New Year, New Flames?

I could go on for hours about what the Flames' needs are, but I wonder if bringing in a bunch of new players is the solution. Don't get me wrong, the Flames could use a top-six winger and a new goaltender, but realistically they can only bring in a few. 

The Flames have enough talent to compete every night. Huberdeau needs to start playing like he is capable. Lindholm has to pull up his socks, and Kadri needs to maintain his effort. My post-Christmas gift to this team is a lump of coal.

But, since this is not the spirit of the season, I will offer up an olive branch. The Flames need another sniper to add some offensive punch. So here are a couple of options. 

A Brian MacLellan Player

I would love Max Domi of the Chicago Blackhawks. Not the Blackhawk name you were expecting, I know. Max has some grit and can score with a Huberdeau; he just needs a chance. A power forward who could be the 20-goal scorer the Flames need.

The Defense needs a touch player. The Flames need one more defenseman who can stabilize the core. Someone who helps cover some defensive mistakes.

A Jamie Macoun Player

Nick Holden is an option for a steady number-five dman who might help in a pinch. I don't want a star, but someone who can help with defensive zone coverage. His cap hit is cheap, and we can afford to take that on. 

This team needs to take responsibility for what is going on. They don't need an overhaul. What they need is to start playing like they're capable of. 

Randy

Flames: My Kingdom for a Winning Streak

Let me ask you a question: Is there a more frustrating team in the NHL than the Calgary Flames? The offense is average at best, and abysmal at worst. I could use other words, but this is a family blog, and my wife would not edit it for me. 

Huberdeau has shown up a few times, then taken a seat to watch. The Breadman has yet to be the dough man (see what I did there). The defense has been lacking, to say the least. When your best defenceman has been Stone, it makes you wonder what is wrong. I mean good for Stone, bad for the Defence. Of course, that is not the case in every game, but it has happened this season.

To say the Flames have been inconsistent would be an understatement. It would be equivalent to calling the Grand Canyon a big hole. (Get that the Flames might have fallen off the path a few times.)  

Markstrom coming out and saying he is not happy with his play is admirable. Of course, I have come to admit I suck at playing the piano. Saying it is one thing. Doing something about it is another. Yes, this blog is a little facetious, but you get my point. There is no room for excuses or mediocrity. The Flames have to stop the nonsense or they will have to listen to my big words of anger. If the Flames continue with sloppiness and inconsistency, there is always the lottery ticket of Beddard. Or we can put on our big boy pants and fix this ship.

Last Word

Darth Vladar, in thee we trust. The end

Randy

Calgary Flames: It's a 60-minute game

The title should be self-explanatory. The Calgary Flames have to become a 60-minute hockey team. The third period against the Kraken the other night was a gong show. The defense coverage was laughable. There were many other issues; blind passing, players standing around, and most concerning was being outworked every game. When was the last time you saw a Sutter team outworked consistently every night? My source said it best when he said, "The Flames are lucky to be 5-1 when they had not played a full 60-minute game all season." Well, that caught up to them, and right now, they're closer to a lottery team than a contender. 

Plain and simple, I love the acronym KISS, meaning Keep It Simple Stupid. The Flames are overthinking, trying not to lose instead of trying to win. Suddenly they are skating in the mud, doubting themselves. They've lost their heart. The loss to the Islanders was Kraken, Part II. Mistakes happen when you start trying to protect the lead instead of keeping your foot on the gas pedal. Hockey comes naturally; the Flames need to let the game come to them. 

Markstrom has not been able to make the big saves, particularly in the third period. That might be because the Flames slow down and stop playing, or because Markstrom is struggling himself. I think it is both. The Flames made a ton of mistakes in the Islanders game. It was another gong show. There is no excuse. Markstrom has to improve his game and the Flames must hustle for a full sixty minutes. They should know better. They're not a young team. It is time to put on their big boy skates. Sutter needs to bring the ship back on course. 

If Huberdeau's injury is long-term, the Flames may have to consider trading one of the defencemen to bring in another forward. They must take action before the team falls too far behind.

Randy

Predictions for the season

 

Do visions of Huberdeau and Lindholm dance in your head? So goes the beginning of the hockey season. Don't tell me you don't have them in your head. 

There are high expectations for the Flames. As the season progresses, those expectations will turn into dread and visions of firing everyone. Well, maybe not. This team is built for the playoffs; we just have to get there. Speaking of expectations—I would like to throw out some numbers I think certain players should obtain. They are the leaders of the team going into this season. 

