One thing calgary will need to try and draft in the next two drafts is there next iginla. I'm not saying you can replace a player like him cause you can't but the oilers have eberle and hall and yaks who could all be fourty goal guys when they reach full potential. Where all of the flame prospects are pretty blue collar. Monahan will be a 60 point guy and who knows with baertschi
- BleedOil06

They are actually hoping Baertschi could be the next big winger star that theyll need...not exactly Iginla-esk because hes just not as physical, but the kid has the talent.

I still maintain that the Flames will be better than they were last year if they can play a team game and someone steps up to be an actual captain.

I don't know what games people were watching when they praise Iggy for his work ethic. I'm being generous with the number I throw out, but I say in 60% of the Flames games I watched he looked disinterested and was pretty much invisible on the ice. 20% of the time he actually looked like a top line player and the other 20% he still looked like a player that was a superstar and could carry a team. The Flames biggest issue was their consistency and how they'd implode after they fell behind when they were playing well. Can you not put some of that on Iggys non-existent leadership from the last few seasons?

Kipper was terrible last year. Not much more you can say. He looked like he was already looking forward to his retirement. Again the main problem was consistency. He still made quite a few play of the year type saves but they were overshadowed by how many weak goals he let in. You can blame the defence in front of him but top goalies, including Kipper himself in past years, thrive off that and will bail their teams out.

Losing Boumeester will hurt and will have the biggest impact on the team but if they can play as a team and get the mindset that they need to outwork everyone to win I see no way that they're worse than last year.
- Hunkulese

They haven't had that mindset for a long time. It's going to take a major culture shift for that to happen, and the roster is still too similar to last years (minus all the top end talent) to expect that this year.

Agreed. While it is entirely possible the Flames do moderate to decent, and push for an 8th seed, but, the reality is that this team lacks the star-power and high-end skill to compete with the rosters of the rest of the league. Karri Ramo may be your brightest spot right now with the potential he brings based on his play and numbers in the KHL.
- Flyers_V88

Goaltending is the biggest reason i have them in the basement. There are other bad teams but they happen to have goalies that can steal games for their clubs outside of Florida but I think they have more NHL players then the Flames but if Ramo steals the show they could easily be a head of some of these teams

I think the Flames will finish similar to last year to be honest, the players they traded away were non factors by the time they all left...they could even finish better than last year with all that grit over an entire season...although they could really use a first overall pick to kick star their rebuild...and again...Ken King needs to go...he is seriously HATED...The Flames aren't anywhere near the playoffs but there is too much character on that team to finish last...

I still maintain that the Flames will be better than they were last year if they can play a team game and someone steps up to be an actual captain.

I don't know what games people were watching when they praise Iggy for his work ethic. I'm being generous with the number I throw out, but I say in 60% of the Flames games I watched he looked disinterested and was pretty much invisible on the ice. 20% of the time he actually looked like a top line player and the other 20% he still looked like a player that was a superstar and could carry a team. The Flames biggest issue was their consistency and how they'd implode after they fell behind when they were playing well. Can you not put some of that on Iggys non-existent leadership from the last few seasons?

Kipper was terrible last year. Not much more you can say. He looked like he was already looking forward to his retirement. Again the main problem was consistency. He still made quite a few play of the year type saves but they were overshadowed by how many weak goals he let in. You can blame the defence in front of him but top goalies, including Kipper himself in past years, thrive off that and will bail their teams out.

Losing Boumeester will hurt and will have the biggest impact on the team but if they can play as a team and get the mindset that they need to outwork everyone to win I see no way that they're worse than last year.
- Hunkulese

In fairness to Iginla...the team as a whole was bad. I wouldnt single him out as even on his best day he couldnt carry that team. But let's not pretend like Iginla's presense wasnt felt amonst the rookies.

Agree with you. I'm looking forward to the flames playing spoiler alot this year. Everyone seems to think winning is about the players you have, and forget that the coaching staff and TEAM mentality play a BIGGER role.
- FL4MES

While I certainly agree...its tough to find consistency and strong team focus when many of the players are new or young/inexperienced. If Ramo can adjust quickly to the NHL ice again and put up respectable numbers, if Baertschi can step up, if Stajan and Backlund take the next step in their roles as the eldest centermen...then perhaps the Flames find some success.

