Johnny Gaudreau recently underwent surgery on a fractured finger and could miss up to six weeks. In this edition of the hotstove we discuss whether the Calgary Flames survive the injury or if it'll be the final blow to their season.
Todd Cordell The Johnny Gaudreau injury definitely stings but I don't think it's time to write off their season.
The West this year seems to be top heavy. Dallas, Los Angeles, Nashville and all the teams in the mix for a wild card spot are dealing with their own injury and/or goaltending problems so I don't think they're really in a position to separate from the pack.
The Flames' season has gone about as bad as it could have, they have a low PDO (indicating poor puck luck) and they're still only four back of a wild card spot.
I think they can hang around.
Peter Tessier Let's hope not. Anything bad that happens to Calgary is probably deserved for them doing so little to support Iginla all those years.
Seriously, they can survive but how is basically up to any hockey cliche you want to use. They have to give a 110%, move their feet, play a 200 foot game and play a full 60 minutes.
Maybe, just maybe they should play better hockey? How's that for an idea? Be better, stop being bad. If only there was a switch for that because we would have watched the Oilers break it for ten years.
To put it simply, the Flames can overcome this but the same things with Gaudreau in the lineup have to improve without him and they should be alright.
James Tanner They can't survive even with him. The Flames just aren't a good team and they won't be until Bennett and Tkachuk are front line players and they have a better bottom 3 defensemen.
A team so desperate for depth it once tried out Nick Grossmann after he couldn't make the Coyotes isn't contending for a playoff spot.
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