It's not often that a team that trades away its first round pick in the NHL Draft is considered one of the big winners of the event's first day. Of course, it's not often that a player the likes of Dougie Hamilton is traded, so today was unusual all-around.
The Calgary Flames took an indisputable step forward in their rebuild today. And they paid a big, big price for it.
Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a big draft guy. I got into hockey writing through working for the Flames game-day program profiling prospects. My first credentialed gig was covering the AHL team.