11 Jonathan Huberdeau 

He is known as Huby and is the star of attraction this season. He is an outstanding playmaking forward who can play with the best of them. Huberdeau might be the best passer in the game. He has a sneaky shot. He will be the leading scorer on the team. 

30-60-90

Elias Lindholm 

Elias Lindholm is the number one centre. He had a career year last year. He is a smooth skating forward who is sneaky fast. Lindholm has a terrific wrist shot. Lindholm's one-timers are deadly; he is very accurate in the slot. He will benefit from Huberdeau's playmaking. 

I am expecting: 40-35-75

52 Mackenzie Weegar

Many experts feel Mackenzie is the best defenceman on the team. He is strong both ways in his game. Sturdy and dependable defensively, he will cut down defensive mistakes in the Flames' zone. 

Weegar is the typical Darryl Sutter player. He has a high hockey IQ. 

I am expecting: 12-30-42

Jacob Markstrom

Jacob is an elite goalie. Even better news, he won't be left to his own devices as often as last season. He is one of the best positional goalies with excellent vision. He rarely gets caught out of position. 

His load should be less this season.

I am expecting: 55 starts, 35 wins, and 6 shootouts. I am really hoping it is 50 starts. 

Randy

Darth Vladar should play

Darth Vladar should play more this season. 

Ring of Fire shows off Mr. Vladar's saves. You can find him on Twitter @RingOfFireCGY.

Before you shoot me, let me explain the statement. We need to keep Markstrom fresher for the playoffs this year. Don't read more into my statement than that. I do not believe it was Markstrom's fault that we lost to the Oilers; that was a Total Team Collapse. Notice the capitalization. I wanted to emphasize that it was the team's responsibility. 

If a team can limit a goalie start to 50 games, they will have a more refreshed goalie. A refreshed goalie means better quality saves. If Markstrom is on his game, he is one of the best goalies in the league. When alert, he is always in a position to make the save.

A tired goalie misses rebounds, often resulting in easy goals. He is often caught out of position. 

The Flame's offense will tail off a bit this season. With the lost Tkachuk and Gaudreau, the Flames will need Markstrom to bail him out. No, I am not being a negative Nelly. Realistically, Kadri and Weeger will not make up for the loss of Tkachuk. 

I love Markstrom. A rested Markstrom can be that much better. 

Randy

Brad, you did what? Episode 2

This is the wildest offseason I have experienced! Who would have thought Monahan, Tkachuk, and Gaudreau would be all gone? Like everyone else who heard the rumors, I refused to believe they would go away. Yes, sometimes I live my own little world.

We rebuild it. Stronger, faster...  oh, never mind. Well, here we are now, Calgary Flames Management's own version of the Six Million Dollar Man.  

The first question is whether or not Kadri is worth Monahan and a first. Monahan has not fit into the Sutter System from the start. Combine that with his injuries, and Mony has never gotten off the ground with the Flames. Despite all that, I think that he will excel with the Habs. The price of the first-round pick goes with the territory when asking a team to take all of his salary. 

In signing Kadri, the Flames are getting a proven winner. Kadri brings a new attitude into the dressing room. He will put an intensity into the team that will no longer accept losing. The Flames have not acquired Kadri only for his offensive talent, but also for his attention to detail in his game. He brings tons of grit into his game. He gets into people's heads. I don't expect him to get ninety points, but I expect him to get 50-60 points and to be a shutdown player. A little more offensive than Backlund, with a touch of grouchiness, he is the perfect Sutter player. 

Yes, I've heard what the naysayers have to say about the Kadri contract. At the end of his contract, Kadri will be as old as Methuselah. My answer is that Methuselah has two more possible cups to his resume. The Flames are in a win-now mode. They will take their chances with Kadi until he turns 39. Brad is a "put-up or shut-up" general manager. He is fighting for his job.

Randy

Brad you did what?

My wife almost had a heart attack on July 23 around ten pm. I might have gotten a little excited about a specific trade. I was told that Tkachuk was signed and delivered to the Blues. You can imagine my astonishment when the trade went down. 

While everyone worries about the status of Huberdeau and Weegar, even if they don't sign, the Flames scored big time at the deadline. Don't worry; the Flames will not be left holding the bag; they will unload both players at the deadline if they don't have them inked to a contract extension.  (Update: Huberdeau signs a $10.5 mm 8-year extension August 4.)

Now, what do we know about Cole Schwindt? We know he is excellent on the draw. He works hard in the corners and will not be cheated or outworked with the puck. He is also hard to take off the puck. 

Schwindt has been improving his shot each year. He is becoming a more and more solid third-line centre. He can also play wing. Most people consider him a B+ prospect. Cole is tenacious when covering his assignments and will stick to opponents like glue.

