From Bench Depth to Trade Buzz — Kadri Talk Heats Up Amid Canadiens Injuries

With the Montréal Canadiens’ injuries piling up, I suspect they will inquire about the services of Kadri from the Calgary Flames. As of this writing, Kadri has not yet been made available on the market. Now, as you know, things could change overnight. Trust me, with the Calgary Flames, things can change on a thin dime. It’s happened before.

The Calgary Flames have shown improvement in the last two games. They totally shut down the San Jose Sharks, and it might have been one of the easiest shutouts Wolf has ever had. I would go so far as to say it might have been the team’s most complete game of the year. The key point of the game was that the forwards came down to help the defence, and everybody worked as a unit to succeed. Offensively, they still cannot score, but at least defensively, they covered up and never allowed the Sharks to do much.

In the Winnipeg Jets game, the Flames were not very good defensively. They went back to silly mistakes, mental breakdowns, and then leaving Dustin Wolf to the dogs. (See what I did there?) The positive side is that each time the Winnipeg Jets took a lead, the Calgary Flames fought back to tie the game. That is a huge improvement compared to previous games, when they just gave up and went through the motions. In this game, the Calgary Flames never gave up. This is all positive, offering the coach and staff areas for improvement.

Yan Kuznetsov

Yan has really fit in nicely. He has done everything he has been asked to do. Dare I suggest the Calgary Flames have finally found a third-pairing defenceman who can actually play defence?

Emil Heineman

I got a call from my source asking me if I remembered who the throw-in piece was in the Sam Bennett trade. It seems like we’ve heard his name before. Yeah, I’m being facetious. Emil Heineman has been blowing up the Islanders with nine goals and six assists in 21 games. Calgary basically let him go for nothing in the Tyler Toffoli trade. This goes to show how important the scouts are to the organization. You never know when a prospect might change from a piece of coal to a diamond. Emil has scored more goals than most Calgary Flames have had all season. Imagine if we had his offensive prowess on this team.

Randy 

Flames' Dilemma: Is It Time to Cash In on Kadri?

Everywhere I turn. I see rumours of Kadri going everywhere. Rumblings of possible trades to Toronto, Montreal, Florida, and most of all, Denver.

Kadri continues telling everybody that he has no intention of leaving, that he loves the city, and that he loves the fans. I’m sure he is well aware of how badly the team is playing, and it’s come to a point where the club has to do what’s best for the club.

I am sure, based on what everybody is telling me, that it’s only a matter of time before Calgary considers taking one of the offers we have had for him. At least eight teams have inquired about him so far. Here is a list of my top three destinations for Kadri, in no particular order.

Montreal Canadiens

It has been mentioned all season that the Montreal Canadiens’ greatest weakness is their second-line Centre. Nazim fits the role perfectly. He would fit nicely under Nick Suzuki. I have my doubts that this will be his destination, mostly because of his age. The Canadians are such a young team; he might not fit into the plans.

Florida Panthers

I think the Florida Panthers might be interested, depending on what they are gonna do with Barkov. What they do with Barkov’s cap depends on whether he can play this season. If it’s determined that he’s gone for the whole season, the Panthers will have a whole bunch of money to add to the roster. The Panthers getting a new second-line centre would be vital to the team’s success in the playoffs.  

Vancouver Canucks

I really don’t want this to be Kadri’s destination. I don’t like the idea of the Flames trading him within the division. But if the Vancouver Canucks offer us the best package, so be it. With Filip Chytil’s recent injury, I have no doubt they will inquire about Kadri.

Final Word

Honourable mentions have to be the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche. Both teams could be interested in Kadri’s services. One more key factor in negotiations, of course, will be how much of the salary the Flames will be willing to eat. It will be interesting to see where he goes. 

A Light at the End of the Tunnel?

The ugly

The woeful Calgary Flames power play is getting embarrassing. I think it may be time for them to get back to the basics. They are handling the puck like a hot potato. Teams are rushing the Flames, and they are panicking and throwing the puck away. Fans are demanding that Zane Parekh be utilized. Not to pour gasoline onto a major fire, but time to go to the Petro station. Why not use the kid? He can’t make it any worse.

