitable neighborhood for the former Florida rearguard. A fluid skater and sharp puck handler who plays with a obstinate edge, Bouwmeester brings poise and purpose to the table. Opposing forwards who dare enter Calgary’s kitchen will be met by a tenacious trio of trenchmen – the rugged Robin Regehr, the deft Dion Phaneuf and the bellicose Bouwmeester – that rank among the roughest, toughest and most belligerent in the league.

The arrival of Bouwmeester will cause some accounting headaches for the Flames front office boss. The club has almost $20 million in annual salary tied to the aforementioned defensive trifecta and another $25 million already guaranteed to essential names such as Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, Daymond Langkow, Craig Conroy and Cory Sarich. Sutter has already begun the paring process by sending Jim Vanderemeer and his $2.3 million salary to the Phoenix Coyotes. A veteran backup goaltender to spell Kipper, a net-filler to replace Mike Cammalleri and a fourth line plugger with grit and grime on his resume are still on the Sutter shopping list – if he can find room under a very tight cap for the missing pieces to his Stanley Cup puzzle.

Tags: Add new tag, Duane Sutter, Jan Erixon, Jarome Iginla, Jay Bouwmeester, Miikka Kiprusoff, Tim Erixon