Home Heat: How the Flames Are Beating the League’s Best at the Saddledome

Devin Cooley

The athletic netminder signed a two-year contract for $1.35 mm. For two years. His ability to handle the pressure and keep himself under control gives the Flames a chance to win every night. Devin’s two biggest strengths are his quickness laterally and his glove hand. His 2.40 goals against average and 914 save percentage ain’t too shabby either.

Now that the business is out of the way, the Tank Nation is taking a beating as the Flames have been quite the challenge at home. They have defeated the likes of the Oilers, Knights, Wild, and, of course, the Stars. The predominant factor is the re-emergence of MacKenzie Weeger. He seems to be back to himself.

Michael Backlund

Backlund has been on a tear lately, filling the net. He and Coleman have become quite the dynamic duo. Backlund is a valuable asset, the perfect third-line centre. He is a reliable defensive centerman with offensive punch. He is the picture of the true Mr. Flame.

Rasmus Andersson

Rasmus continues to be a leader on this defense. He is upping his trade value with each outing. The only thing to update is the number of teams he is attracting. What is making Andersson more valuable is his hockey IQ. He is playing smarter out there, creating scoring chances rather than committing defensive lapses at the other end.

Final Word

The Rasmus Andersson market could get more complicated if the Flames continue to improve in the new year. The Flames may be looking for a young player who can play now in the return package. They may not get it, but you can bet they will ask.

There may be as many teams inquiring about Andersson as there are about Blake Coleman. Blake is on a 30-goal pace, which is very appealing to teams. A defensive juggernaut who can score 20-30 goals is very valuable.

Randy 

Who Stays, Who Goes: Trade Targets That Could Make or Break the Flames

The rumours are flying right now about three players' futures: Nazem Kadri, the Texan Blake Coleman, and, last but not least, Rasmus Andersson. I believe that if these three stay on the roster, the Flames will be a mid-tier team that just misses the playoffs.

If the Flames don't rebuild, would it be detrimental to the team's future? The short answer is yes, but let me issue a warning: You cannot allow a dressing room to accept losing. If the Flames go this route, they have to make sure the return is positive for today and the future of the Flames. They have to make sure the players who remain do not have a negative attitude toward the club's future. The club should ask Kadri and Coleman their thoughts on whether they want to leave or stay and be part of the solution to the Flames' future.

So why would other teams be interested in the three players?

Nazem Kadri

Kadri is a clutch forward who is capable of scoring twenty to thirty goals a season. When you need a player to kick a team in the butt, Kadri will give them two kicks. He is the perfect second-line centre. The ideal pest to get into the opposition's head.

Rasmus Andersson

Rasmus is having a career year. The veteran defender can be a dangerous spark plug to a powerplay. He has an underrated slapshot that is deadly accurate. His vision is extraordinary, and his ability to make that extra pass will be an asset to any powerplay.

Blake Coleman

Blake is a perfect garbage man. Meaning he gets his nose dirty to get that goal. He will go the extra mile to get the puck out of the zone. He has a terrific wrister among the best. He is also working on a 20- to 30-goal season.

Final word

It is awesome to see the captain fly around and put the puck in the net. Backlund is on a roll. It is great to see. Backlund has been the perfect soldier. If there is a player who deserves a cup, it's Backlund. I love the player; he is the true meaning of being a Flame.

Randy 

Conroy, Criticism, and the Perils of Armchair Management

Who doesn’t like to think that they’re smarter than a GM? Tell me I am wrong, please. As a blogger, the biggest complaints I hear are about the lack of trades.

The second biggest complaint I hear is the lack of intensity from players who seem to be just going through the motions. I admit that players do, at times, look disinterested. To be fair to the players, at times, they do not fit the system but can become stars in other systems. One example of this is Martin St. Louis.

Martin St. Louis

Playing for the Calgary Flames in 1998, St. Louis fell quickly to the fourth line. He appeared in only 13 games in Calgary during the 1998 season, spending most of the season in Saint John.

On July 31, 2000, Martin signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and things began to change. In the 2004 playoffs, he led the Lightning to the Stanley Cup, coming back to haunt his old Flames teammates in a seven-game thriller series, and won the Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player). His best year was a 102-point season in 2006-2007 with 43 goals and 59 assists. He remained a star for years to come.

The General Manager’s Tenuous Existence

Marty is a prime example of how a player fits one team but not another. But does that mean that one general manager is better than the other? Sometimes a team hits pure gold. Every general manager hopes he hits pure gold, but first he has to sift through the fool’s gold. He could be fired at any time if he makes the wrong judgment call. You still want his job?

Next time you want to shoot Conroy, remember the pressure he is under. And watch out, you might just get what you wish for.

There have been times when I have not liked the decisions that Conroy has made. But I do not doubt his heart, so, as a faithful armchair general manager, I will not be pushing him out quite yet. Give me a couple of weeks. Yes, I am being facetious, but we are all finicky fans. We would all fire and hire him at least 20 times. 

