|
Perfect Strangers, or Perfect Enemies? |
|
|
|
|
|
The Battle of Alberta, Round 1, goes tonight from Calgary.
It will be war. Maybe. Perhaps. Actually, I'm not sure. It could end up looking more like a pillow fight.
As much as Flames fans are suppose to hate Oilers fans, and Oilers fans are suppose to hate Flames fans, there isn't really a "battle" between these two teams. One is a team of kids becoming men; one is a group of men long past their prime that will eventually disappear so kids can replace them. In movie terms, call this "The Curious Case of the Baffling Managers". Two teams going in completely opposite directions using an evening to meet in the middle.
There are some interesting story lines, I suppose, if you squint really hard to see them:
- The Flames have a pretty good rookie in Sven Baertschi, and could have a super-1st year player in Roman Cervenka. It looks like Cervenka, who was dealing with a blood clot issue, will be added to the Flames roster any day now. How does the Baertschi/Cevenka combo compare in quality to 1st year Oilers Justin Schultz and Nail Yakupov? They likely don't, but let's pretend they do to make this blog more interesting.
- There's a battle in the standings already occurring here. In a short season where playoff spots could be decided by only a few points, the Flames are already three points back of the Oilers, Wild, and Avalanche, and four points back of the and Canucks. Last place in the Northwest Division. That's not something you want to continue longer than it has to.
- This game is a battle of philosophies. The Flames have insisted every season is an opportunity to compete for a playoff spot. They've completely avoided a rebuild, and instead have added the best veterans available. The Oilers, as we know, blew things completely up a few years ago. Ever since the 2006/2007, life has been bleak in Edmonton, but things are finally coming together. It's hard not to improve in the standings eventually with the quality of young players the Oilers can stick on the ice. But which is the correct approach? Was it right for Oilers management to deliberately subject their fan base, who pay thousands annually to see their team play and try to win, to a team that has had absolutely no chance of winning? As much as I think the Oilers have done the right thing, at least Flames season ticket holders go into each season knowing their team wants to win now, not later. The entire Oilers organization have been the beneficiaries of an enormous leap of faith from their fan-base.
- Here's another interesting sub-plot: If the Flames are really out of the playoff race by the end of March, could they become willing trade partners with the Oilers if Edmonton is in a playoff position? Allow me to hurt your brains for a minute: Would Jarome Iginla, who grew up in the Edmonton-area watching the Oilers, want to come to Edmonton at the trade deadline for a playoff chance? Keep in mind he's set to become a UFA this summer, and he'll likely re-sign in Calgary. When you're 35 and you haven't won a cup yet, a playoff chance is a playoff chance. Or perhaps more realistically, Jay Bouwmeester could end up in Edmonton. He has a huge contract with another season after this one on it. If it's obvious that the time has come for the Flames to pull the pluggers and go full-rebuild, could the Oilers offer the Flames a couple decent young prospects to speed up the process? As much as everyone rips JayBo, add him to Petry, Smid, Schultz, Schultz, and Fistric, and you have one of the deepest D6's in the league. Bouwmeester plays huge minutes and in all situations.
Maybe even newbie Roman Cervenka, who becomes a UFA this summer too, could be worth a deal to Edmonton if the Flames are out of it on April 1. If the time has come for a huge change in Calgary, the more prospects and draft picks they acquire, the better. Further to this, why would Cervenka want to stay in Calgary if he's set to become a UFA? Getting something for someone who's about to walk out is better than getting nothing.
Of course, we all know there won't be deals between the Oilers and Flames, and GM Jay Feaster will fight until the bitter end with this worn-out roster filled with indifferent, comfortable players. Feaster is to GM'ing what Alicia Silverstone was to the movie "Clueless".
I'm not saying the Oilers are guaranteed a win against the Flames on Saturday, because, on paper at least, this should be a decent match-up. But talk about two teams that are run completely differently and are going in completely different directions. If the Flames players choose to show up on Saturday and attempt to win the game, it makes you wonder what's the point.
I'll give you four reasons why the Flames should allow themselves to tank: Nathan MacKinnon, Seth Jones, Jonathan Drouin and Aleksander Barkov. MacKinnon in particular should be the entire focus of this season, as he's the center the Flames have needed for the last 20 years. Skilled, slick, and offensively-gifted, he'd provide a spark to a lame, disinterested Flames roster that stopped caring several years ago. Even Iggy, who might be my favorite player in the entire NHL, stopped looking like he cared a few seasons ago. It's a sad, painful death to witness. Not the death of the Flames...who cares about them...I'm referring to the death of the Battle of Alberta. Who would have thunk the Flames/Oilers would eventually turn into the Stampeders/Eskimos?
Is there the potential for entertainment? Sure. Will I watch? Yep. Could either team win? Why not. Chances are if the Flames come out ahead, it will be because Miikka Kiprusoff has stolen another game. How that player hasn't lost his mind and run off to join the circus yet is a mystery to me. You will never hear me say a bad word about Kipper. The guy is golden.
Flames/Oilers begins at 10pm EST, and will be on, sorry kids, Hockey Night in Canada. Here's hoping when their television deal runs out, TSN outbids them and saves hockey. The CBC, like the Flames roster, is an irrelevant dinosaur waiting to be put out of its misery.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»