The Calgary Flames: Moving On

Today, the Calgary Flames bid farewell to Darryl Sutter, an iconic coach to the team. Yes, I used the word "iconic" because he is the icon of coaches in Calgary. He poured his heart and soul into this team, everything he had. We must still give him the respect he deserves for being a pillar of the NHL. If you were to have a picture of what the Calgary Flames embody in spirit, it would be a picture of Darryl Sutter. It is time to see him go, but today I am as happy as I am sad to see this occasion happen.

The Flames had to take action after a disappointing season. It was clear that changes were necessary and sacrifices had to be made. Somebody had to pay the piper. Darryl's reliance on veterans over younger players had to be fixed. The Flames were an old, slow team, and I understand that.

What does this mean for the Calgary Flames' future? It means the organization is taking a step in the right direction. They are getting younger. It also means they are letting the players direct what this organization does. It happens in every team sooner or later—the players do not get along with the coach and the players will not play with the coach, and then the freeze-out happens. They stop listening to the coach and stop working for him. When that happens, nobody wins. This is precisely what was happening in Calgary. When the players stop playing for the coach, you either have to fire the coach or make a whole bunch of trades. It's a lot easier to fire the coach.

Now that the Calgary Flames have moved on, it's time to consider who their next coach will be. That's right; it's time to play GM. Who would you hire as the new coach of the Calgary Flames? Usually, when I play this game, I end up having foot-in-mouth disease. That's okay, as long as I don't have foot fungus. But I digress. On to my picks or best options as coach of the Calgary Flames.

Mitch Love

Mitch Love, coach of the Calgary Wranglers, should be at the top of your list when considering potential coaches. Mitch was Coach of the Year for the last two seasons in the AHL. He is highly successful and highly respected among his players. He is a good "player's coach." He is fair, and players know what is expected of them.

Bruce Boudreau

Bruce is one of the most successful coaches out there. He knows the game and surrounds himself with successful people. Boudreau is one of the best motivators out there. He gets the players to do what he wants but makes it look like it's what they want. With Bruce there, he is in charge. The players will not be allowed to run the roost.

Peter Laviolette

He is the sexy name out there. Peter might be the big name the Flames need. He is an offensive coach, and his style of play aligns with Huberdough's skill set. The Flames need an offensive coach to bring the best out of these players and get them to perform. Laviolette might be what the doctor ordered for the Calgary Flames.

As for General Manager, the Calgary Flames' leading candidate is Conroy. His biggest advocate is Mr. Iggy. (I, for one, would love to have Jarome in one of our management positions, if that is in the cards.)

Flames Extinguished

The Calgary Flames season has been a disappointment, and this is something that none of us can deny. A major issue for the Flames has been their inability to close out games. While the goalies often get blamed for this, the fact is that there has been much more to it than just lousy goaltending. The powerplay has not been able to produce goals, and this is an issue that does not stem from the goaltenders. The Flames made seven or eight deep bad defensive plays in our zone. It has nothing to do with our goaltending. 

One of the primary concerns for the Calgary Flames is finding a suitable center to play alongside Jonathan Huberdeau. We all know Huberdeau is a far better player than what he has shown. The team needs to establish a system that works well for every player. It is essential to eliminate selfishness and focus on playing as a cohesive unit. Unfortunately, this season, we have had many examples of players trying to win games single-handedly.

Additionally, the team needs more energy and emotion than they have displayed in previous seasons. Darrell Sutter's ability to motivate his players has been a significant benefit in past seasons. But this year, it has just not been there.

There has been much talk about Markstrom's confidence taking a hit after the Edmonton Oilers series last season. Throughout this season, Jacob has struggled with his performance, frequently getting caught out of position and conceding easy goals. That being said, he has yet to get the greatest support. Often, Jacob has been left to fend for himself, with his teammates failing to provide the necessary assistance.

Fixing this dysfunctional group of players is a monumental task. Initially, the Calgary Flames need to tackle the cap issues. The Huberdeau and Weeger contracts are significant problems that need to be addressed. The challenge is finding a way to fit both players within the team's budget. Ownership is not keen on a complete rebuild, so the Flames must figure out how to make hockey trades while staying within the salary cap. It is almost impossible to remain competitive while being restricted by the cap. Whether Brad or someone else is GM, they will have to have a top-notch capologist or possess magical powers to get the Flames out of this crap.  

In the second part of this blog, I will delve into the Calgary Flames' most valuable trading assets. These include notables such as Tanav, Toffol, Hanifin, Dube, and Lindholm.

