Flames end of season thoughts

Its officially the end of the Flames 08/09 year. A season that started badly, but picked up momentum and had people saying things like elite, and talking about catching Detroit for second. For a few months, the Flames played consistent hockey, sticking to a system, with a good powerplay, great penalty kill and solid goaltending.
Then the wheels fell off, in late February, the team had a solid lead on the Canucks. In a horrible week, the Flames lost Giordano for the season, Bourque for 2 months and ultimately their focus. The Flames were facing a 7 game roadtrip to start march, after an ugly 8-6 loss to Tampa Bay at home. Many thought this team could handle it and keep control of the division. After the Olli Jokinen and Leopold deals, they looked like the team to come out of the west, for one game anyways. It fell apart, the system was gone, there was no consistency, something was off most nights. Iginla, Cammalleri and Jokinen all saw their plus/minus plummet.
They got home from the roadtrip still in control of the division, but it was shakey. More injuries hit, the team couldn’t win two in a row and Vancouver played lights out hockey. Regher, Sarich, Phaneuf and Langkow were out, the Flames were up against the cap and had to dress John Negrin and Matt Pelech for their first NHL games. The Flames got lucky as Vancouver blew weekend games against Edmonton and Colorado, but the Flames couldn’t beat Luongo and game 80 cost the Flames the division.
The Nucks swept the Blues. The Flames gave up leads in games 1 & 2 vs the hawks. Then won 2 at home. Things looked good again. Then game 5, the Flames were, brutal. 5-1 loss. In game 6 the beatup Flames tried hard, got 40+ shots on net, but for once a goalie stole a game in the series. The Blackhawks, surprisingly, were the ones in this series that had the killer instinct. Khabibulin played amazing, the Flames had defensive lapses and lost 3-1. at home.

That’s it. A season of players playing to their peaks, then either slumping or getting hurt at the worst of times. For a team with so much talent, it sucks to lose in the first round. Always next year as they say.Interesting to hear maher talk about the injuries the flames sustained last night on the postgame. Here are some he mentioned, as per calgary puck
Giordano - Season ending shoulder surgery. (We knew that one)

Regher - Season ending knee injury - possible surgery (We kinda knew that one too)

Aucoin - So far Undisclosed but Peter Maher stated it was groin

Sarich - Broken foot (Also knew that one - but wow)

Phaneuf - Knee injury could require knee surgery - happened before Christmas - Broken Ribs from game 1 - Hip injury that will most likely require surgery - was an injury from last year that was re-injured early in the year - all these injuries on the left side of his body

Todd Bertuzzi - Knee injury and a undisclosed wrist injury

Rene Bourque - Re aggrivated his high ankle sprain - should not have been playing

Dustin Boyd - Undisclosed leg injury

Craig Conroy - Separated shoulder

Curtis Glencross - Shoulder injury

Jarome Iginla - Suspected Knee injury - though he will not admit it

Daymond Langkow - Broken Hand If true, wow, that is a lot of hurt. Still, the flames blew leads in this series they shouldn't have, they looked disorganized at times, inconsistent, and we all know the powerplay had no power. The guys got out worked everytime out late in the season. Keenan juggled lines but wouldn't let Iggy and Jokinen apart. The Flames tried hard, but game 5 killed them. They weren't prepared. Iginla didn't lead the team to victory, but no one else showed up to play either.
Chicago is a talented team, 3 top 3 draft picks in that lineup. They wouldn't lie down and after game 3 and 4, avoided scrums and skated hard. The Flames just weren't good enough with the guys out of the lineup and injured ones in the lineup to beat a remarkably healthy chicago team. I'm sure some of the chicago guys are also playing through injury, like Barker's finger, but no players missed games, aside from Kane in game 3 with a flu.
Kipper also got outgoaltended by Khabby. Niether goalie was amazing for the first 5 games, both were average, niether got shutouts, but in game 6, when it mattered most. Khabibulin lived up to his billing as a wall the Flames just couldn't bring down. The Flames had over 40 shots in game 6 (though most from the outside) and could only squeak one by.
Bertuzzi was dissapointing the entire series. Badly timed penalties, floating around the outside, getting beat on the boards. Jokinen showed up for a few playoff games, I think you need to stick it out and give him next season. After how long Sutter wanted him, you can’t give up on him already, and no one would want him if the Flames are giving up on him too. Not many of the Flames played amazing in the playoffs, but injuries did play a part.

Its only one day after, but the Flames will need to do lots of evaluation this offseason to decide what they want to do. My feeling is to go with the young guys coming up, considering how close the Flames are to the cap. Maybe then they can afford to resign cammalleri, maybe not. Flush the coaching staff, Keenan and the assistant coaches need to GO. Part of the blame is on the core, part is on the coaches. The coaches are easy to change. The core may benefit if the Flames stop following the Oilers lead and inbreeding the coaching staff. Find a new coach. I don't know who, but it’s a long offseason. The Flames have plenty of young guys who can step up and replace the loss of Cammalleri and Bertuzzi. I’d rather the Flames spend their money to get an elite defenceman, like Jay Bouwmeester. Its him or resign Aucoin. Pardy and Giordano will be back next season, and Pelech will hopefully be what Pardy was this year. The Flames have some great players coming up, but maybe need an agitator type guy like Chris Niel or Steve Ott. Steve Ott would be great, but hard to get. Moss-Conroy and Glencross should stick together. Backlund may be ready for primetime next season and guys like Sutter, Greentree and Van der Gulik should be on the edge. Resign McElhinney or another backup goalie and have them play 20 games. None of this stupid Kipper starting 70+ games stuff. He may want to play that much, but it might not be a good idea. Brodeur and Luongo have shown how important it is to be fresh going into the playoffs. In 04 Kipper played 34 games and was ready for the playoffs. I think McElhinney is not a bad goalie, I would like to see him do well and he has developed in our system.

And get back to defensive hockey. That’s what wins in the playoffs. Play a defensive system that requires the whole team to be responsible defensively. (something Iggy was far from at times this season). If they can play solid defensively, maybe you can limit how good the goaltender is having an effect on the team. When Kipper has an off night, the Flames need to be able to play well defensively, then you can throw in the backup and the system shouldn't change. Clear example here is New Jersey, they make their goalies look good. Brodeur is all-world no doubt, but Clemmonson was great for them while he was out.

The Flames need to take a page out of the books of the other teams in this city. The Stampeders lost in the west semifinal for 3 years before Henry Burris took them to a Grey Cup victory.
The Roughnecks, well this year isn’t finished, but they took care of business in the regular season. Clinching first overall in the NLL.
The Hitmen were one of the best teams in the country. 12-0 in the playoffs so far, and they play Backlund’s Rockets in the WHL final. That’s taking care of business.

I guess the one difference between the Flames and these teams, is the regular season success. The Flames haven’t been able to step up to the elite level of the other 3 big teams in Calgary in the regular season. Maybe we expected to much, maybe not. We all would love another cup run. Even a division win and a first round win would do.
As for next season, I will find it hard to get overly excited over this team unless they can maintain a 1 or 2 position in the conference. They need to step it up, only one team finishing lower than 1 or 2 in their conference has won the cup in the last 15 years. At least that’s what I’ve heard.
Anyways, im done ranting for now, just some thoughts. It should be an interesting offseason!
until next time, Go Hitmen and Go Roughnecks this spring!

Adam