Calgary will not trade their first round pick
In a wide-ranging interview with the 58-year-old acting GM, Burke told the Calgary Sun nobody has pitched him on peddling his first-round draft pick, which will undoubtedly be a top-five lottery selection this summer.
More importantly, he says he sees no scenario in which he will offer it up.
“No — it’s not in play,” said Burke, who has spoken sparingly as promised.
“We’ve had no inquiries — people wait to see the draft sequence.”
Such words should also be of great comfort to Flames faithful in the midst of hypothetical discussions over whether Burke would consider swapping his top pick for young Toronto Maple Leafs star Nazem Kadri.
After all, Burke’s penchant for accelerating rebuilds has seen him swing for the fences in the past with first-round picks being thrown around in exchange for Phil Kessel in Toronto and the chance to draft the Sedin twins in Vancouver. Focused on accruing the best possible prospects and draft picks for his pending unrestricted free agents, Burke’s biggest asset on the block with the Flames, Michael Cammalleri, is temporarily off the market due to a concussion that will have potential suitors leery until he is cleared by doctors.
It’s unclear what other UFA’s — such as Lee Stempniak, Matt Stajan and Chris Butler — could land in the trade market, which is why Burke’s belief is that the offers will improve after the Olympic break.
http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/01/18/calgary-flames-boss-brian-burke-talks-trades-and-gm-search