Defensive zone coverage is horrible

The Flames are still making too many defensive mistakes, creating huge scoring chances in their own zone. They are leaving Wolf to the dogs. (See what I did there?) Seriously, the Calgary Flames have to clean up their act; they need to be more responsible defensively.

Especially right now, when they can’t score a goal to save their lives.

Offensive

Talking about offense, can we please score a goal? Maybe more than one goal a game? I’m not sure if this results from a lack of confidence, incompetence, or simply insufficient talent to be on this squad.The Calgary Flames team has to be more imaginative. Get their noses dirty. It’s time to bring out the garbage—get to the net and make it hard for their goalie to see the puck. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Calgary Flames consistently outworked. We do not have enough talent to float around for 60 minutes.

Final Word

Not to be overly dramatic, can I say the R word? Yes, I am still hearing a backlash on this comment. The Calgary Flames do not want to be in this rut for the next five seasons. They want to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The only light I’m seeing right now is a dumpster fire.

Randy

The Flames’ Season So Far: Please Send Help

If there’s one word or phrase that describes the Calgary Flames’ season, what would it be? Would it be disturbing? How do you describe the Calgary Flames folding like a cheap tent? How about “I fell down and can’t get up?” Or maybe “Keystone cops.” Whichever description you use for the Calgary Flames, it can’t be very flattering. I would characterize the Calgary Flames as a Nightmare on Elm Street.

Here is the good news:

The season isn’t over. There’s still time to turn this ship around. Granted, it’s currently sinking, but the band hasn’t finished playing ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee’.

(Yes, that’s it. That’s all the good news.)

What needs to be fixed:

As I’m writing this blog, the Flames have played four games and are 1-3. The disturbing thing about the last two games is that the Flames have been awful in the third period. At this point, I think they’re running a workshop: 101 Creative Ways to Blow a Lead. You could easily blame the defense, particularly Daniil Miromanov, in the game against the Knights. So, the Calgary Flames put him on waivers. Do they have anyone better to replace him? Well, unless Zamboni drivers are eligible...

Yes, we can complain about the effort, and yes, we can complain about the roster of the Calgary Flames. How many of us can be really surprised with the results going so far this season? Ryan Huska can only play the cards he is dealt. Our defense is weak. Our forwards can’t score, and the biggest thing is that Wolf hasn’t bailed them out in these games.

Before you have a conniption fit, let me explain. Wolf has not been bad, but he has not been the Wolf of last season. We need Wolf to be Vladislav Tretiak. For those who do not know who he is, get a book. No pressure, kid—just carry the entire team on your back like a Costco-sized sack of potatoes.

I wish that was the end of the list. But defense is not the only problem with this team. Can somebody please score besides Matthew Coronado? A close friend, who just happens to be one of my sources, asked me what would happen if injuries became a factor. Well, here we are—the Calgary Flames have not had Jonathan Huberdeau in the lineup for the first four games. Is it a coincidence that they are losing? I think not.

Here is a tip: if you cannot score, you cannot win. Until somebody addresses the offense, it will be hard for this team to succeed. It is unfair to expect Wolf to give up two or fewer goals per game.

Final word

I know there’s plenty of time to fix this. They do have players capable of playing better. Kadri, Zarry, Frost, and finally, Farabee, should be able to score. The defense has to smarten up. I think that has to come through a trade.

Last but not least, the Flames have to fix their backup goaltending situation. Either play Cooley, or find a goaltender who can play. Playing Wolf of 77 games is not an option. Unless he’s secretly a Terminator, we should probably find him a backup. Or a clone. Maybe both.

The Calgary Flames: proving once again that hope springs eternal, but defense apparently doesn’t.

