For many different reasons (some of them good and some of them bad), these past 8 months as a Flames fan have been nothing short of remarkable, and extremely memorable. Having taken time to decompress after last night’s roller coaster of emotions, I would like to share my thoughts and perspectives on what has unfolded over these past 8 months. This write up will be divided into 3 sections: the negatives, the positives, and future outlook. Yes, I will drill hard on the negatives, but I will also emphasize the positives, and the third section will
not be a doom-and-gloom diatribe. If you don’t want to read negative things being said about people in the organization, either skip over the negative part, or tough your way through it knowing there are many positive things to be said in the following sections.
Anyhow, without further ado, let’s get into it.
The Negatives
There’s no point in beating around the bush here. The elephant in the room needs to be talked about. Simply put: this team ran out of gas in the playoffs. The team was tired. The forwards were tired, the defensemen were tired, the goaltender was tired. You could see it from the early part of the 2nd period of game 2 after the team went up 3-1, from that point on the Flames just weren’t keeping pace with the Oilers and could not skate with them. It wasn’t just that, it was also the bobbled pucks constantly hopping off sticks, the lack of crispness in handling the puck, turnovers, having difficulties making and receiving passes, missing the net on shot attempts disturbingly often, and too much harmless perimeter play in the offensive zone. All of that on top of sluggish decision making and numerous miscues by Flames’ defensemen leading to goals against, coupled with subpar goaltending, and multiple injuries to the team’s most important defenseman... and the result was four straight disappointing losses.
This team’s mental fortitude and crispness, along with great team speed and pace of play, that had propelled them to so much regular season success, just wasn’t there in this series. This week they looked very much like a fatigued team that didn’t lack will or determination, but had simply run out of gas.
Before getting into what I believe is the reason for why this happened, please understand, I fully acknowledge that Darryl Sutter is one of the greatest and most accomplished head coaches of all time; the result of this series doesn’t change that. He has won 2 Stanley Cups, 3 if you count the one he was cheated out of. He does a better job of getting the most out of his players than any coach I’ve ever seen in the sport of hockey. He is a coaching legend, and that is how he will go down in hockey lore.
However
He really dropped the ball on this one. He messed up in the way he managed his players in the latter part of the season. Sorry, but that’s the truth. He badly miscalculated the reality of this covid-condensed season and how his players would be impacted in the long run. What makes it even more mystifying is that by his own words the schedule was “borderline illegal” in the way it was making his team play so many games in so few nights. Somewhere along the line he should have taken a mental note of how much extra toll the condensed schedule was taking on his players, but it seems like he neglected to do that. Somebody, ANYBODY please explain to me why Darryl was playing his full lineup for the final 3-game road trip after the division was already locked up? I mean, what the ####, man... you basically prioritized tiring out your players in meaningless games over having them rested for the playoffs. You threw away a golden opportunity to give your key players a chance to rest up for a full week and recharge their batteries in preparation for a long grueling playoff run. But oh no, apparently that’s not Darryl’s way. Have to keep running the guys as hard as possible without the slightest relent, hoping they are infinitely enduring machines that never experience fatigue no matter what.
Seriously man, it’s like you didn’t learn a god###n thing from the 2006 playoffs. ####
When I saw the lineups for those 3 games, though I was petrified by what I saw, I bit my tongue and didn’t say anything, thinking to myself this is the legendary Darryl Sutter, and he knows exactly why he’s doing this, and he must know that his team is much fresher than they appear to be to fans/outside observers. So I stayed quiet and told myself not to worry about it. In Sutter We Trust! Whoops...
Johnny, Chucky, Lindy, Tanev, Hanifin, Ras, and Marky
absolutely should have had that entire week off. In their place, big minutes should have been given to guys like Ruzicka, Carpenter, Richie, Stone, Mackey, Valimaki. Really there’s no justification for making the key players slog it out for those 3 games when they could have been resting.
In the end, the cause of the team’s playoff fatigue was two-fold: a combination of the condensed season schedule, and the style of play that Darryl had his team playing all season. First, let’s talk about the schedule. The Covid outbreak in December wiped out the Olympic break, which would have been a great chance for most of the team to rest and recharge for the stretch run (aside from some guys playing for their Olympic teams). Instead, the Olympic break was wiped out and replaced by 7 home games. The Flames won all 7 games! While it was an amazing win streak and tons of fun to take in as a fan, there was trouble looming on the horizon. Not only did covid cause some games to be rescheduled into the wiped out Olympic break, it also caused a number of games to be shoved into the schedule elsewhere. As a result, in the final 2 months of the season, the Flames had to endure a hellish stretch of 31 games crammed into 60 nights. But you might be thinking, at least the Flames had the covid break back in December, almost 3 weeks long, to recharge and refresh? Well, it’s not quite that simple, as covid ripped it’s through the locker room, it took a toll on the team. It’s a nasty virus and not just a simple cold or flu. Case in point, the team lost 5 of 8 games coming out of the covid break. So the covid pause wasn’t exactly the kind of rest break that it otherwise could have been.
