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Flames place Ales Kotalik on the waivers (again)

Vincent Lacavalier, Steve Downie, Simon Gagne, Brett Clark

Calgary Flames’ Ales Kotalik, from Czeck Republic, scores the shootout winner against Tampa Bay Lightning’s goalie Cedrick Desjardins, right, during an NHL preseason hockey game in Calgary on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Larry MacDougal)

AP

This is not a repeat: the Calgary Flames placed mediocre winger Ales Kotalik on waivers today. This marks the second time they placed him on waivers, as the team made him available to all 29 other teams last summer but found no takers.

Other teams have until 10 a.m. Friday morning to scoop up Kotalik, whose $3 million annual salary cap hit runs through the 2011-12 season.

It’s tough to imagine any team taking the Flames up on this offer. Kotalik was known for being a one-dimensional player to begin with, but he hasn’t even been scoring much lately. The winger only has three goals and zero assists in 20 games while averaging only 12:26 minutes on ice this season.

NHL general managers are full of surprises, but barring a really shocking change of heart among team builders, the Flames are likely stuck with Kotalik. Unless he becomes the problem of their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, instead.