While I certainly agree...its tough to find consistency and strong team focus when many of the players are new or young/inexperienced. If Ramo can adjust quickly to the NHL ice again and put up respectable numbers, if Baertschi can step up, if Stajan and Backlund take the next step in their roles as the eldest centermen...then perhaps the Flames find some success.
- Colin Dambrauskas

Gotta remember to that the Blue Jackets where picked to finish last by a country mile last year and they where a point or two away from a play off spot

Gotta remember to that the Blue Jackets where picked to finish last by a country mile last year and they where a point or two away from a play off spot
- blizzzard

Not by me ....but I cant help but estimate that the Flames are picking 4th-5th overall this year unless all of Ramo, Baertschi, Backlund and Brodie step it up. If those guys took the next step, with the types of guys left on the team they could do well...I just get the feeling that there are not too many fans cheering for "decent"...this year.

Not by me ....but I cant help but estimate that the Flames are picking 4th-5th overall this year unless all of Ramo, Baertschi, Backlund and Brodie step it up. If those guys took the next step, with the types of guys left on the team they could do well...I just get the feeling that there are not too many fans cheering for "decent"...this year.
- Colin Dambrauskas

Thats what i was going to say to. You dont want to have a fluke year and make the playoffs then miss the next 2-3 it would hurt the rebuild. Season hasnt even started yet there will be more trades made so it is hard to say today.

I still maintain that the Flames will be better than they were last year if they can play a team game and someone steps up to be an actual captain.

I don't know what games people were watching when they praise Iggy for his work ethic. I'm being generous with the number I throw out, but I say in 60% of the Flames games I watched he looked disinterested and was pretty much invisible on the ice. 20% of the time he actually looked like a top line player and the other 20% he still looked like a player that was a superstar and could carry a team. The Flames biggest issue was their consistency and how they'd implode after they fell behind when they were playing well. Can you not put some of that on Iggys non-existent leadership from the last few seasons?

Kipper was terrible last year. Not much more you can say. He looked like he was already looking forward to his retirement. Again the main problem was consistency. He still made quite a few play of the year type saves but they were overshadowed by how many weak goals he let in. You can blame the defence in front of him but top goalies, including Kipper himself in past years, thrive off that and will bail their teams out.

Losing Boumeester will hurt and will have the biggest impact on the team but if they can play as a team and get the mindset that they need to outwork everyone to win I see no way that they're worse than last year.
- Hunkulese

Totally agree with this post, especially on the play of Iginla. His leadership & floating was why we missed the playoffs the last 4 years. I do agree with some other posters that the Flames totally lack star power. If we can see the making of a few stars this year, regardless where we finish, I would call that a great season for the Flames. As for what teams that possibly could finish below us, well that's just depressing thinking that way. We all know this is a lotto team next year, I would rather read about which players we might see that have the potential to step up to star status. We have a few, I think we'll see more the year after.

Three horse race between Buffalo, Florida and Calgary IMO for last place.

Three horse race between Buffalo, Florida and Calgary IMO for last place.
- mlindsay

Yup, i agree. Also Nashville depending how Rinne plays. There will probably be one more team that has to many injuries during the year and can't trade any of their top 6 forwards because they are up and coming.

I still maintain that the Flames will be better than they were last year if they can play a team game and someone steps up to be an actual captain.

I don't know what games people were watching when they praise Iggy for his work ethic. I'm being generous with the number I throw out, but I say in 60% of the Flames games I watched he looked disinterested and was pretty much invisible on the ice. 20% of the time he actually looked like a top line player and the other 20% he still looked like a player that was a superstar and could carry a team. The Flames biggest issue was their consistency and how they'd implode after they fell behind when they were playing well. Can you not put some of that on Iggys non-existent leadership from the last few seasons?

