Critical month for the Flames

[dash]

and the foreseeable future of this team, in my opinion. Can this team make the playoffs this season? I think it's 50/50 at best and I'm leaning towards them not making the dance. For a team spending right up to the cap (actually quite a bit over (thanks LTIR)), the talent level (especially up front) just isn't there. The play of Kipper overshadows the deficiencies on this team, he keeps them in games that otherwise would be complete blowouts (last night's game was a classic example, it easily could have been 5-1 Wings without Kipper's spectacular play).

While I appreciate the job Darryl Sutter did turning the fortunes around for Calgary when he first arrived on the scene (and the run to the Cup finals in 2004 was great), the last couple of years have not been good for Darryl. I really think the players were expecting a GM change during the off-season and when that didn't occur, a malaise set in over the entire team that has yet to lift. No where is this more evident than in the play of Iggy, he just has lost that spark and spring to his game.

So what to do now? Well, I think you seriously have to look at replacing Darryl Sutter or making a major trade to shake up the team. My choice would be to replace Darryl Sutter, Ken King brought Jay Feaster in as assistant GM as a likely successor for Darryl Sutter, well I say the time has come to put him in the GM chair.

/My apologies for this long post, just wanted to get some things off my chest. Please disregard or add your comments as you see fit.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

and the foreseeable future of this team, in my opinion. Can this team make the playoffs this season? I think it's 50/50 at best and I'm leaning towards them not making the dance. For a team spending right up to the cap (actually quite a bit over (thanks LTIR)), the talent level (especially up front) just isn't there. The play of Kipper overshadows the deficiencies on this team, he keeps them in games that otherwise would be complete blowouts (last night's game was a classic example, it easily could have been 5-1 Wings without Kipper's spectacular play).

While I appreciate the job Darryl Sutter did turning the fortunes around for Calgary when he first arrived on the scene (and the run to the Cup finals in 2004 was great), the last couple of years have not been good for Darryl. I really think the players was expecting a GM change during the off-season and when that didn't occur, a malaise set in over the entire team that has yet to lift. No where is this more evident than in the play of Iggy, he just has lost that spark and spring to his game.

So what to do now? Well, I think you seriously have to look at replacing Darryl Sutter or making a major trade to shake up the team. My choice would be to replace Darryl Sutter, Ken King brought Jay Feaster in as assistant GM as a likely successor for Darryl Sutter, well I say the time has come to put him in the GM chair.

/My apologies for this long post, just wanted to get some things off my chest. Please disregard or add your comments as you see fit.

didnt you have a screenname after a swamp banning once called generalissimo malaise or something like that?

did Iginla respond after the Brad Stuart thing last night? When a canuck used to do something like that to him it was like waking a sleeping giant

 

[elocomotive]

Good post, Dash. One of the things I enjoy most about these Boards is hearing about the intricacies of other hockey teams I normally wouldn't follow (i.e. - most of the Western Conference). Without knowing too much detail about Calgary but applying some general lessons of watching sports over the years, sometimes the GM that turns things around is not necessarily the guy who is good at taking things to the next level. Different skill sets, so you might be right.

What are the odds of this actually happening though, IYO?

 

[puckhead]

so who do you ship out in the blockbuster?
(given that a couple of those contracts are not tradeable)

and what do you hope for in return?
- shake it up, or blow it up

 

[dash]

didnt you have a screenname after a swamp banning once called generalissimo malaise or something like that?

did Iginla respond after the Brad Stuart thing last night? When a canuck used to do something like that to him it was like waking a sleeping giant

re: screenname - lol, nope it wasn't me. I seem to recall that puck was in a band once called 'General Malaise and the Condition', maybe it was him.

Iggy wanted to go with Stuart, but the refs jumped in too quick combined with Stuart backing away.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Iggy wanted to go with Stuart, but the refs jumped in too quick combined with Stuart backing away.

by respond I mean upping his level of compete (thank you Marc Crawford)

it used to be where Matt Cooke would do something dirty to him and if he didnt fight he'd just go out and score 2 against the canucks ... did he kick it up a notch after the incident last night

 

[puckhead]

re: screenname - lol, nope it wasn't me. I seem to recall that puck was in a band once called 'General Malaise and the Condition', maybe it was him.

Iggy wanted to go with Stuart, but the refs jumped in too quick combined with Stuart backing away.

lol... the band was "General Malaise and the Spread".
that wasn't my screen name though. i assumed Comeds, 43 or IPW.

