Calgary Flames 2010/2011 Season Preview
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2010-11 NHL Predictions/Previews: Calgary Flames
CALGARY FLAMES
Stanley Cup odds: +3500
The Calgary Flames are undoubtedly one of hockey’s most polarizing teams in betting circles right now. Flames fans and their supportive bettors see all the big names and think this veteran-laden squad is a Stanley Cup contender. Others think the Sutter family is slowly but surely sinking this ship.
Time to find out where I stand – and how I think you should approach the Flames in your betting this season.
The Flames had a rare season as an offensive juggernaut in 2008-09 but said goodbye to sniper Michael Cammalleri and returned to their defensive approach last season. It worked – sort of. The Flames did a fine job keeping pucks out; Miikka Kiprusoff had his best season between the pipes in years and he had a sturdy group of defenseman in front of him.
That shouldn’t really change this year: Jay Bouwmeester, Robyn Regehr, Ian White, Cory Sarich, Mark Giordano and Steve Staios give the Flames one of the league’s deepest, most well-rounded defense corps.
Offense, however, is another story. The Flames posted the league’s 27th-ranked power play last season; they really missed Cammalleri out there. Jarome Iginla, longtime face of the franchise, posted his lowest goal total in nine years. It’s possible that he’s finally losing a step at age 33. Jay Bouwmeester was supposed to jumpstart the offense from the back end but scored a miserable three goals after tallying 15 each of the previous two seasons.
Will the Flames score more this year? They believe returning two golden oldies – Alex Tanguay and Olli Jokinen – will help. Neither guy is ancient but neither guy has played good hockey for a several seasons now. Secondary options like Rene Bourque and Daymond Langkow can help when they play but they’re both perennially banged up.
Last season, the Flames pulled a trade that I believe marked the beginning of the end for this particular team’s contending days. They sent Dion Phaneuf, just a year or two removed from being considered a top-three defender in the game, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a large package of players.
The Flames kept most of what they received for Phaneuf, including Ian White, Niklas Hagman and Matt Stajan. But the trade represented a team in denial. Instead of keeping a 25-year-old franchise pillar to pair with Bouwmeester for years to come, Darryl Sutter made a knee-jerk, desperate move to save his job, hauling in a pile of competent but ultimately mediocre veterans. I fully expect that trade to haunt Calgary for the next decade.
Calgary reminds me of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of John Ferguson Jr.’s tenure – and not simply because they have so many of his players.
They’re delusional. Their team is aging, with thirtysomethings playing virtually all the key roles. Their management is hell bent on earning a low playoff seed instead of seeing the bigger picture and realizing it’s time to rebuild. The Flames could’ve cashed in Jarome Iginla for a huge return this summer.
Maybe he would’ve waived his no-trade clause to play for the Stanley Cup. It would’ve seemed sacrilegious – but remember when the Flames cashed in veteran Joe NIeuwendyk a decade ago? Do you know who they received in return? Some guy named Jarome Iginla.
The Northwest Division belongs to Vancouver, Colorado and, soon enough, Edmonton. The Flames’ vets may squeak them into the eighth playoff seed one more time but make no mistake: Calgary has commenced a long, hard fall.
2010 Preseason Schedule
Day Date Opponent Time MT Venue
Tuesday Sept. 21 Vancouver 7 pm Saddledome
Tuesday Sept. 21 Vancouver 8 pm General Motors Place
Saturday Sept. 25 Tampa Bay 7 pm Saddledome
Tuesday Sept. 28 Phoenix 7 pm Saddledome
Wednesday Sept. 29 New York Islanders 7 pm Credit Union Centre (Saskatoon)
Friday Oct. 1 Edmonton 7 pm Rexall Place
Sunday Oct. 3 Edmonton TBA Saddledome
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