[GDT] Ottawa Senators at Calgary Flames 7:00pm TV: SNW, TSN5, RDS - RADIO SN960

[Cheese]

Previous Game





























News Roundup

The Wranglers being in Calgary provides the Flames with huge waiver flexibility

One of the most underrated resources for hockey fans to gain information on roster moves is the American Hockey League’s transactions page.
Via that page, here are the Calgary Flames’ transactions with their farm team, the Calgary Wranglers, since the beginning of December:

The Farm Report - 16.12.24

Rookies Sam Honzek, Parker Bell, and Hunter Brzustewicz have been putting in the work this season.

Honzek was hot against the Manitoba Moose in their double-header at the Scotiabank Saddledome last week, putting up two goals and four points.

NHL to announce two Flames quarter-century teams on January 11

Because of the focus on the past quarter-century means that we won’t be seeing any representation from the illustrious Atlanta Flames, and we also won’t see anybody from the Flames’ 1980s glory days… or the 1990s Young Guns vintage

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869248129352056908

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869243462543175775

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869070877511540922

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869038593781477771

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869034827837804740

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869403668497502531

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869415396958495092

https://twitter.com/user/status/1869457604675523032

[Rick M.]

Go Flames Go!

[Ped]

Ullmark with shutouts in 2 of his last 3, and has allowed just 5 goals in his last 6 games

[Freddy]

Wolf vs Ullmark should be a goaltending showdown, hopefully our team defence doesn’t let Dustin down. And score some goals, please! Go Flames!

[Toonage]

Assuming Dustin gets the start. I would hope he does, but has it been made official?

[Bingo]

No game story tonight folks ...

Going to the game with my daughter and home late.

[Enoch Root]

Great analysis from Darren Haynes on OT faceoffs.

[WhiteTiger]

Go Flames go!

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Bingo

No game story tonight folks ...

Going to the game with my daughter and home late.

Have fun!

[dissentowner]

I just want this team to pick a lane. Either put the foot down and make the playoffs or stop getting loser points and fall into a top 10 draft spot.

[Icon]

Looks like Vladar gets the start.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I just want this team to pick a lane. Either put the foot down and make the playoffs or stop getting loser points and fall into a top 10 draft spot.

I'm torn this year. I'm always happy when the Flames win and I'm actively cheering for them in the late stages of a close game. However, isn't this team supposed to be "rebuilding"? I was set on them being bottom 10 and I'm somewhat disappointed that our odds of getting a top 10 draft pick are not so secure.

Darned if you do and darned if you don't'.

[Scrambler]

I'm torn too, my issue is the bottom has been firmly gripped at this point (IMHO) with the likes of CHI / BUF / MTL / NSH / SJS / ANA. If we were going to tank and tank properly, I would want a pick from 1-5. On top of that, I am not good at cheering for losses/tanking either, especially when already in a playoff spot or just one or two points out and the team is showing the will and effort to not purposefully lose.

Rebuild and make the playoffs isn't too wild a stratgey, they can still trade for picks at least and keep moving in the right direction towards the next few years. Even if this year is an anomoly in the current 3-4 year rebuild timeframe, it's fun at least.

[edslunch]

Next year is the year to sewer

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I just want this team to pick a lane. Either put the foot down and make the playoffs or stop getting loser points and fall into a top 10 draft spot.

Exactly. I never cheer for losses, but if they were going to lose one in regulation, tonight would be a good night to do it.

I look at the standings from a games-over-500 perspective. Currently, things look like this:

T-11 +7: DAL, EDM, VAN
T-14 +4: UTH, CGY, BOS
T-17 +3: OTT, COL

With a regulation loss tonight, and a W for COL in SJS, the Flames could slip to 18th.

The other important issue with the standings is that we continue to hold the 2nd WC spot. A loss tonight and we slip out of that spot. IMO, this is what matters for the Flames - if they're holding a spot, they have to remain focused on that fact. If they slip out of a spot and a bit of distance builds up between them and a spot, then it is easier and more palatable to turn their attention away from the playoffs, and start thinking about trading assets.

[Scornfire]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Next year is the year to sewer

2027 tbh, draft Landon Dupont before moving into the new arena

[SuperMatt18]

I think part of the problem is this team's probably already picked a lane and that lane is going to be a 12-18th OV pick with how things sit right now:

15: Flames - .563 (18th OV pick based on points percentage ignoring conference breakdown, 16th if consider the Flames would draft before the 2 Eastern conference playoff teams they are ahead of in the standings)

Bottom 10: Seattle - .485

So I think the number that's been the floor for Bottom 10 most of this season has been .480 / 78 points .

With 50 games remaining at this point and 36 points actually accumulated, the Flames can only get 42 points / .420 points percentage the rest of the season to safely be bottom 10.

Which looks more realistic than it did even 20 days ago due to going 3-5-3 in their last 11 games (.409 point percentage) but it also shows how hard it's going to be to get below that .420 threshold the rest of the season because in these last 11 games they had a 4 game losing streak, are rocking a .962 PDO (9.5 shooting percentage / .867 save percentage) and they are still just barely below that threshold.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Scrambler

I'm torn too, my issue is the bottom has been firmly gripped at this point (IMHO) with the likes of CHI / BUF / MTL / NSH / SJS / ANA. If we were going to tank and tank properly, I would want a pick from 1-5. On top of that, I am not good at cheering for losses/tanking either, especially when already in a playoff spot or just one or two points out and the team is showing the will and effort to not purposefully lose.

Rebuild and make the playoffs isn't too wild a stratgey, they can still trade for picks at least and keep moving in the right direction towards the next few years. Even if this year is an anomoly in the current 3-4 year rebuild timeframe, it's fun at least.

I agree that bottom 5 is likely out of the question. But 7-10 is still very possible - and of course there is always winning the lottery but you have to be in a position to do so.

If they don't finish bottom 10, then they are going to get the FLA pick, which will be 20-32, so there is a huge difference between the three possibilities for picks here, which are:
1) 20-32 (don't finish bottom 10, and get the FLA pick)
2) 7-10 (start selling and get on with not winning games)
3) 1-2 (if they win the lottery)

Currently (reverse standings):
8: DET -1
9: SEA -1
10: NYI -2
T-17: CGY +4

While they are still clinging to a playoff spot, they remain only one losing streak from the bottom 10

[Lewis_D]

Looking forward to this one, Ottawa's been on abit of a run lately.

[Naitix]

It is best for Flames to keep loosing this year. Montreal is almost for sure getting an additional first rounder this year. Florida won't be in the bottom 10, so Montreal will get the better of Flames or Florida 1st rounder, unless Flames draft in the top 10.

Ideal scenario is Flames get a bottom 10 pick this year, Montreal gets Florida's late 20s pick, and then Flames suck again next year to draft high.