Flames wing it for a Finn

CALGARY – Some comprehensive changes for the Calgary Flames during this off-season are a must. General Manager Jay Feaster has not taken up the club’s options on the contracts of Assistant Coaches Rob Cookson and Jamie McLennan for the 2011-12 season. There has been a valuable addition to the club with Craig Hartsburg, who will be work alongside Brent Sutter as associate coach. Big changes need to be made in Calgary; bringing in Hartsburg is certainly a step in the right direction. His experience with over 12 years coaching in the NHL, and the fact that he has worked with Sutter in the past, bodes well for the Flames. Adding to the coaching staff is James Pringle as Senior Video Analyst, another positive move. Dave Lowry retains his spot as assistant coach.

On the ice there were some bright moments for the redshirts with rookie Mikael Backland showing that he is certainly an offensive force to be reckoned with. Next season Mikael could be the clubs number one center. Alex Tanguay and Curtis Glencross are two other players that should be treated with some priority. One player who may not return is Robyn Regehr, the assistant captain. During the 2010-11 season Regehr was a name that came up when trade rumors were at their height, but at the moment he is still a Calgary player.
It is no secret that netminder Henrik Karlsson wants to re-sign and that Rene Bourque, who was disappointed with his season but could be playing for Canada at the World’s, wants to stay. Corey Sarich, who battled injury, also wants to return; he has one year left on his contract with a no-trade clause. There are several positives to be taken, especially if, as Mark Giordano says, “We need to start with a lot of urgency and capitalize on the winning formula we found at the end of 2010-11 season.” Not everything was gloom and doom with the Flames, there were memorable moments during a season that saw Flames captain Jarome Iginia reach the 1,000 points mark and Daymond Langkow return after a horrendous injury to become a nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy. Now at season end Jay Feaster has signed blue-liner Brett Carson to a two-year deal. T.J. Brodie, a blue-liner who is a legitimate prospect, is also not to be forgotten.For the second year in a row the Flames season ends without reaching the play-offs, in spite of 41 wins. A disastrous start to the campaign saw the Flames trying to beat off the Edmonton Oilers for bottom spot in the West. Then, just prior to Christmas, the Flames started to get it together. Even a string of injuries could not dampen the run, but in the end they fell short of the target. For the 2011-12 draft, the Flames selection should be based on the future and not a quick fix. The player that is selected must be someone who is given time to integrate into the system. Calgary is not known as a great drafting team since the club was built mostly through free agents and trades. This can be effective, but bringing through young players gradually is a much better way to build a club. An excellent example of this is Gary Roberts a 1984 1^st round 12^th pick, who went on to play 21 NHL seasons for the Flames. Can Calgary hit the jackpot again? My feeling is that a young man by the name of Joel Armia from Pori, Finland, could be the answer. Joel Armia is 18 years of age, big (187 lbs), tall (6’3’) and a very mobile right winger. Armia plays in Finland’s top league with Assat, he also has played for the Finnish National team at under 17, 18 and 20 years of age. Joel Armia could likely be the future of the Calgary Flames. In our mock draft, we get a feeling that will be the case. “With the 13^th pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary Flames select, Joel Armia. To learn more about Joel Armia click here .
Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com
Contact the author at Eddie.Mitchell@prohockeynews.com