Randy

Sell, Sell, Sell

I hate to state the obvious, but the Flames need to sell coming up to this draft. The Flames must take stock of their situation heading into this draft, as they have consistently failed to meet expectations. No matter the cause, they are not a playoff team and must take action. Selling off players is the only way to gain the assets they need to get back on track.

Which assets? I hate to say it, but don't they say ripping the bandaid quickly is better? So here is ripping the bandaid off. Elias Lindholm has one year remaining on his contract. While it may be difficult to do, the Calgary Flames have to decide whether to trade him to avoid a similar situation to what happened with Tkachuk or Gaudreau. Lindholm is an excellent playmaking center who can be a great asset for many teams, especially the Colorado Avalanche.

The Calgary Flames have many options on the defensive side. Who should they keep, and who should they trade? Mackenzie Weeger is rumored to be on the trading block. They are not actively shopping for Mackenzie Weegar but are open to offers for the blue liner. 

Another option is Noah Hanifin, who has one more year after this season. Do the Flames keep him for another season or send him packing? If the Calgary Flames decide to part ways with Hanifin, he will be a hot commodity.

The Flames' UFA group is not exactly a bumper crop. However, they have three players—Lucic, Lewis, and Stone—who could bring in draft picks in a trade. The Flames may have to eat up half of his cap hit in any deal involving Lucic.

It would be a shame if the Flames opted not to keep Backlund or Tyfolli on, as their performances have been stellar this season. 

Brad is in a tough spot, as his future with the Flames is not so bright with the Flames being out of the playoffs. He has nothing to lose at this point and may not be willing to start rebuilding for the future. 

Blow it up

I understand Flames fans being very frustrated with an underwhelming hockey team. I know this can't all be blamed on one player, but the apparent culprit is Markstrom. I hate to pick Marky, but he has been struggling all year.

That being said, the Flames have yet to tighten up on their defensive end. The forwards have been fighting the offensive side. They need to try harder to score and remember the other end. What is the saying? Oh yes, "defense wins cups."

Speaking of forwards, how about Milan Lucic playing his best hockey as a Flame? Lucic has really fit in with Huberdeau and Kadri. Huberdeau has been showing signs of getting out of the doghouse. But he still needs to pick it up if the Flames are to succeed.

Lindholm also needs to turn things around. He is the Flames' most talented centre, but perhaps losing Tkachuk and Gaudreau took its toll. Could anyone blame him? Losing two forwards like Tkachuk and Gaudreau will obviously change the stats. That being said, Lindy needs to pick it up.

The Flames repeatedly losing their lead has to stop. In the past, I could count on my hands how many times the Flames lost a game when they had a lead going into the third period. I can count that high this year on the many times they have blown leads. This year it is a regular occurrence. Each game, I am just waiting for the catastrophe to start.

The Flames are not a rookie team. It is time that they stop playing like one.

Randy

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. 

Flames speculation: looking forward

When I asked about the numbers on Johnny's new contract, the only reply I got back was speculative. $8-8.5 million is the best guess at the number Johnny started with. The speculation of the Flames' number is suspected to be around $7.5 million. I suspect Gaudreau will settle for a little under $8 million. But this is only speculation. 

Pros: Why the Flames should pay the coin 

Johnny has been the man for years. He is vital to the team's powerplay. He is by far the best playmaker. The Flames can make changes without trading Gaudreau. Keeping the franchise player is essential to a team's success.

Cons: Why not to pay the piper

The Calgary Flames have been stagnant for what seems to be 25 years. They have threatened to make changes year after year, yet have done nothing. What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!

Maybe the team has begun to make changes with the hiring of Mr. Sutter as head coach. That tells the team there is no more standing around. It is time for hard work. Daryl will get rid of all freeloaders.  

What the Flames want

Here is a hint. As a GM, it is your job to listen to all options. The Flames are denying that they have Gaudreau on the market. So he may not be on the market, but the Flames have a package they would consider. They need a forward who can perform in the playoffs. Someone with a Stanley Cup ring on his finger. They will probably get a pick and maybe even a prospect in the package. The Flames might try to work out a sign and a trade to get a better package. 

Flames shore up the Defence

 

The Flames avoided arbitration with Nikita Zadorov, signing him to a one-year contract of $3.75 million for one year.

They also signed Jusso Valimaki to a two-year deal. $1.55 million AAV.

Randy.