Kipper was terrible last year. Not much more you can say. He looked like he was already looking forward to his retirement. Again the main problem was consistency. He still made quite a few play of the year type saves but they were overshadowed by how many weak goals he let in. You can blame the defence in front of him but top goalies, including Kipper himself in past years, thrive off that and will bail their teams out.

Losing Boumeester will hurt and will have the biggest impact on the team but if they can play as a team and get the mindset that they need to outwork everyone to win I see no way that they're worse than last year.
- Hunkulese

Yup, i agree. Also Nashville depending how Rinne plays. There will probably be one more team that has to many injuries during the year and can't trade any of their top 6 forwards because they are up and coming.
- nigelwright275

yup....gotta throw in Florida into the mix for sure...think Tampa will still e bad. Even with their big stars and potential, they just can't get it together

I still maintain that the Flames will be better than they were last year if they can play a team game and someone steps up to be an actual captain.

I don't know what games people were watching when they praise Iggy for his work ethic. I'm being generous with the number I throw out, but I say in 60% of the Flames games I watched he looked disinterested and was pretty much invisible on the ice. 20% of the time he actually looked like a top line player and the other 20% he still looked like a player that was a superstar and could carry a team. The Flames biggest issue was their consistency and how they'd implode after they fell behind when they were playing well. Can you not put some of that on Iggys non-existent leadership from the last few seasons?

Kipper was terrible last year. Not much more you can say. He looked like he was already looking forward to his retirement. Again the main problem was consistency. He still made quite a few play of the year type saves but they were overshadowed by how many weak goals he let in. You can blame the defence in front of him but top goalies, including Kipper himself in past years, thrive off that and will bail their teams out.

Losing Boumeester will hurt and will have the biggest impact on the team but if they can play as a team and get the mindset that they need to outwork everyone to win I see no way that they're worse than last year.
- Hunkulese

I just can't, in any way agree with you or even understand where you are coming from. No offense. Over an 82 game season the teams that finished below CGY last season will be ahead of us, except for maybe FLA. Of course other factors may have a slight effect on the standings, like injuries, overall we are an unproven team with a lot to sort out.
You speak of inconsistency but we will be very inconsistent throughout the season as the coaching staff tries to figure out what we have in the young players. Those players themselves will be trying to figure out what they are at this level. You should prepare for this because I think you may be very annoyed and frustrated by this year long inconsistency.
Wewill wkn some games against teams that take us lightly at times but overall we will be bad. Andwe should be. We're tryjng to draft high for a ouple of years.
If some of these kids step jp and surprise and, hopefully, quicken the rebuild, awesome. But we wknt be beter than last year and we will likely be worse the following season.

Yup, i agree. Also Nashville depending how Rinne plays. There will probably be one more team that has to many injuries during the year and can't trade any of their top 6 forwards because they are up and coming.
- nigelwright275

i think nj is going to be dwelling in the bottom 5 too with a carolina like year

Colin Dambrauskas: Could the Calgary Flames place better than Toronto, Edmonton, Tampa?
- Colin Dambrauskas

Who cares about where you finish. I think the Oilers worried too much about that and not enough about how hard they were going to be to play against on a night-by-night basis.

If you guys are going to be bad, be bad guy wrestlers. Get McGrattan in there to take some misconducts. Grease a goalie. Try to put Kesler or Hemsky out for the season, and go for broke in creating turnovers and on the forecheck. Play the trap like your lives depended on it.

If the flames do that, they'll get a little mojo going regardless. I think the flames will lose a fair amount of games. How they play in those losses will be the real story.

i think nj is going to be dwelling in the bottom 5 too with a carolina like year
- numbear

Jerk, but its possible I think what keeps us out of the bottom five will be goaltending and the amount of NHL experienced players. I wouldnt be shocked if NJ didnt make it I would be shocked if they where bottom 5.

Yeah they massive improvement to their Blueline will really push team over the top, they finally got the no.1 they've needed for... Oh wait. They don't have one still.

I wouldn't be so confident. This is a team that has been brutal for a number of years and did little to address their biggest need. Ference is an okay pick up, but lets not fool ourselves all he does is add another 4/5 defenceman to a team loaded with 2nd and third pairing d men.