Breaking Down the Flames’ Depth Problem: Offence, Defence, and Everything in Between

I expect the Calgary Flames to have a hard time producing offence this season. The Flames’ most enormous hole to fill was one more offensive forward, but they failed to do so. Look no further than right down the middle. The Calgary Flames are weak in the centre position, and it may hold them back this season.

What will hold them back 74 pts?

The Calgary Flames’ defence is not strong enough. We have three very good defenders and a number 5 or 6 defender. Weegar, Ball, and Andersson will carry this team. We will lose Andersson with the trade, and he will be distracted most of the year. Here are my predictions:

Points  

Jonathon Huberdeau - 77 pts

Huberdeau will once again have a steady season. He will be the most consistent Calgary Flames player. He will have company; Kadri will also be there with him. His playmaking skills will have to continue for them to make the next step. The Calgary Flames vitally need them to be successful.

Goals  

Matt Coronato / Nazim Kadri - 35 goals

Matt and Nazim, the Flames’ two thirty-goal scorers, will share the goals. Matt will continue to take the next step. He has one of the best shot releases in the NHL. Nazim is the best centre and will continue to score the garbage goals.

Surprise Player - Connor Zarry

This one surprised many people, including myself. I’m most likely wrong, but I have a gut feeling that Connor will surprise some people. Connor is going to get 25 goals and 55 points. He will have to stay healthy.

Final word

I am really trying to stay positive. The Calgary Flames do have some talent. The lack of talent—or should I say depth—in the centre and defence is going to be this team’s Achilles heel. The young kids will be entertaining to watch.

Kadri and Huberdeau will continue to be the leaders of this team, and frankly, they have to be. What the team so desperately needs is scoring support.

Players like Frost and Farabee will have to improve their scoring numbers. Both of these players will have to rebound from disappointing seasons last year, but I don’t think they can. Coleman and Backlund must match or surpass their numbers from last year.

Lastly, the Calgary defence needs to improve on the silly mistakes in the defensive zone. If they can shore it up, it will vastly help the Calgary Flames in the long run.

Wolf at the Door: Flames’ Fate Lies in the Blue Line

We all know the Calgary Flames’ season totally relies on how Dustin Wolf responds in goal this season. We could try to kid ourselves by saying our offence is essential too. However, the Calgary Flames’ offense was one of the worst in the league last year, yet they still managed to score 96 points. Yes, Dustin Wolf holds our fate in his hands.

You could say that if the defence improves this year, it would go a long way to helping Dustin Wolf. The problem with that conclusion is that the Calgary Flames have still not resolved the Rasmus Andersson fiasco. The Calgary Flames have a solid top four, featuring Andersson, Weeger, Bahl, and, of course, the wonder kid, Parekh. Here’s the big challenge: The Calgary Flames need to get more out of the final third pairing, whoever they decide to insert into the lineup.

This is where life gets interesting. The Calgary Flames have plenty of candidates who can fill that position. Here are my picks for the battle of the final three spots.

Daniil Miromanov

Dani Miromanov was in and out of the lineup last season. He would typically be a sixth- or seventh defenseman on most NHL teams. I think what the Flames need is more consistency from Miromanov. He cannot be a hindrance and make the coach afraid to put him out on the ice. When he focuses on his game and doesn’t try to go too hard, he is helpful to the Flames.

Brayden Pachal

Brayden Pachal plays with a chip on his shoulder and does not shy away from physical play. He gradually began to fit into the lineup with his physical play. If he continues to grow, hits smarter, and colors within the lines, he is a good defenseman. We need his toughness. He has to stay out of the box while playing physically.

Joel Hanley

Joel Hanley was a pleasant surprise. Joel is defensively responsible. He adds more stability to the defensive core. Joel was a plus-12 for a third-pairing defenseman, which is excellent. I love his game; nothing flashy, but he is a reliable third-pairing defenseman.

Final word

The Flames aren’t expecting Norris Trophy candidates for the fifth/sixth defencemen. What they’re hoping to do is add some energy to the game, change momentum, and keep mistakes to a minimum. The Flames need to be more defensively responsible and give Wolfe some support.