Francis: Lazar a good acquisition by Flames GM

Throughout weeks of rampant speculation about the type of players available to the Flames and other clubs, the name Curtis Lazar was rarely uttered.

But just because he wasn’t on most people’s radar doesn’t mean the Flames weren’t keenly interested in the 22-year-old with one of the more sparkling junior resumes possible.

“It’s a transaction we’ve done a lot of homework on,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving, who wisely veered away from a thin-yet-pricey rental market to nab Lazar and minor league defenceman Mike Kostka from Ottawa for a second round pick and Jyrki Jokipakka.

“You’re making calculated bets in this business and information is the currency we trade in. We feel we have…