All told, this was a hectic season and a difficult one for the players to endure. I absolutely don’t get the sense that Sutter took all of this into account when assessing how to manage his players’ workloads. He seems to have a number in his head of how many minutes each player should play... but it seems he didn’t adjust for covid outbreak, lost Olympic break, and ultra-condensed schedule. This, evidently, played a big part in the Flames’ hasty exit from round 2 of the SC playoffs to their provincial rival.
But, you might argue, didn’t McDavid and Draisaitl play 25 minutes per night all season long? Didn’t the Oilers have a condensed schedule too? Well, the answer to both of these is yes, BUT! There are two important considerations here. First, their age, they are just 25 and 26 respectively. Second, they didn’t backcheck much during the regular season, and for the most part avoided physical play. Their job in the RS was to rack up as many points as possible, and not worry much about playing a 200 foot game. This, undoubtedly, helped them preserve themselves for the playoffs. Once the playoffs started, they flipped the switch and started playing all 200 feet. The Flames big players, by contrast, played that stellar 200 foot game all season long, then had to battle through a grueling, physical 7 game series vs the Stars, then were running on fumes in round 2.
This leads into the 2nd part of why the Flames were so gassed in this series, the style of play Sutter had them playing all year. Look, it’s wonderful to have the team playing aggressive checking style hockey. It really is great. It got them a division title. But it also took a toll on the players. It’s an exhausting way to play. Expecting your guys to do it for 82 games plus 25+ playoff games is asking a hell of a lot. Expecting your guys to do it for 82 games in a covid-condensed season plus 25+ playoff games... is asking too much. It just is.
So, what’s the solution then? Well, the answer is that the team needs to have multiple different styles of play in their repertoire, not just one style. In games of relatively lower importance vs eastern opponents, the team should be ok with playing a Brodeur-era NJ Devils trap style game, where they basically stay in a defensive posture for most of the game and patiently wait for counter-attacking opportunities. While doing this may cost some regular season points here and there, it’ll help preserve the players for the playoffs. (The other benefit of mastering this type of hockey is that they can go to it at any time they need to, and it can help to suffocate high-octane offenses such as the Oilers’ top 6.)
And really, that’s what more and more coaches are starting to wise up to these days. They’re seeing the wisdom of not emptying the clip in the regular season, instead saving something in the tank for the playoffs. Jon Cooper seems to have this figured out. The mistake of ‘18-’19 was not repeated in Tampa. They no longer go guns blazing trying to win the presidents trophy. They preserve their players for the playoffs, and only do what is necessary to make the playoffs. If we’re being honest, it seems that the Lightning could have won the PT this year if they reeeeeally wanted to. But they know that it serves no real purpose to expend that kind of energy in the RS other than to hurt your chances of going on a deep run in the playoffs. NBA teams had this figured out a long time ago. You see teams load-manage their star players all the time. It’s puzzling to me why some NHL teams still haven’t caught on to this trend in professional sports.
On that note, let’s talk about Marky’s workload this season. 63 RS starts, 7 starts in round one, 5 starts in round two. While Sutter loves to ride his #1 guy hard in the regular season, he’s got to recognize that it’s a strategy that can backfire. He may have got away with doing it with 26 year old Jonathan Quick, but he didn’t get away with doing it with 32 year old Jacob Markström. Marky just looked burned out in this series. Physically he wasn’t quite himself, and mentally he wasn’t quite himself either. People need to understand that the goaltender position is so much more demanding to play at the highest level than it was 30+ years ago. Workloads need to be managed if you expect the best from your goalie come playoff time. It’s no coincidence that Carey Price “Carey’d” his team to the finals after only making 25 RS starts last season. It’s no coincidence that Kipper went god mode for 26 playoff starts after making only 38 RS starts in ‘03-’04. It’s no coincidence that Quick was able to stay solid in the playoffs after the first cup win after having reduced workloads in the next 2 seasons, ultimately winning another Stanley Cup. It’s no coincidence that Binnington made only 30 starts before the cup run with the Blues. It’s hardly a coincidence that Vasilevskiy only made 52 and 42 starts respectively, prior to the back to back cup runs. You could argue that he’s made 63 starts this season, but remember that he’s only 27 and probably become one of the best goalies to ever play the game.
