It's been no secret that the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers need warm bodies on the blue line. The Calgary Flames just might be the team to supply one to the lucky winner. Jay Bouwmeester is reported to be on the trading block, and the Red Wings and Flyers are naturally on the top of the list. The asking price is likely to be low, since Bouwmeester hasn't approached the offensive numbers he achieved in Florida, and Detroit has a lot of cap space and Philadelphia has traditionally spent to the cap. Calgary is most likely looking to shed cap space, and Bouwmeester is the likeliest player to go, since the Flames picked up defensive liability Dennis Wideman. What would Bouwmeester mean to either the Red Wings or Flyers? For the Red Wings, Bouwmeester becomes the default number one defenseman who is currently the holder of the most consecutive games played, meaning he is durable, something the Red Wings would know from recently retired Nicklas Lidstrom. The offensive numbers may never be there again, but Bouwmeester does offer a minute munching defenseman who you can put out there on the penalty kill. For the Flyers, Bouwmeester is a warm body that could step in alongside more offensively minded Kimmo Timonen. It will likely be a two team race...unless Calgary forgets their history of trading with Toronto, another team that needs defensemen.
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