It’s time everyone in the hockey world gives Yegor Sharangovich and the Calgary Flames a formal apology. Flames fans were wrong, analysts were wrong, heck, even the New Jersey Devils were wrong.
In his first deal as general manager of the Calgary Flames, Craig Conroy traded leading point scorer Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round draft pick. At the time and during the start of the season, the trade looked like an easy loss for the Flames. With Toffoli lighting it up in New Jersey, and Sharagovich playing on the fourth line, everyone, including myself, thought that the trade return for Toffoli was an unmitigated disaster.
I could not have been more wrong.
Sharangovich shines
Since November 1, Sharangovich has 16 goals and 12 assists, which almost puts him at a point-per-game player over that period. Ever since being united with Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm, Sharangovich has been lights out, which includes five goals in his last two games including his hat trick against the Arizona Coyotes. This puts him on pace for a 33-goal and 58-point season which is a far cry from how this season started.
Put it plain and simple, Sharangovich has been one of the team’s most dependable players since everyone wrote him off.
His hat trick game was a perfect example where Sharangovich’s finishing ability has almost put him in the automatic-goal territory. His release is disgusting, his ability to pick corners is off the charts, and add in the fact that his hat-trick goals were a combination of even strength, power play, and shorthanded goals; the guy can do it all.
I mean just look at his impact from tonight’s game per Hockey Stats Cards:
Over the last few games, Sharangovich has been at the top of the list more often than not.
Add in the fact that with his latest performance, Sharangovich now has passed Toffoli in goals and points on the season. That really puts the cherry on top. Trading away the team’s top point-getter was surely a choice, but Sharangovich has rebounded phenomenally since adjusting to Calgary.
Oh, and he also dedicated his hat trick to his dad.
Commendable Conroy
Of course, after handing out as many F’s as possible after the trade happened, Conroy’s trading history looked bleak.
This move in hindsight now looks like pure highway robbery. The team got younger, has had more production theoretically than they would have had with Toffoli, and to top it off has a wonderful prospect in Aydar Suniev playing well as a young kid in college this year.
If Conroy does have to execute any more trades this season (cough, cough) then I will be sure not to judge as quickly as I have in the past.
Never have I been happier to be so incorrect.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