You might argue that Marky had to start as many games as he did in order to have the division title locked up with 4 games still to go in the RS. However, closer inspection of the schedule shows that this isn’t necessarily the case. There were several games where the Flames won via blowout vs weak/rebuilding teams, where Vladar (a very capable backup) could have won most or all of those games if he was playing instead of Marky.
Now let’s talk about the power outage in the 2nd round from what was the best line in the NHL in the regular season. The Flames took a 3-1 lead about 2 minutes into the 2nd period in game 2. Since then,
in almost 11 periods, the Flames’ top players’ production was:
Gaudreau 1G, 0A, 1P, -5
Lindholm 1G, 0A, 1P, -5
Tkachuk 0G, 0A, 0P, -5
Total: 2G, 0A, 2P, -15
Not good enough. Sorry guys, yes fatigue was a factor, but even still, this wasn’t nearly good enough. The team needed you to step up here and you didn’t. Gotta make things happen when the series is on the line. You were the lifeblood of this team all season, but you went stone cold when the chips were down. If you were playing through injuries, that would make this more understandable. If you weren’t... yikes... let’s just say... you have to be better at key times in the future.
As for Flames defensemen who struggled in the series vs Oilers:
Hanifin -6
Andersson -5
Gudbranson -4
Yikes. Hopefully this rock bottom and it’s only uphill for these guys from here.
One more thing, Looch, I love you to death, but you gotta retire here man. You can’t keep up with the game anymore.
The Positives
*exhale* Okay, enough with the negatives already! Let’s talk about what
did go right this season! The Flames finished with the 2nd most points in franchise history, 111, good for the Pacific Division title, 3rd place in the West, and 6th overall in the NHL standings. The top line of Johnny, Lindy, and Chucky boasted three 40+ goal scorers, two 100+ point scorers, combined for 301 total points, and finished one-two-three in +/- in the NHL, combining for a sparkling +182 rating. This was without a doubt one of the most fun regular seasons to be a Flames fan since the team relocated to Calgary in 1980, and the top line was the number 1 reason why. They were absolute dynamite, and struck fear into the hearts of opponents all year long.
The significance of winning the first round series vs the Stars, and making it past the first round of the playoffs, should not be understated. That overtime goal by Johnny, to beat the seemingly unbeatable Jake Oettinger and put the Flames into the 2nd round, was such a special moment. It was the moment where a lot of pent up frustration from years past was put to ease, as the team got over a hump that they haven’t been able to get over since 2015. Much thanks for the series win must also be directed toward Marky, as he stood tall and kept his team in every game, even in games where his team wasn’t giving him much goal support.
There were some bright spots in the 2nd round series as well:
- After the Oilers tied the first game 6-6, the Flames found 3 more goals in the 3rd period and Marky shut the door, leading to the game 1 win.
- In games 4 and 5, Chris Tanev fought through multiple injuries and enormous pain to try to help his team come back in the series. His courage and sacrifice was nothing short of heroic, and the team was undoubtedly better with him on the ice than without. He finished +3 in the two games he played in the series. He will continue to be the cornerstone of the Flames’ D-core going forward, and one of the main leaders on the team.
- Other Flames who were plus players in the series were Coleman (+4), Kylington (+3), Mangiapane (+3), Stone (+2), Backlund (+2).
- Speaking of Backlund, he stepped up bigtime with 2 points in do-or-die game 5, which would have been 3 points if not for the wrongfully disallowed goal with 6 minutes to go in the 3rd. And let’s not forget, he played an important role all year long on the Flames, shutting down opposing team’s top players.
- Coleman SCORED the series-extending goal, but had it wrongfully taken away.
Really he was great all playoffs long, and a steady positive presence on the team all year long.
The level of camaraderie and positive energy among these players all year was such an amazing thing to see. Seeing the Gaudreau family and Tkachuk family (including Sens captain Brady) in the stands cheering on the Flames during the playoffs, was super cool and put smiles on our faces. The introduction of the Red Lot also added to the fan experience, as it was an amazing time for anyone who attended!
