The Montreal Canadiens were down 2-0, after two periods against the Boston Bruins.
I noted during the second period that Pierre Gauthier was spotted leaving the press box. Seemed of interest, given the comments made by Mike Cammalleri yesterday afternoon. But after Cammalleri had a team meeting and clarified his statments to the media, it was basically water under the bridge. Gauthier thought otherwise.
As the third period progressed, it was noted that Cammalleri was absent from the Canadiens bench, after playing 9:02 through 40 minutes. Slowly word trickled in that this was a team decision, over an injury.
Turns out, the Habs forward was told to take a cab back to the team hotel, and it is now confirmed that he was dealt to the Calgary Flames.
Rene Bourque , a known problem child in Calgary and under contract until 2015 at $3.3 million per year, is headed back the other way, along with prospect Patrick Holland and a 2nd round pick in 2013.
The Flames also get the rights to goaltender Karri Ramo, currently in the KHL and a 5th round pick in 2012.
According to Gauthier, and Flames GM Jay Feaster, the deal had been in the works for over a month. OK.
Cammalleri does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, but does have a block on seven NHL teams.
This is Cammalleri’s second trip to Calgary. He scored a career-high 39 goals in his single season with the Flames (2008-09), before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Canadiens the following summer.
In 170 regular season games with Montreal, he recorded 54 goals and 65 assists. During the 2009 playoffs, he scored 19 goals in 19 games.
Bourque is currently serving a five-game suspension, for a hit to the head on Washington Capitals defenseman Niklas Backstrom, and can return to action on January 17.
More to come, as flashbacks to 1995 have begun.
