Tag: YYC

I know my last blog post spent its time criticizing the Flames for letting the Seattle Kraken take Giordano, and how it would have been better to keep in with the current state of the team. Treliving, despite the writing on the wall, seems to think this team is going to compete for the cup. Which is why I thought losing Gio was the foolish decision. Here’s the flip side of that coin, and while I’m not sure the Flames with be able to overcome the hole in the teams defense, it’s worth taking a look at.

You ready? Okay.

Losing Giordano could be the best thing for the Flames. Now, before you lose your minds, let me dive in a little as to why. As to why losing long time captain and best defenseman could work.

For a few years now Flames fans have been critiquing this teams core of players. I would say it’s been going on since their first round loss in the form a sweep against the Ducks in the 16-17 season. A loss that made it clear something about this core wasn’t going to get it done. A team that was expected to at least make the series interesting folded like a cheap table and that’s telling. There’s lots of reasons, one of them being the Flames long time GM hasn’t put together a strong supporting cast to the core, but has been unwilling to shake up said core. Losing Gio shakes up the core. The realty going forward is the Flames have a gap in the leadership group with the loss of Gio and there’s hungry players on the Flames roster looking to prove they can handle the loss of the captain.

Tkachuk had a rough year last year. He didn’t look himself part ways through the year, specifically after the Muzzin incident. He looked all wrong as if something had infiltrated his head, a sickness keeping him from being himself. For the first four seasons of his career he was revered as pest who could score. Much like Marchand or Wilson, he’s become public enemy number one of several fan bases, such as the Oilers, Kings and Leafs. Tkachuk has everything to prove. I think, more than anyone, he wants it and he wants to lead this team, his comments about underachieving and how unhappy he is with it, prove that.

Tanev not only became a staple on the back end last year, easily being the teams best Dman as well as one of the best in the league, but his leadership abilities became apparent. With the departure of Gio, Backlund is now the longest serving Flame on the roster. He’s been with this team for years and would be a perfect candidate for the team. Even the likes of Lindholm, Monahan and Gaudreau will be all over it.

The reality for the flames, is everyone will have to step up on the roster in order for them to compete. Unlike some past years, there’s not much expectation from fans. They have abandoned this team, watching the wolves tear them apart. No one expects this team to be a solid team, but Gio’s absence could raise this team up. This team is in real danger of being offed most nights. It is going to be REQUIRED to fight if they wish to stay alive throughout the season and into a long playoff run. If they can do that, than perhaps they can right the ship before what seems to most, as the inevitable crash.

There’s going to be some fight I think (I hope) from these players. This year is a year of things to prove for the Flames. It’s very much a do or die year, it in some way or another. If they underwhelm, it’s time for a rebuild or retool which would involve several of these players to be sent packing, and I don’t think that’s what they want.

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Letting Gio Go Was A Mistake

The Calgary Flames are quite possibly one of the most frustrating teams to cheer for, just ask any fan. Why? Well, since their cup win in 1989, this team has been on a downward spiral, with bad coaches, bad GM’s and nearly zero playoff success outside of their miraculous run to the cup in 2004 which saw them lose in game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a trip to the second round in 2015 before being eliminated by Anaheim. So, after another disappointing season in which the Flames missed the playoffs, what was the plan for this season exactly?

According to GM Brad Treliving there would be changes to the core, that much was clear. And at the expansion draft in June, a change happened. The Flames neglected to protect Giordano, not wanting to give up assets that could hurt their future, and lost the former Norris trophy winner to the Kraken. Now, this has turned out poorly, strictly for the fact that the Flames, who should be heading for a major retool or rebuild, instead hardly changed. They added an unproven Vladar as the backup and signed a bunch of vets, rough customers that will adapt to Sutter-style-hockey. On forward they’re not bad, but on defense this team is loaded with questions and what ifs.

Can Tanev stay healthy and play just as good as last season? Will Hanafin take another step forward, or was last year the exception not the rule? Can Andersson have a bounce back year or will be continue a downward spiral? Is Valimaki ready for the next step? Or is he turning into a bust? Can Zadorov and Gudbranson fill in the lost piece of Giordano?

The answer to the last one is a big fat NO…

ANWAYS!

Looking at the expansion draft again, I feel like the Flames should have let the Kraken have their first-round pick. If the Flames had made REAL significant changes for a re-tool or rebuild, it makes sense to lose Gio. If the plan is to keep competing, losing Gio made no sense, especially if you’re not going to replace him properly or you’re relying on GREAT years from everyone, which I’m not convinced will happen.

Looking back, I think it’s very clear they should have just kept Gio. I think it makes way more sense especially with where the team is headed.

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Can the Flames Build off their Successful Road trip?

The Calgary Flames ended their four-game road trip on a high note, beating the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Despite the score, the Flames didn’t play great by any means, but the fact that the Ducks were terrible helped them out. Still, Anaheim peppered Cam Talbot with 44 shots, all of which he was able to turn aside. Calgary made the most of their chances, despite Anaheim dominating the shot counter from the second period to the end of the game. Luckily things went in Calgary’s favor, as any other team likely would have capitalized on a game like that. Losing the two defensemen best at defending will do that to you. It’s pretty apparent they may need to look for help on the back end, especially for help down the stretch.  

Calgary had some lapses on the road trip, but looked solid despite the game in LA. Their offense has come alive all the way from their stars to the bottom six, everyone’s been scoring. They arguably played their best games of the season against both Vancouver and San Jose. It was great to see the Flames back to looking (or mostly) looking like the team from a year ago, that topped the Western Conference. The goals are coming in bunches, everyone’s contributing and the goaltending has been damn good to. If the Flames can keep playing like this while down Hamonic and Giordano, I can only imagine what they could potentially do, once both are back. That won’t be for a while from the sounds of things (especially for Gio) but if the Flames come out like they have, they could n find themselves taking their division. It won’t be easy, but with Edmonton Losing McDavid and Vegas and Arizona struggling, they could very well do it.

