Rams bring in UFAs

(CP) Calgary, Alberta

The Rams recently signed UFA centreman Andy McDonald to a $1.2M usd contract for the remainder of the season after the St. Louis Browns released him and bought out his $6M usd contract.
In another transaction, the Rams dispatched blueliner Francis Bouillon along with wingers Ruslan Fedotenko and Scott Walker to the Beanpots for blueliner Roman Hamrlik and portsider Martin Straka. Hamrlik and
Straka are also UFAs at the end of this season.

GM Poelker said, "Both moves made sense for us. After trading Gomez earlier in the Zherdev-Michalek-Boyle deal with Montreal we realized we needed another centreman. Legwand just wasn't getting it done on the 2nd line as was previously hoped. The chemistry wasn't there. Hopefully McDonald can correct that. Hamrlik gives us a top pairing two-way Dman and we hope he can settle down Boyle. Straka gives us some flexibility at LW and C, although his faceoff skills (sorely lacking) leave a lot to be desired. He does seem to have a nose for the net, though. Where he'll play will be a matter of experimentation the first few games. Same with McDonald. Hamrlik leaves no mystery. He'll be the #1 LD for the Rams the rest of the season."

In his first game with the Rams, a 6-1 win over Montreal, Straka lit the lamp playing on the top line with McDonald and Kovalev. Hamrlik recorded a helper and a +2 rate. Whether Straka remains on the top line remains to be seen. In all likelihood some line juggling will take place for the next game.
Currently the Rams are in 2nd place in the Canadian West 7 points behind 1st place Vancouver. The Rams hope to give the Jackals a tussle for 1st place in the division come the end of the season.