Last season the Calgary Flames surprise down the finish. Not so much that they were winning games as much as the speed and strength and pop they had in their legs. Not unlike a marathon race they had enough kick to demoralize their opposition, like the Los Angeles Kings, and make that final push to the third position in the Pacific Division and a place in the NHL’s post season.
Johnny Gaudreau was one of the major reasons for the Flames move up the Pacific ladder and Sean Monahan developed quickly as season progressed.
Johnny Gaudreau – File Photo by Jack Lima
This off season Calgary general manager Brad Treliving wheeled and dealed to get defenseman Dougie Hamilton from Boston and then signed free agent Michael Frolik as a left winger.
One can only imagine how deep in the playoff run the Flames might have gone with a healthy Mark Giordano but he fell to injury late in the season. A health 31-year old Giordano on the blueline will only be a benefit to the Flames.
With a consistent defensive corps, the Flames can use their speed on the front lines to back-check and move the puck up. Monahan is joined by Jiri Hudler, Sam Bennett and Gaudreau to give Calgary a potent offense.
Much of the prognostication for the 2015-16 NHL season has the Flames stumbling out of the gate and not making the postseason this year. Several outlets have characterized them as the next Colorado Avalanche or Toronto Maple Leafs teams to flame-out after a postseason berth.
The weakest spot in the lineup is in goal. Jonas Hiller who went 26-19-4 with a .918 save percentage. Karri Ramo took the net away in the post season. Where they may step up stronger this season is in their pending unrestricted free agency classification at the end of the season. Or perhaps one or the other will be trade bait this season. The crease may get crowded before it thins out with Joni Ortio on a one-way contract with the Flames.
Ortio recently pitched a shutout over the Avalanche and made a strong case for staying in Flames red this season. The resigning of Ramo made life difficult for Hiller and he is seen by many as the odd-man out.
Mark Giordano (5) shoots the puck up ice as Matt Nieto defends – Photo by Jack Lima
The Flames are a young team in a Pacific Division that is getting older and aged. The taste of the playoffs last season should give this club a reason to avoid the crash and burn. And head coach Bob Hartley is not one to let the foot off the pedal.
Last season the Flames were young AND inexperienced. This year they will have an opportunity to prove the 2014-15 season was no fluke.
So we will go out on a limb here and say the Calgary Flames will challenge the Los Angeles Kings for the second spot in the Pacific Division and in the end, the Flames will just nick the Kings late to take the number two spot behind the Anaheim Ducks.
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