 

[dash]

Good post, Dash. One of the things I enjoy most about these Boards is hearing about the intricacies of other hockey teams I normally wouldn't follow (i.e. - most of the Western Conference). Without knowing too much detail about Calgary but applying some general lessons of watching sports over the years, sometimes the GM that turns things around is not necessarily the guy who is good at taking things to the next level. Different skill sets, so you might be right.

What are the odds of this actually happening though, IYO?

I think it all depends on what the team's record is at the end of this month. If they're still "in the hunt" (i.e. maybe 2-3 points back of the Canucks), then nothing will happen. If they are eight to 10 points back of the Canucks, then I think you will see some changes.

/It hurts using the Canucks as a benchmark :p

 

[dash]

by respond I mean upping his level of compete (thank you Marc Crawford)

it used to be where Matt Cooke would do something dirty to him and if he didnt fight he'd just go out and score 2 against the canucks ... did he kick it up a notch after the incident last night

Nope, not really. Pretty quiet period all around for the Flames (five shots on goal, I believe including a 4 min powerplay).

 

[dash]

so who do you ship out in the blockbuster?
(given that a couple of those contracts are not tradeable)

and what do you hope for in return?
- shake it up, or blow it up

Let's start with who they should keep:

Giordano, Bourque and Backlund I would try to keep.


Can you trade Iggy? (two more years at 7m, pretty tough to move)
Kipper? (I think some teams would be interested, that would put the Flames in Oilers territory, though)
Regehr? (good shutdown defenseman, there should be interest)
Sarich? (no interest, he's just slightly better than Jeff Finger)

Interesting times ahead.

 

[mooger_35]

Iggy only had 15:20 of ice time last night.

 

[dash]

Iggy only had 15:20 of ice time last night.

Yeah, I think he was benched for part of the 3rd period last night...Not sure if I agree with that coaching decision.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Let's start with who they should keep:

Giordano, Bourque and Backlund I would try to keep.


Can you trade Iggy? (two more years at 7m, pretty tough to move)

The Sens will give you Alfie and a 2nd for Iggy.

Kipper? (I think some teams would be interested, that would put the Flames in Oilers territory, though)

This means a rebuild. You'd need serious YOUNG assets coming back.

Regehr? (good shutdown defenseman, there should be interest)

Again the Sens will take him off your hands: Campoli and Ruutu for the big guy?

Sarich? (no interest, he's just slightly better than Jeff Finger)

Interesting times ahead.

Sarich is going nowhere except maybe the AHL.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Yeah, I think he was benched for part of the 3rd period last night...Not sure if I agree with that coaching decision.

When Jokinen is getting 3 more minutes of ice time than Iggy, you've got problems.

 

[dash]

The Sens will give you Alfie and a 2nd for Iggy.

43 would certainly be doing the happy dance.

Regehr?

Again the Sens will take him off your hands: Campoli and Ruutu for the big guy?

Campoli and Giordano on the same blueline? Can you ever have too many Italians?

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Trust me dash you don't want the Flames to acquire Campoli. He's awful.

I don't think the Flames have enough talent up front. It's tough to rebuild when you have Kipper. Calgary also has a number of contracts which will be tough to trade if they choose to rebuild. Iginla could be dealt but nobody is going to want Jokinen's contract. Giordano would have been conveted before his new deal last week. The Flames are in a tough spot. Good enough to battle all year for the 7/8 seed but probably not good enough to make it.

 

[sbb122]

Kunitz, Goligoski, and a 1st for Iggy? I wish....

 

[dash]

Kunitz, Goligoski, and a 1st for Iggy? I wish....

Not a big fan of Kunitz, but I like Gogo. Also, that 1st rounder from the Pens won't be high enough. Let's replace Kunitz with Jordan Staal and then we could be cooking (lol)

 

[GagneFire12]

Eklund just put up an intriguing and insightful look into the possibility of an Iginla trade. Sabres fans, get hopeful. (E2)

 

[dash]

One other thing I would like to add - Brent Sutter needs to stop the facepalms and exasperated looks behind the bench. It's becoming media/youtube fodder and it's making the players tighter than a snare drum which leads to even more mistakes, in my opinion.

Yes, it's a business, but let's be honest, we're not curing cancer. Have some fun, for gosh sakes.