Mike Cammalleri traded to Calgary
Posted January 12, 2012 10:25 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Montreal Canadiens shipped forward Michael Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, adding another chapter to the storied organization’s turbulent season.
The trade comes one day after Cammalleri was quoted as questioning the Canadiens’ attitude in the dressing room after a loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier denied the trade had anything to do with the recent controversy and said the team has been working on a deal for more than a month.
He said the young players who joined the team this year like David Desharnais and Rafael Diaz are smaller skaters, but the team needs to get bigger.
“The majority of goals are scored around the net now, on deflections, screened shots,” he said. “We need to score those difficult goals. You need to go to those areas to get those second and third chances.”
“We improved our team tonight. It’s not to put down Mr. Cammalleri, it was to get bigger as a team.”
Cammalleri is listed as five-foot-nine and 190 pounds, while Bourque’s player profile says he is six-foot-two and 211 pounds.
Cammalleri returns to the Flames, where he had 39 goals and 82 points in the 2008-09 season. Calgary also acquires goaltender Karri Ramo and a fifth-round pick in the 2012 draft.
The Canadiens receive forwards Rene Bourque and Patrick Holland and a second-round pick in the 2013 draft. Bourque is currently serving a five-game suspension for elbowing Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom in the head.
Montreal coach Randy Cunneyworth confirmed the deal after Thursday night’s game against Boston. Cammalleri was pulled during the third-period of the game and apparently sent back to the team hotel.
Cammalleri, a native of Richmond Hill, Ont., has nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 37 games for the Canadiens this season.
So far, this has been a season to forget for the proud Canadiens franchise. After stumbling out of the gates, the team fired head coach Jacques Martin. Cunneyworth, Martin’s replacement, sparked controversy when it was revealed he couldn’t speak French.
Meanwhile, the Habs are languishing in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, seven points out of a playoff spot.
