The Ones That Got Away: Calgary Flames' Top Five Castaways

Every team in the NHL has had a player or two that has gotten away. A young player that the organization gives up on, only to watch him flourish in another city.

In the hockey world it is the equivalent of your wife leaving you for your best friend as it is painful to watch, and you get the constant reminder every time they come to town for a visit.

Maybe no other team in the NHL has felt that sting worse than the Calgary Flames in recent years; as four of the five on my list are still effective players for their respective teams right now.

That being said, let us countdown the top five Flames that got away.

5. Dwayne Roloson (Calgary Flames 1996-1998)

Roloson was an undrafted Hobey Baker award nominee and NCAA All-American when the Flames signed him as a free agent in 1994.

Despite putting up decent numbers during a rebuilding phase over two seasons in Calgary(19-30-9, with a 2.89 goals against average), Roloson was moved to the Buffalo Sabres to back up Dominek Hasek, where he would spend two more years.

After being claimed in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, "Rollie the goalie" opted to sign with the AHL team of the St. Louis Blues, the Worcester Ice Cats.

Roloson excelled in his season with the Cats with a 2.17 goals against average, a .929 save percentage and finished the year going 32-15-5.

Those numbers were good enough to earn him a spot on the Minnesota Wild, and since he has never looked back, leading the Edmonton Oilers to a Stanley Cup appearance in 2006.

So far Roloson has won 167 games in the NHL and has a career average of 2.62, those numbers aren't too bad for a goalie that has been cast away more often than Tom Hanks.

4. Marc Savard (Calgary Flames 1999-2002)

Technically Marc Savard was a prospect given up on by the New York Rangers as they were the club that drafted him, but since he started coming into his own in Calgary, the Flames ultimately take the responsibility for letting him go for nothing.

Though the critics thought he was too lazy for the pro's, Marc Savard put up solid numbers in Calgary, and in 2001 was second on the team in scoring behind Jarome  Iginla with 65 points.

In total, Savard finished with 60 goals and 94 assists in his 221 games played with the Flames before they shipped him to Atlanta for Ruslan Zainullin.

Ouch, it is amazing that Calgary ever recovered from this deal, maybe one of the worst trades ever. Since then Marc Savard has become one of only a handful of players in the NHL capable of 100 points, Ruslan Zainullin is the hockey worlds answer to Twisted Sister and is in the "where are they now" files.

3. Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Calgary Flames 1998-2000)

Okay, so the Flames don't get all of the blame on this one either, as the Hartford Whalers let "Jiggy" get away after eight games played. Though the Whale got Gary Roberts in return.

Giguere really didn't get much of an opportunity in Cowtown, only appearing in 22 games(going 7-10-2). He was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on June 10, 2000 for a second-round pick in 2000 (which was dealt to the Washington Capitals and turned out to be Matt Pettinger).

And we all know the rest of the story.

Giguere led the Ducks to the 2007 Stanley Cup.

For his career, "Jiggy" has won 210 games, and has a minuscule goals against average of 2.49 to go with 31 shutouts.

Hey don't get me wrong Kiprusoff is good, but Jean-Sebastien Giguere is more than capable of taking his place.

2. Martin St. Louis (Calgary Flames 1998-2000)

It's tough to believe that with all his offensive talent that Martin St. Louis was not drafted, and released by the Calgary Flames after just 69 games.

The NHL's version of mighty mouse has been brilliant for the Tampa Bay Lightning since joining them as a free agent in 2001, scoring 234 goals and 565 points in 621 games.

As well as leading the Lightning to a Stanley Cup in 2004 against his former Flames teammates.

Just another great player the Calgary Flames gave up on too early, and didn't get anything back in return.

Can you believe in 1999-00 the Flames had St. Louis, Marc Savard, Jean-Sebastian Giguere, Jarome Iginla, Valeri Bure, Phil Housley, Derek Morris, and Robyn Regehr and still didn't make the playoffs?

Jeesh, you would have thought Emilio Estevez could have coached that team to a winning season.

1. Brett Hull (Calgary Flames 1985-1988)

The Calgary Flames selected Hull 117th overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, and he only played 57 games(scoring 27 goals and 24 assists), for them before he was dealt to the St. Louis Blues for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley.

Though Ramage and Wamsley may have been two important parts to Calgary's one and only Stanley Cup victory in 1989, it has to be a tough pill to swallow for Flames fans that missed out on watching the third best goal scorer to ever play the game.

Brett Hull went on to score 741 goals, 1391 points, and win two Stanley Cups in his stellar career-nuff said.

If the Marc Savard trade was the worst in Flames history, this may be a close second.

On a lighter note Flames fans, our team continues to roll this season, and erase memories like these.

At 19-8-3 who needs Marc Savard, Martin St. Louis and J.S. Giguere anyway.