The Flames signed Mangiapane and Kylington to avoid arbitration. This way, the Flames can move on with these two upcoming stars. I love it when teams can avoid the arbitration hearings, erasing the resentment of the players.

As for the contracts, I like them. Kylington is developing into an all-around defenceman. He might be a steal at this price if he doesn't get traded before the camp starts. 

The Mangiapane signing was crucial. He will be motivated to prove his naysayers out of Calgary they're wrong. The Flames are thin on the forwards, and he could not lose the 35-goal scorer after the Gaudreau fiasco; Eat Bread brings a certain tang to his game, but he does not get the respect he deserves. 

The Flames have 10 defencemen and one of the league's best defensive cores. The addition of Weegar puts Kylington or Hanifin as excellent trade bait to bringing in another top-six forward. Filling the void left by Tkachuk will be hard. No single player can replace Tkachuk, but they can find another 20-goal scorer to help fill the void. The offensive side of the game is going to be accomplished by committee. Everyone will have to pick up their game after the loss of Tkachuk.

Randy

2022 Draft: Calgary Picks

Calgary doesn't have a first-round pick in this year's draft. The Flames will be exploring different ways to get into the first round. Could Monahan be shopped? Andrew Mangiapane? Then the dreaded question that I don't even want to ask — could the rights of Johnny Gaudreau be up for grabs? Flames have lots of options if they want that first-round pick. With the Flames' salary cap problems, they may very well seek different options to make room for Matthew Poitras, Gaudreau, and Tkachuk's contract under the salary cap. I am hearing they would love for Johnny to sign but aren't sitting back and will be aggressive in the free-agent market. 

Going into this draft, the Flames need a second-line forward with some scoring skills. They really need some help with the secondary scoring. Quite often, if the top line did not score, the Flames laid an egg. They need a sparkplug, someone who can put some energy into the lineup. They should add another dman who is good in the defensive game. The Flames still are hanging their goalies out to dry. They need to be more defensive and responsive this season. A stay-home dman would be nice. Those are the two biggest concerns to be addressed this season. 

 

If things stay the same, the Flames will have a second-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and the seventh-rounders. 

My suggestions are:

59 Matthew Poitras  

Centre 

Poitras is a reliable two-way centre whose defensive play improves his offensive paralysis on the ice. Matthew will win his share of battles with the puck. His strength is taking advantage of other players' mistakes. He will get into players' psyches. Scouts love his hard work and stable influence in the dressing room. 

155 David Moravec 

Defense 

David is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of player. David is a stay-home defenseman who will be a great penalty killer. He bails out other players' mistakes and does not panic with the puck. He has no fear. He plays like a big man and will have to bulk up, as he is kind of small. His intensity makes up for the lack of size, a typical stay-at-home dman. 

219 Ben Hemmerling 

Right-Wing

Offensive upside. Hemmerling has the potential to be a solid third-line forward. A solid skater who works without the puck. A good wrist shot with some zing to it. Ben could develop into an NHL'er, but it will take some patience.

See my full mock draft here.

2022 Draft: What does a scout look for?

I often wondered what Scouts look for in a prospect, especially this time of year. I decided to go the horse's mouth and ask expert Russ Cohen. As we get ready for the draft, the Scouts are earning their paycheques. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Russ Cohen. 

All scouts look for different things. They all have a numeric system to apply to attributes like speed, as an example. They file the reports electronically after games. Some teams look for toughness, some are hard to play against. some speed, some playing the right way. Sometimes a scout can look at a player a few times and know his team has to get that player and then the rest of the visits is about confirmation before he recommends that player. Scouts' jobs depend on getting at least two players in every draft. Hopefully, they play 100-200 NHL games. You can't build a team through free agency in the cap world. Scouts are careful to use phrases like "generational talent". When the talent pool compresses as players move up that's when things either click or many times go sideways. Amateur scouting is vital to a team's future success.

I'm Russ Cohen. My website is www.sportsology.com. My Twitter handle is @Sportsology. It's there I push the other outlets I work for. The first draft that I covered was in 2001 and I've been covering everyone ever since then.  

I want to thank Russ for his time; he is a great Twitter follower and a wealth of knowledge. I highly recommend following him. He will make it worth your while. 

See my full mock draft here.

RIP Bearcat Murray

 

My heart is a little saddened today to hear of the passing of Bearcat. I remember him jumping on the ice, often helping an injured player. That injured player did not have to be a Flame; I saw him jumping off for the other team player if he could get there before their trainer. That was just the man; he was all class. I will never forget his manner, always smiling.  

