It’s Time to Throw Another Log on the Flames

CALGARY , Ab. – As we round the corner and head down the ever-important stretch drive toward the playoffs, the remaining games on the schedule become that much more significant.
The trade deadline is on the horizon and there are many teams looking to bulk up for the purpose of making a deep playoff run. The Calgary Flames fall into that category. While on top of the Northwest Division with a healthy lead, the Flames are looking to be included in the upper echelon with the Detroit’s and San Jose’s of the league.
General Manager Darryl Sutter has many important decisions to make. He could remain inactive come deadline day, March 4^th, and ride what he’s currently got up and down the player’s bench. That wouldn’t be a terrible decision, by any means. The Flames, for the first time since their improbable run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, are a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.
The team has mustered a surprising total of 178 goals to date, which ranks them as the fourth best offense in the Western Conference; trailing the Detroit Red Wings by a mere three goals for third place.
As far as shaking up the frontline goes, Sutter is better off leaving things the way they are. All four lines are producing well and the chemistry has never been better. Aside from a minor tweak for depth purposes, changing things up front would more than likely have a negative outcome than it would a positive one.
So where can the Flames improve? They can do so on the blue line. On paper, the Flames have a solid defensive unit. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always translate into on-ice success. Sitting in the middle of the pack in goals against average (2.93) after 56 games, was not something that the team would’ve envisioned before the season began, but that is where they currently sit in 19^th place, to be exact.
Although cap space may limit the Flames in their deadline plans, some intriguing names on defense do stand out. There’s a very real possibility that Phillipe Boucher or Hal Gill of the Penguins will be available. That possibility will become more and more likely if the Pens continue to struggle as we near the deadline.
Other defensemen on Sutter’s radar include pending UFAs Ken Klee (PHX), Filip Kuba (OTT), Greg De Vries (NAS), and Karlis Skrastins (FLA), along with RFAs Denis Grebeshkov (EDM), Keith Yandle (PHX) and Lukas Krajicek (TB).
Something else to keep an eye on in Calgary is the goaltending situation. Kiprusoff has barely had a game off this season. It’s understandable to think that Sutter might not want to rest the team’s playoff hopes upon inexperienced backup Curtis McElhinney should anything happen to their number one goaltender.
Both Martin Gerber and Manny Legace recently went unclaimed on waivers and subsequently got demoted to the AHL. Each remains a solid bet to land an NHL gig before the deadline.
Considering just how well the team has meshed this season, there’s no logical reason for Sutter to trade away a player from the current roster. That pretty much narrows things down.
It’s very likely that we will see the Flames active by March 4^th. Sutter’s D-Day history with the team proves the likelihood of a deal going down. That being said, chances are that the big deals of the day won’t be coming out of Calgary.
Venturing a guess, I’d say that there’s a good chance that both Hal Gill and either one of Gerber or Legace will end up in Flames’ Red by March 4^th.
Contact the author at Michael.Paul@ProHockeyNews.com