Better Luck Next Year: Calgary Flames edition
As NHL teams are officially eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The ninth edition focuses on the Calgary Flames.
The Good
A handful of 20-goal scorers. Though the Flames rank near the bottom of the league in goals for, they have four players who have scored 20 or more goals this season. Sean Monahan will likely be the only one to reach the 30-goal mark, while Johnny Gaudreau has added 23 and leads the team in scoring with 82 points. If not for injury, Matthew Tkachuk would have built on his 24-goal output; Micheal Ferland is at a career-best 21 and counting.
Matt Stajan's milestone. On March 22 - a few days before the Flames were officially eliminated from playoff contention - they found a little something to smile about when they celebrated Matt Stajan's 1,000th career NHL game. Stajan, who has 412 career points entering the week, was also nominated for the Masterton Trophy, which recognizes the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey."
Strength on the blue line. Trading for Travis Hamonic boosted an already strong group that includes Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, and T.J. Brodie. Giordano and Hamilton are regarded as one of the top defensive pairings in the league. Brodie, Hamilton, and Giordano have all surpassed 30 points this season; Hamilton is the highest-scoring Flames defenseman with 44 points as of Monday, and his 17 goals are a career high.
The Bad
The Jaromir Jagr Experience. Jagr signed a one-year, $1-million contract with the Flames in October, hoping to extend his NHL career. But he was placed on waivers in January after recording seven points in 22 games and struggling with injuries, and returned to the Czech Republic to play for Kladno, the team he co-owns. His NHL career is now all but done and it's hard not to think about what could have been had things worked out for him in Calgary.
Bad backup goaltending. Starter Mike Smith has had good and bad stretches this season, but outside of him, the goalie situation hasn't been good, with backups Jon Gillies and David Rittich combining for a save percentage of .898 in 29 games. Smith has started 55 games and it would be unrealistic to expect the 36-year old to continue at that pace.
Poor bottom-six production. Getting offense from the bottom-six forward group has been an issue for the Flames, who have a lot of salary tied up in players who haven't produced. Michael Frolik and Troy Brouwer, who will make a combined $8.8 million for the next two seasons, have just 45 points between them. The Flames hoped Curtis Lazar would rediscover his form in Calgary, but he has just 10 points in 61 games. Injuries limited Kris Versteeg to 24 games, in which he produced just three goals and five assists.
The Questions
Should the Flames trade for a first-round pick? The Flames sent their 2018 first-round pick to the New York Islanders in the trade for Hamonic. Now that they've missed the playoffs and need to make some changes, general manager Brad Treliving will want to replace that pick. That would likely mean a big move involving major pieces.
Will head coach Glen Gulutzan be back? There was nothing that indicated this season would be such a failure before it began. By all accounts, the Flames were expected to be a playoff team. This was a team that, aside from a few injuries, had a core group still in their prime years. How much of the team's failures will Gulutzan be held accountable for? That's what Flames ownership will have to decide this summer.
Other entries in this series:
- Arizona Coyotes
- Vancouver Canucks
- Buffalo Sabres
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Montreal Canadiens
- Edmonton Oilers
- Ottawa Senators
- Detroit Red Wings
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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