Bearcat had a heart of gold. He was there for anyone who asked for help. He would have given the shirt off his back. He had his finger in many charities,  offering his time to help in any way he could. He will permanently be attached to the Calgary Flames. The man, the myth, the legend, Bearcat Murray. 

My sympathies to his friends and family. May God be with them at this time. 

Flame out: What went wrong

I could just copy other blogs of what went wrong and paste them here. Year after year, disappointment, and then the Flames make minor adjustments for the next season. After this year, I think small changes have come to an end.

The first choice was Tyler Toffoli's trade. Was it a complete failure? He was great during the regular season but went pretty quiet in the series lost to the Oilers. A rather expensive first-rounder, to say the least. He has one year left on his contract, so it might still be a little early to make a judgment on the deal. 

The first line did not come through during the crunch. I know it is not fair, but often, the stars get the blame when the team fails expectations. The Flames need more players who can perform under pressure instead of panicking. This core has not come through, so changes have to occur. But who goes?

First on the block is Johnny Hockey. I know losing him would suck, but in reality, what has this core done since they've been together? Early exit after early exit. Then there is the demand for the ten million dollars plus cap it will cost to keep him. Do we pay out the money? I don't see the Flames doing that (but I don't have any inside info on that.) Johnny's tenure with the Flames will be known for not being able to come through during the playoffs. I am not sure he wants to stay in Calgary; I think he has made up his mind about testing free agency. My gut tells me that if he wanted to stay, he would have signed by now. Johnny is one of the best players in the NHL. No one can doubt his talent, and someone will pay what he wants. He is one of the best Flames players ever.

Tkachuk is going to cost the Flames $9.9 million to qualify him. Yes, he is coming off a career year, collecting over 100 points. He scored 40 goals this season, another career-high. I could recite all the stats backing up his worth until I grow blue in the face. Tkachuk brings a lot of character to the dressing room, he gets into the teams' heads, and he throws off other teams' superstars. What he does without the puck might be more valuable than what he does with the puck. But can he get 100 points without Gaudreau? And will he stay when Gaudreau leaves?

Is Darryl Sutter too loyal to his players? Is the system at fault? Is it time to bring a new philosophy to the Flames' thinking? 

The Flames beating up along the boards has to change. It's a faster game now. Calgary's defence is too slow to compete with the faster teams in the league. It is time to get quicker and younger on the blueline, whether the Flames find the answers on the farm through the Heat or wheeling and dealing in the trade market. The number one guy I have been pushing is Connor Mackey I think he is ready to play now.

Randy

Are They Good Enough

 

So, did the Flames do enough? 

I know they are probably the best team in the Pacific Division. Apparently, they tried to get a depth defenceman, but couldn't make it work. The reason was there were not many options left by that point. I wonder if the Flames could have started earlier if they had made more cap room? They had to put Richardson on waivers just to be able to tinker in the final hour. 

The Flames could have made a cap casualty trade. Now bear with me—they could have traded Monahan for a cheaper third-line centre. If they are going to use Monahan as a third-line centre, they might as well use an actual third-line player to do the same thing for cheaper.  

One of my contacts has expressed how he feels about their use of Monahan: "They frankly misuse the talented centre."  I know Flames fans are often frustrated with Monahan, but is it his fault? When a team undervalues a player, can he help but think less of himself? 

The second part of this question: Should the Flames have considered making room for the Tkachuk and Gaudreau extensions next season? Could they have made a cap casualty trade without hurting the team? 

One contact explained why they couldn't dump any cap: "When you have the chance at the cup, you have to go for it." I countered about having to lose Tkachuk or Gaudreau next year. Another contact agreed with not changing anything before the playoffs: "You can't mess with a team's chemistry when it is one of the best teams in the League."  

With this discussion, I learned precisely what goes through a General Manager's mind at the deadline. They have to consider every option and then judge the likely result. Who knew?

Randy

This is a different kind of team

Yesterday, I talked with my source. I expressed my concerns about the Flames vs Oilers and how the Oilers had owned the Flames in the past. He said, "I wouldn't be worried; this Flames team is a different kind of beast."   

The Flames have had some near-perfect teams. What makes this Flames team much more dangerous than teams from yesteryear?  

Top First Line

Maybe one of the best lines in the game. Believe it or not, there is more than just Johnny Gaudreau to this line. Lindholm might be one of the best playmaking centres going right now. The puck-between-the-legs specialist, Tkachuk, is a highly talented goal scorer who plays with the best of them. Yes, the hated Tkachuk, who gets in teams' heads and gets teams off their game. 

