Friday, July 31, 2009

The Scolumn

New Look Flames
By Sconn
-For NRS

Arguably the busiest team in the offseason , the Calgary Flames have - until recently - been in the headlines nearly everyday signing free agents or pulling the trigger on trades. Despite all of this movement, the number of new names of the Flames with be quite small though the team should perform much better than last season.The bulk of the additions: Stefan Kronwall, Anton Strahlman, Garth Murray, Riley Armstrong, Jason Jaffray, Keith Seabrook, Colin Stuart will be playing for the Flames new AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. Obviously, Flames management wants to not just burn their way through the NHL but brand their mark into the AHL ranks as well. While the Flamin' C's had great offensive punch for most of last season thanks in large part to 39-goal man Mike Cammalleri - who's career best performance priced himself right out of Calgary - and to role players stepping up - Rene Bourque (21 goals), David Moss (20) and Todd Bertuzzi (15). GM Daryl Sutter had to let Cammalleri go becuase of cap issues (he's making $6-million a season in Montreal now) while letting go of the aging Bertuzzi, who had modest comeback season, to get younger and faster up front. Fredrik Sjostrom, Nigel Dawes, Brandon Prust and Brain McGratton are the only truly new NHL forwards the Flames have brought in. This raises the question, who will score the combined 54 goals between the departed Big Bert and Cammalleri? You can reasonably expect 15 by Dawes, and say, 10 by Sjostrom should they gel with their linemates and make the most of their ice time (Prust and McGratton's scoreboard contributions will be nominal), though that still leaves 25 goals on the table from this forward group. The defence has been completely overhauled by simply one addition - Jay Bouwmeester. Sutter netted the jewel of the 2009 free agent crop by trading for his rights before July 1 when the UFA derby begins. The method, which has had mixed results, worked out for the shrewd GM and he was rewarded with the big, strong skating Bouwmeester who's defensively responsible while also filling the role of a puck-moving defenseman. The $6.6-million deal for Bouwmeester was steep, but a little under market value for the consistent operator (if Dion Phaneuf's deal is taken into account). Bouwmeester should bolster the rest of the blueline (look for Dion Phaneuf to flourish while not being the centre of attention), while also contributing to offsetting the team's loss of goal-scorers. Miikka Kiprusoff could also have a greatly improved season, as he will undoubtedly have more help this year from the defence as well as a coach who is less likely to ride him all year like Keenan or smear him in the local papers. You can expect certain Flames to be better this season, namely Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow and Phaneuf. For a team that was tied for sixth last season in total goals with 251, look for the Flames to fall out of the top 10 in that category while moving into the top 10 in goals against (they were 23rd last season) with a stronger blueline and better coaching. For better or worse, this Flames core will continue together: Iginla, Langkow, Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr, Bouwmeester and Kipsusoff. Langkow is the obvious weak link, but the Flames are short on apt centers in their prime. Sutter is staying commited to his formula of building around this formidible core, and the GM should be rewarded with a northwest division title by a comfortable margin. A number 1 seed in the western conference isn't out of the question, seeing as how the Red Wings are only getting older and San Jose just doesn't look as dangerous after yet another early playoff exit.

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