Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes swap players
There are often times when hockey business comes before family business. Such was the case when Calgary Flames general manager, Darryl Sutter, shipped his son Brett Sutter, along with
defenceman Ian White, to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The trade came at an interesting time, as one week prior, Sutter had been charged with assault after an incident that took place outside of a bar in Arizona before a game between the Flames
and the Phoenix Coyotes. However, Jay Feaster, Calgary’s assistant general manager, claimed that the deal had been in place before that incident occurred.
“This discussion took place going back to the end of October, beginning of November,” Feaster told
The Canadian Press via conference call. “He (Sutter) was a player that Carolina identified as someone that they wanted in the deal. So it evolved from there.”
Drafted by his father 179th overall at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Sutter made the Flames roster this season as the spare forward, earning a single assist in four games. He had appeared
in 10 games for Calgary last season.
White was a member of the Flames after having been traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs on 31 January 2010 in the deal that sent Dion Phaneuf to Toronto. The 5ft 10in defenceman has scored
34 goals and 89 assists for 123 points in 339 games in the NHL.
In return for Sutter and White, the Hurricanes shipped winger Tom Kostopoulos and defenceman Anton Babchuk off to Calgary. Kostopoulos, who is known for his gritty playing style, has posted
totals of 49 goals and 81 assists for a total of 130 points in 475 games.
Ukrainian defender Babchuk has had two stints in Raleigh, and is an original Hurricanes draft pick (21st overall in 2002). In 185 games, he has put up 26 goals and 43 assists for 69 points.
“One of the things that Darryl has always prided himself on is being able to separate out the personal relationship and the business aspect of what it is that we do,” Feaster said of the
trade.
“We were in a situation where Brett was not playing; he was not able to crack the starting line-up, and hadn't played in an extended period of time. It was a decision that was made ...
in the best interest of the hockey club.”
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