Like everything with the Flames, one has to wonder if this was just a flash of what they can do, or if they actually built the foundation for something special. I ripped this team’s heart, and their willingness to win and try not to long ago after their loss to the Predators, a must win game they pissed away. I have to wonder which one of those teams the Flames are now. Are they the team we saw from the road trip? Running wild with offense? Or are they the team from before that would give up the moment something went wrong? We’re getting close to the end of the year and I wouldn’t doubt we’ll see just who this team is shortly.

They have a three game homestand where they take on the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks and the  mighty Boston Bruins. The Blackhawks are still in the playoff mix, the Ducks are likely angry after being embarrassed in their own building, and the Bruins are just damn good. This will not be an easy homestand, and if the Flames even hold back a little bit, they’re going to feel the heat. Now is the time to go for another winning streak, and separate themselves from the pack. With the way the standings are, anything could happen. Calgary could find themselves at the top of their division, or a team starting their golfing season early.

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Flames Win Big Over Canucks

Saturday night went quite well for the Calgary Flames, bulldozing the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 in enemy territory. It’s no secret this season has been tough for the Flames, especially after such a wonderful year last season, that saw them hit first in the Western Conference. They were a team with a killer instinct, and that finally cam alive against their divisional rival. This game is a perfect example of what this team is actually capable of. It’s even more impressive when you understand that the Canucks aren’t exactly slouches anymore. This isn’t the team from two years ago, that finished poorly. No, they’ve started to rise back up to the top and the Flames put them away in good fashion.

However, Calgary started out poor, as the Canucks scored just 34 seconds into the game, but that lead wouldn’t last thanks to goals from both Ryan and Tkachuk. The flames were looking solid, and Rittich was looking quite good, but an unfortunate and incredibly odd bounce off the boards, would leave Gaudette all alone in front of a un suspecting Rittich, giving the Canucks the tie after one.

After the first period, this was starting to look all too familiar for the Flames. Letting up an early goal, getting the lead and then losing it a short time later. I’ve criticized this team’s mental fortitude and heart before, and for good reason. In situations like this that typically aren’t going their way, they tend to pack it in. They fall apart and crumble to the ground, and end up on the losing end of a game. It’s happened so often, that my default setting, is to assume they’re done after situations like this. Yet, this team surprised the hell out of me, and played how I would have expected them to play at the start of season, with the talent level they posses.

Dillon Dube, a kid who I think will eventually find his way into the top six for the Flames, scored his fifth goal of the season, to put the Flames up 3-2 early in the second period. After which, the Flames came alive. If it wasn’t for Jacob Markstrom, who knows what the score would have been in the second period. He stood on his head for the Canucks and made some outstanding stops against the Flames. After two periods the Flames look GOOD. Arguably, the best I’ve seen them in a while. They were controlling the play and the big guns, while not having scored much, were all over the Canucks. Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan were all around the net, and even Backlund had a hell of a chance. Sure, they hadn’t capitalized just yet, BUT they were playing with the skill and tenacity we all know those players possess. However, the big question was how they were going to be in the third. We know this team doesn’t put together a full sixty minutes very often, but luckily for myself and the skeptics, the third didn’t go how a lot of us were likely imagining it would.

Calgary was strong out of the gate, and were once again buzzing around the Vancouver net. Milan Lucic would eventually tip home a shot from Backlund to make it 4-2 in favor of the Flames. It wouldn’t stop there either, as the Gaudreau would intercept the puck, give it to Lindholm, back to Gaudreau and then to Monahan who would send it five hole on Markstrom. Oh, how I love when those three are together! Often there is magic and often there is a brilliant play of some sort. It’s a deadly combination to have those three together, so it was nice to see them getting some ice time together.  Anyways, Tobias Rider would hit the empty net late in the period, and make it a 6-2 win for the Flames in Vancouver.

Calgary put together a damn good game and it was arguably their best outing of the season. They dominated the Canucks, and quite frankly, if not for Marksrom, this game would have been a hell of a lot worse for the Canucks.

My biggest pet peeve this season with Calgary has been a lack of production from the players that they need it from. Lindholm and Tkachuk have been solid this season, but Monahan, Gaudreau and Backlund have had some trouble. The offense hasn’t been there and often they look un-interested in the game. Luckily, that wasn’t the case tonight. Gaudreau and Monahan looked like their old selves and so did Backlund. They looked like the players who have been some of our top guys for the last 5 years now, and that was GREAT to see. Backlund (assists) and Gaudreau (assists) had 2 Points each, to go with Monahan (goal), Lindholm (assist) and Tkachuk (goal) getting a point a piece.

And you know what? Hats off to the secondary scoring. Dube put together a hell of a Game and acquired 3 points as a result. Lucic, who’s been mostly useless offensively, had 2 points himself including a goal. And as per usual Derek Ryan put together a solid game himself, getting 2 points in the process. It was nice to see not only the top six getting it done, but also the bottom six as well. And to top it off, Rittich looked liked himself again. He was calm, cool and collected and made some solid stops throughout the game. I can’t say either of the goals he allowed were even his fault. On the Pearson goal he was screened, and the Gaudette goal, he was all alone due a bad bounce off the boards.

This game shows just how good this team as the potential to be. It shows just how dangerous and how good they can be, when they don’t give up when things don’t go their way. They had a first period with ups and downs, but managed to come out and play their damn hearts out. Now, it remains to be seen if this team will continue that play, or if this was just a one off for them, but for once it was nice to see a complete effort by this team.

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