Randy

The Math the Flames Still Haven’t Learned

There is a simple math test I wish the Calgary Flames would learn: a hockey game is 60 minutes long. Playing 1/3 of a hockey game does not give you two points. My math is pretty good. Twenty minutes is 1/3 of 60. I am being sarcastic, but my point is the Flames have to play a full 60 minutes to win a game. That one-third was fun to watch, but it isn’t enough of an effort.

If you were the coaching staff of the Flames, would you concentrate on the period they played like a team, or would you chew them out for the two periods they played like a bunch of individuals? I would spend 2/3 of the time on the individual players and 1/3 on what they did right as a team.   

Dustin Wolf

Wolf has won his last three starts, although he could have done better against the Buffalo Sabres. Has the old Wolf returned? He can be the standup goalie; he is one of the elite. My fingers are crossed that the Flames could still have a bright future in net. Nice to see signs of the good Wolf back again.

Yegor Sharangovich

Yegor is beginning to play better; maybe he is upping his trade value. Seriously, though, he seems to be more relaxed. Hopefully, he will continue to progress. He has a lot of talent, but at times he looks disinterested.  

MacKenzie Weeger

It is nice to see MacKenzie get his shot back. He has struggled this season. I wonder if it is as simple as MacKenzie putting too much pressure on himself. I think if he just plays instead of overthinking, we will see the old MacKenzie Weeger.

Final word

If I am reading these veterans right, I come to one conclusion. They are working toward the playoffs. I’m not saying they’ll make the playoffs, though. These vets have to show the younger players what it takes to play a full 60 minutes. It comes down to simple math. Although we have seen some signs of improvement, there is still more to do. It may be cliché, but hockey is a game of 60 minutes. 

It’s Time to Talk Turkey — Do the Isles Go All In?

The Isles are at a crossroads this season; they have to make a decision about the direction of this team. In the last blog, I wrote about a replacement for Romanov. Do I dare say the loss of Kyle Palmieri is worse? Where is the offense coming from? If they’re serious about making the playoffs, the Isles need to address the issue.

Unless another forward steps up to help Bo Horvat, the offensive production will be a problem. The Isles’ forwards are going to have to pick it up. I am looking at you, Jonathan Drouin, with three goals this season. He needs to improve. Anders Lee, with five goals, will have to pick up his game, too. The one player who has played well is the unsung hero, Emil Heinemann. He is the only other player in double digits.

The next quandary is what to do with Matt Barzal. Do the Islanders separate the two to add scoring depth? Could Barzal survive on his own? I think he has to for the Islanders’ success. Last but not least, the Isles need the bottom list to pinch in. The scoring as a committee will be full force.

The best solution is the trade route. Can the Isles find a suitable partner who is willing to talk turkey? Pardon the pun, can the Isles find the right dressing to bring the team to the table? It all comes down to whether the New York Islanders want to go all in or play it cool and try to pull off a hockey trade.

Final Word

There is one player I would put high on my list if I were the New York Islanders. Let’s qualify this before I go ahead—I am in no way suggesting that the New York Islanders are talking to the Calgary Flames. This is only a suggestion, not inside info. That being said, the play I would highly recommend is the New York Islanders, with Blake Coleman from the Calgary Flames.

Do you think the Islanders are a playoff team? It’s material at this moment because the fact is, they are within shouting distance of making the playoffs. Like it or not, those are the facts. Whether you feel they are a playoff team or not doesn’t change their position. The New York Islanders will have a choice to make by the deadline. Do they go for it, or will they sell and get ready for the draft next year? That is anyone’s guess. I would look into replacing the injured players and take it from there.

Randy 

From Rage to Resilience: A Fan's Survival Guide

As we go into a five-year rebuild or retool (or whatever you want to call it.) Keep in mind, there are some bright sides—we just can’t find them. In all seriousness, there are some. Here are some personal attributes you will develop by following this losing team.

Patience is a virtue

You are learning an important trait that will help you become a better person. You will know that not everyone will agree with you, and that your way is not always the best way to go. You will learn that it will take time to become where you want to be. You will learn that it will take many losses to win once.  

You will expand your vocabulary

You will learn many words to express yourself. There are many excellent expletives in the English language. You do not have to keep repeating the same words to make people happy; they already know exactly how you feel.

Your voice will reach higher notes

You will be able to become a music teacher. You will teach people to reach down to levels in their lower gut that they have never reached before. You will learn this by screaming at your TV, getting louder and louder, as the team goes through puberty.

You can spot when people suck miles away

We can be a talent agent, sifting through the bad to find the good. That is because we have seen so much bad talent on TV over the years. The only problem is knowing good talent when we see it.

Breaking TVs is expensive

You will learn frugality. Yes, after you break the 20th TV, your spouse will definitely give you a deterrent. You will learn the value of money or learn to like hospital food. Of course, broken bones kind of suck, too.

You will learn that talking to yourself is not normal

When you scream at the players while watching TV, you expect them to improve their play, but they will not respond to you. This behavior is of growing concern to your friends and family. You mustn’t do this in public, or people in straightjackets will come knocking at your door.

Final word

Yes, you too can be truly happy with millions of hours of therapy. Maybe you can learn that you do have to fall many times before learning to walk. And yes, you too can ask for directions.

Randy