Vezna Goalie Candidate

Markstrom has been outstanding; he gives the Flames a chance to win every night. What makes Marky so good is his vision; his puck vision is one of the best in the League. Markstrom rarely gets caught out of position. 

Supportive Scoring

The Flames have more than just a first line. A few names come to mind... such as Andrew Mangiapane and Tyler Toffoli. Mangiapane has 29 goals, and Toffoli has been fantastic since coming over in a trade with the Habs. 

All of that being said; I hate to be a Negative Nelly, but I don't think the Flames are good enough to beat the major contenders. I think they still are two players away from where they need to be. The problem will be finding an imaginative way to circumnavigate the cap to find a solution that works. 

Randy

What's in Store for this Sizzling Hot Team?

 

Where do the Flames go from here? I have been discussing Johnny Gaudreau a lot lately; how about the rest of the team?

The Flames have shown us that they are "all in." The Flames feel they have an opportunity here to win the cup. From what I have been told, the Flames would love to add another defenseman for depth. Sutter is not completely satisfied with the defense yet. There have still been a lot of mental mistakes in the defensive zone. 

They have scouted a lot of Seattle games, adding to the speculation that they are bringing home their old captain. The Flames would have to do another deal to make room or bring in a third team to make the cap fit. I have a hard time believing that will happen, but you never know. 

The team has signed  Rory Kerins. A skilled playmaking centre from OHL Greyhounds. 

There may be another forward for depth on the bottom six if they don't pick up a defenseman. Sutter would still like to add some scoring. The Flame's bottom six has to pitch in on the offensive game. Again, this will take some maneuvering because of cap constraints. I am not expecting much. Sutter wants to improve this team at the deadline. Cap management will have to come into play to make this work. 

The fans would love to see the Flames bring up Matthew Phillips, who is lighting it up in Stockton. The smooth-skating forward is becoming a star with his playmaking abilities. He is proving that he has what it takes to make in the show. Jakob Pelletier is also showing why he is considered one of the best prospects for the Flames. The two players might be worth keeping track of, as the Stockton Heat is one of the best teams in the AHL. 

The Flames are committed to improving the team, whether they bring up some bodies from Stockton or go the trade route. 

Randy

The Toffoli Acquisition: We are Going for It!

The Flames are making a statement. They are on a six-game winning streak, and Sutter has been yelling his order for a top-6 forward. To state the obvious, the reason they are winning is the first line. 

In the Calgary Flames' eyes, they have acquired the best top-six forward in the market in Tyler Toffoli. That leads to the entire reasoning behind the trade: the Flames need scoring support. Before the game last night, I could see Tyler playing the second or third line. Toffoli fit perfectly with Monahan and Dube. Monahan and Dube looked like brand new players. What Toffoli does for the Flames is give them three scoring lines.  

The Flames are running on all cylinders right now. The forwards are flying; the speed on this team is incredible. Every forward is contributing on the offensive side of the game. One source said, "This move gives the Flames four offensive lines."  Yes, the offensive play is at an all-time high, but their never-say-die attitude is what makes this team so effective.  

It is crazy how they work this board game; they hit you until they take away the puck from you. "If you get caught playing their game, you will be sore all over and on the wrong side of the scorecard." 

One more quote I hear all that time from several fans is "we finally have a defense that can score." The team is working as one, and there is no I in the word team. Every player is on board and involved in all aspects of the game. In other words, these players are now working as teammates, not as individuals. 

#13 is Going to Get Paid

Gaudreau showed how good he was last night. Everyone is talking about Johnny about how the Flames need to sign him. I have never heard so many people tweeting "pay the man." The only question is how much. 

The true leader of the Flames this season, Johnny is on pace for a career season. Johnny is on pace for 106 points and 35 goals, both career highs. Johnny is on pace for 22 power-play goals, the second-best in his career. How the Flames go depends on how Johnny goes.

Johnny is on pace on career highs in everything except in power-play goals. Upon writing this blog, Johnny leads the Flames in points and assists. 

I don't think I have seen Johnny this focused in his career. He is undoubtedly one of the best Flames players ever. 

Here is a collection of how good he is. 

The biggest obstacle is, of course, the team's salary cap. To make things worse, the cap is not going up significantly in the next three years. Johnny is worth north of 8 million dollars. Both sides know that. Both parties also know the Flames can't go much higher than 8 million. Gaudreau will give in his demands a little more than the Flames. Last I heard, they are about 2 million apart. I expect the Flames to go as high as 8.25 million. Whether Johnny will stay for that is anyone's guess. 

Randy