Flames’ savvy moves on defence prepare them for playoff push

Chris Johnston joins Hockey Central to discuss the Calgary Flames trading for Michael Stone.

• Flames secure need with trade
• GM Brad Treliving showing strong management
Michael Stone says he’s capable of more

The biggest thing separating the Calgary Flames from securing a playoff spot was the team’s lack of defensive depth.

GM Brad Treliving addressed the issue with two swift moves in savvy fashion, adding two capable options to his ranks, including one of the biggest names on the rental market.

Almost nine years after drafting Michael Stone as assistant GM in Phoenix, Treliving brought the 26-year-old defenceman back to his junior stomping grounds in Calgary on Monday for a third-round pick and a conditional fifth in 2018.

The fifth rounder hinges on the Flames re-signing Stone, who is a pending UFA. The Coyotes were kind enough to pay half of what’s left of Stone’s $4 million contract.

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A solid deal for a rebuilding Flames club loathe to give up picks but mindful of the opportunity it has as the west’s last wild card squad.

It ends a miserable existence in Arizona for the former Hitmen star and opens the door for a reawakening in Cowtown where he’ll be given every chance to flourish on the second pairing alongside T.J. Brodie.

“Our focus is the next 23 games and I think he can help us there,” said Treliving, whose defensive depth chart falls off considerably after Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton and Brodie.

“You never like to give up picks but the prices seemed right to give us a push. I don’t want any misnomers here – he’s a solid payer but he’s not coming in to be the saviour. That said, we think with these two moves our defence is deeper.”

The second move came late last week when the Flames signed minor leaguer Matt Bartkowski, who was a No. 4 defenceman with Vancouver last year. Bartkowski is a long shot to be a significant difference-maker this season, but satisfies Calgary’s requirement to expose a defenceman for the expansion draft.

Solid management, delicately balancing the present and the future while giving his team a shot in the arm in the midst of an intense battle for one of the final playoff spots in the west.

One year removed from a six-goal 36-point season alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Stone had off-season knee surgery and has struggled this year on a team full of disappointments.

The 26-year-old says he’s capable of far more than the one goal and eight assists he’s logged in 45 games this year and is looking forward to proving he’s a much better defenceman than the one who took the WHL by storm years ago.

“I think my game has evolved since my days in Calgary,” said Stone, who has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time this year while playing considerable power play and penalty killing minutes.

“I was more of an offensive guy in junior and am still capable of doing all that, but I’ve rounded out more defensively. I just want to play steady, firm and make good first plays out of the zone and provide offence. I like to think I can do it all – kill penalties and block shots. I enjoy that stuff as much as I do scoring goals. I’m looking forward to playing more in the offensive zone.”

Something he did precious little of in the desert this season where he was a respectable minus-5.

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The familiarity the Flames have with Stone played a role in his acquisition as many in the front office surely recall him racking up almost a point a game his last two seasons with the Hitmen, where he played from 2006-2010.

Overpaid malcontent Dennis Wideman was paired with Brodie on the second pairing until last week, which does well to explain why the NHL’s 18th-leading scorer amongst blueliners last year is currently minus-25.

The six-foot-three, 210-pound Stone has tremendous mobility and one of the heaviest shots in the league, opening up much-needed possibilities for Brodie and the Flames.

Fact is, only Kevin Shattenkirk was ranked ahead of Stone amongst trade deadline rentals, with the former coming with a price tag the Flames wouldn’t dare consider.

Nor did they need a top-line defender.

Fifth defenceman Deryk Engelland can now move back to his familiar No. 5 spot and will play alongside either Wideman, who has a no movement clause, or Bartkowski.

“We have five games before the deadline so we tried to get out ahead of it a bit,” said Treliving of the pre-emptive strike.

“We’re deeper than we were a week ago, so we’re happy with it.”

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