Have a chance, but certainly far from a lock.
- TheLeafsInsider

we were a team loaded with 8th dmen.

With Petry-Smid, Schultz-Ference, and Belov/Grebs/Larsen-Schultz, I think we now have three passable 2nd pairings. Still no 1st, but certainly miles better than where we were.

Who cares about where you finish. I think the Oilers worried too much about that and not enough about how hard they were going to be to play against on a night-by-night basis.

If you guys are going to be bad, be bad guy wrestlers. Get McGrattan in there to take some misconducts. Grease a goalie. Try to put Kesler or Hemsky out for the season, and go for broke in creating turnovers and on the forecheck. Play the trap like your lives depended on it.

If the flames do that, they'll get a little mojo going regardless. I think the flames will lose a fair amount of games. How they play in those losses will be the real story.
- Morris

All things considered...I would not have even written a blog like this had it not been for reading that article this morning lol...it was just really not well put together...I had to comment...

Flames couldnt beat most AHL teams in a best of 7

Who cares about where you finish. I think the Oilers worried too much about that and not enough about how hard they were going to be to play against on a night-by-night basis.

If you guys are going to be bad, be bad guy wrestlers. Get McGrattan in there to take some misconducts. Grease a goalie. Try to put Kesler or Hemsky out for the season, and go for broke in creating turnovers and on the forecheck. Play the trap like your lives depended on it.

If the flames do that, they'll get a little mojo going regardless. I think the flames will lose a fair amount of games. How they play in those losses will be the real story.
- Morris

Thats a good post !

All things considered...I would not have even written a blog like this had it not been for reading that article this morning lol...it was just really not well put together...I had to comment...
- Colin Dambrauskas

Yeah I didn't mean that as a criticism, I think I was just speaking in terms of what I would have liked to see during the Oilers stay in the basement.

Columbus, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, and Ottawa have all done losing seasons "right", and it takes a little bit of mental fortitude but imo goes a long way.

Not that the Oil are permanently stunted mind you.

Jerk, but its possible I think what keeps us out of the bottom five will be goaltending and the amount of NHL experienced players. I wouldnt be shocked if NJ didnt make it I would be shocked if they where bottom 5.
- blizzzard

You've really got to lock up Henrique before someone looks to offer sheet him...would love if the Flames to a chance on him though I feel uncle Lou matches anything thrown his way...even though the Flames can afford to over pay.

I just can't, in any way agree with you or even understand where you are coming from. No offense. Over an 82 game season the teams that finished below CGY last season will be ahead of us, except for maybe FLA. Of course other factors may have a slight effect on the standings, like injuries, overall we are an unproven team with a lot to sort out.
You speak of inconsistency but we will be very inconsistent throughout the season as the coaching staff tries to figure out what we have in the young players. Those players themselves will be trying to figure out what they are at this level. You should prepare for this because I think you may be very annoyed and frustrated by this year long inconsistency.
Wewill wkn some games against teams that take us lightly at times but overall we will be bad. Andwe should be. We're tryjng to draft high for a ouple of years.
If some of these kids step jp and surprise and, hopefully, quicken the rebuild, awesome. But we wknt be beter than last year and we will likely be worse the following season.
- TandA4Flames

I don't think he is that far off. Really, JBO & our blueline is the only casualty of the sell off. Iggy was so invisible for so many games. He was also pretty uncoachable here in Calgary, hence the revolving door of frustrated coaches. Our D was soft & with SOB & Cundari, that changes. Quite frankly, for the first time in years, I have no idea what a group of young players willing to do whatever the coaches want will translate to an 82 game season. That may translate better than you think & if Berra & Ramo give us decent goaltending, we are going to catch teams taking us lightly & playing their backups. The players that I truly think have the potential to step up & get noticed league wide as being star status is Ramo, Berra, Brodie, Sven & a real longshot if Monahan stays up, it'll be because he's having a Calder season. Where we finish will just happen, this year is all about hoping we have some future star players on the flames. Bonus will be drafting at least another one next year.