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Trade: Blues acquire Bouwmeester from Calgary

Jay Bouwmeester

Jay Bouwmeester #4 of the Calgary Flames during NHL action on December 04, 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (December 3, 2011 - Source: Rich Lam/Getty Images North America

The Calgary Flames continued their fire sale on Monday, sending defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to St. Louis in exchange for the Blues’ first-round pick in 2013, defenseman Mark Cundari and goalie Reta Berra.

The move marks the second significant player Calgary has traded in advance of Wednesday’s trade deadline. Last week, the club shipped longtime captain Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh.

Bouwmeester was a highly sought-after commodity this season. He’s handled a heavy workload -- averaging over 25 minutes per game -- and has managed to contribute offensively, leading all Flames defensemen with six goals.

For St. Louis, the move is a bold one. The club currently sits ninth in the Western Conference with 36 points, one back of eighth-place Columbus. (Granted, the Blues have three games in hand.)

Heck, there’s even a clause in the contract outlining what would happen if St. Louis misses the postseason -- in the event the Blues miss, Calgary gets St. Louis’ fourth-round selection in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and the first round pick will be deferred to 2014.

It should be noted Bouwmeester has never participated in the postseason over the course of his 10-year career.

Financially, this is a big move for St. Louis.

Bouwmeester has two years left on the five-year, $33.4 million deal he signed in 2009, and carries a $6.68 million annual cap hit. According to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Calgary is not retaining any of Bouwmeester’s salary in the deal.

As for the players Calgary’s getting in return? Cundari was an undrafted free agent signed by St. Louis in 2010 that’s currently playing with AHL Peoria, while Berra is a 2006 draftee that’s with Biel in the Swiss A League.

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