Hungry for the Wolf: Contemplating the Flames Future Between the Pipes
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
1y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes As Dan Vladar's play heats up, Dustin Wolf's play stays hot, all while Jacob Markstrom's play continues to simmer at room temperature, the inevitable question has started to emerge: What is the Flames' future in net? At first blush, it looks like things will remain status quo for a while: Markstrom has three more seasons to go on his contract at $6M AAV, plus he has a no-movement clause. Vladar signed a contract extension in October, which locks him up for the next two seasons at $2.2M. Wolf has another year to go on his entry-level contract, after w ..read more
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Eight Reasons Not to Panic Despite a Bumpy Ride through the Southeastern U.S.
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
2y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes The difficulty level of the Flames' schedule went from 0 to 60 this week, and while visions of cruise control danced in fans' heads, Calgary sputtered and stalled instead. Going into this difficult four-day gauntlet courtesy of the NHL's merciless schedule maker, there were hopes Darryl Sutter's band of pick-up truck bandits would get on the interstate, get in the fast lane, and sail past the lavish sports cars that are Florida, Tampa Bay, and Carolina.  Alas, they did not. Instead, here we are in the aftermath. Parked on the side of the road, haza ..read more
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Sam Bennett Unlocked: Were the Flames trying the wrong key?
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images Back in October, I wrote in this same space that the Calgary Flames owed it to themselves to invest in Sam Bennett and give the team's highest-ever draft pick an opportunity to be the top-six center they drafted him to be. There was an urgency to the situation, with a shortened 56-game season lying ahead and an expansion draft looming on the other side. The compressed season wouldn't allow time for a season-long experiment of tinkering here and there with Bennett's role. They needed to give him a shot at 1C or 2C right out of the gate. A legit shot. Give it six weeks at ..read more
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Short history of Flames prospects playing for Canada at the world juniors
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes (@DarrenWHaynes) Jarome Iginla and Denis Gauthier were last to do it and over 2,100 combined NHL games later, they're long since retired. So yeah, it's been a while since Flames teammates won gold with Canada at the world junior championships, a feat left winger Jakob Pelletier and centre Connor Zary will try to repeat this year. It's the silver anniversary of that 1996 tournament in Massachusetts in which Iginla capped off a stellar tournament with a pair of assists in Canada's 4-1 victory over Sweden in the gold medal game -- both helpers coming on go ..read more
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Making his Mark: Flames new goaltender brings stability and star power
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images  By Darren Haynes When Jacob Markstrom makes his debut, he will be the 50th goaltender to start an NHL game for Calgary.  That's in 40 seasons. That's crazy.  Stunningly, it will likely be sometime during the 2022-23 season, with Markstrom not yet halfway through his six-year deal, when he will join the Mount Rushmore of Flames goaltenders by moving into fourth place all-time in wins. He will join Miikka Kiprusoff, Mike Vernon, and Reggie Lemelin.  That tells you all you need to know about the instability that has plagued this club at hockey's ..read more
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But what if the Flames core 'has' changed and we just didn't realize it?
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes When the off-season began, the focus turned to Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau.  Six seasons as linemates, one playoff series win — and that came back in 2015. It was Gaudreau’s rookie season and the sophomore season for Monahan.  Since then: 2016 - Missed the playoffs 2017 - Lost 4-0 to Anaheim in Round 1 2018 - Missed the playoffs 2019 - Lost 4-1 to Colorado in Round 1 2020 - Lost 4-2 to Dallas in Round 1 Add in the swift exit at the hands of the Ducks in Round 2 in 2015 and Calgary has lost 16 of its last 20 post-season games. So ..read more
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Expansion of Core, not its Redemption, the Real Opportunity Lying Before Calgary
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes When the 2020 playoffs began, or at least this expanded, chaotic, wacky, pandemic version of such, all eyes in Calgary, as usual, were affixed primarily on two players. In their sixth season together, this was trip No. 4 to the post-season for longtime linemates Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. 2015 - Beat Vancouver in 6 games, lost to Anaheim in 5 games 2017 - Lost to Anaheim in 4 games 2019 - Lost to Colorado in 5 games For Gaudreau, who turns 27 on Thursday, and Monahan, two months shy of his 26th birthday, post-season success has been elusive ..read more
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All Sizzle, no Fizzle: Three Key Subplots in Flames Impressive Game 1 Victory over the Jets
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes For the Flames and their success-starved fan base, the appetizer was worth the wait on Saturday night as the NHL returned to action after four-and-a-half months of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an August long weekend like none other, Calgary overcame an early deficit to win 4-1 over the Winnipeg Jets and take a 1-0 lead in its best-of-five qualifying round series. It was the consummate team effort in which the Flames got contributions up and down the line-up. "It was a really good, complete game," said Johnny Gaudreau, who scored ..read more
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Draft lottery leaves Flames fans conflicted over best path forward
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images By Darren Haynes It’s fitting that the late Monty Hall, longtime host of Let’s Make a Deal, was born in Winnipeg. After all, it’s Calgary’s upcoming qualifying round showdown with the Jets that suddenly has Flames fans — not unlike the ludicrously-dressed contestants on the classic game show — in a frenzy over what would be the best choice for the organization. Winning and losing are both outcomes that bring elements of risk and reward. The argument, debate, or discussion, the tone dependent on how emotionally invested you are on t ..read more
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Ranking the Calgary Flames Top 20 Prospects (August 2018 Edition)
Flames From 80 Feet
by Darren Haynes
3y ago
Embed from Getty Images Here we go again with another edition of the Flames top 20 prospects. Much has happened since the last update during the NHL all-star break. A couple prospects have been traded, a couple new prospects have arrived and there's been a graduation too. David Rittich, you're an adult now. Good luck out there. This edition was a bit different without the usual complement of incoming high-end draft picks. As everyone knows, the Flames did not select in the first, second or third round in 2018 and that does take a toll on what's in the cupboard. Nonetheless, the reason g ..read more
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