There were several other positives for the Flames this year that must be mentioned. First and foremost, none of what happened this season would have been possible without the amazing work of head coach and Jack Adams Award finalist (likely winner) Darryl Sutter. To reiterate, he is, in my opinion, the best coach in NHL history when it comes to getting the most out of his players. He knows how to get each player playing up to his potential and how to get the absolute most out of any roster he is put in charge of. Case in point, in just one year, he took a non-playoff team that had lost its way and turned it into a division winner with a clear identity. He took three talented players with slumping production and turned them into true superstars and one of the most feared lines in hockey.
Let’s also take a moment to admire the season that Jacob Markström had. He was named a finalist for the Vezina trophy; his 9 shutouts not only led the NHL, but was just one shutout shy of Miikka Kiprusoff’s franchise record of 10 shutouts. His .922 save % was tied for 3rd in the NHL, and his 2.22 GAA was good for 3rd in the league. His stellar play all season long was clearly one of the main reasons for the team’s ongoing success throughout the year. He also added a playoff shutout!
Other bright spots include:
- Mangiapane, who had a breakout year, scoring 35 goals, smashing his previous career high
- Kylington, who also turned heads this year, solidifying himself as a bona fide top-4 defenseman on this team
- Andersson, who took major steps forward this year compared to years past
- Hanifin, who was solid all regular season long
- Zadorov and Gudbranson, a D-pairing that played this season at a level above what many fans and pundits felt they were capable of
- Vladar, who proved himself as a very capable backup, and arguably one of the best backups in the league
- Toffoli, who provided important offensive production for this team since coming over from Montreal
- Dube, a young player starting to come into his own, ended the season strong
- Jarnkrok, who performed admirably in a checking role since becoming a Flame
Future Outlook
Not going to sugar coat this but... as everyone knows, the outlook for the Flames’ immediate future depends heavily on whether or not Johnny Gaudreau decides to re-sign in Calgary. If he’s not back, and the Flames don’t sign a big-time player to fill his spot on the #1 line (such as Forsberg), it will be extremely challenging for this team to make the playoffs in 2023, and perhaps in years after that as well.
However, assuming Johnny is re-signed, the future looks bright for the Calgary Flames. One needs to look no further than the Stockton (soon to be Calgary) Heat to see a lot of promise for the Flames forward group in the not too distant future. Pelletier, Zary, Coronato, Phillips, to name a few, are guys who could potentially become contributors on the Flames in the years to come. With a plethora of quality forwards possibly becoming available to the Flames soon, it makes me think about the possibility of moving Tkachuk this offseason in exchange for either a less expensive impact forward (such as Batherson or Stutzle), a quality defenseman, or a package of quality draft picks and/or blue chip prospects. If Tkachuk only signs his one year qualifying offer and then walks for nothing next year, it would be a big blow to this organization. Similar things could be said about Mangiapane. All told, the quality of next year’s team has to be weighed carefully against the long-term success of the team. Needless to say, Tre has some serious, complicated decisions to make in the weeks and months to come.
In net, Dustin Wolf continues to take the AHL by storm, as no one can get a puck past him these days! At just 21 years old, there’s reason to believe that Wolf is the most promising goaltending prospect this organization has had in decades. If all goes well, it seems that he could become the Flames’ backup soon, and perhaps the Flames’ starter a couple of years after that.
On the blue line, Mackey appears ready to make the jump next season. Stone also appears to be a keeper. The Flames appear to be in good shape in the next few years on the blue line, even if one or two free agents (Zadorov and/or Gudbranson) aren’t brought back for 2023.
Personally, I believe this organization is on the right track. Look, it’s easy to look at playoff failures and feel like things aren’t trending in a good direction. But let’s remember that there are plenty of examples of teams that underperformed in the playoffs for many, many years before finally breaking through:
- Most notably, the Caps in the Ovechkin era. They first made the playoffs in 2008, and, despite consistently having very talented rosters, did not get past the 2nd round until 2018, when they won the Stanley Cup.
- Similar situation in Colorado, where they hadn't got past the 2nd round in the Mackinnon era (which began in 2013), not breaking through until the time that I'm literally typing this. There are no calls from Avs fans to blow the team up.
- The Lightning had to go through all kinds of playoff heartbreak from 2011 to 2019 (including an embarrassing first round sweep following a 128 point season) before finally breaking through with back to back cups.
- The Penguins found all kinds of brutal ways to lose playoff series from 2010 to 2015 (including Crosby and Malkin failing to record a point in the 2013 conference final). Did they give up on their core players? No. Did they blow their team up? Heck no. They stuck with it, and were rewarded with back to back cups.
- The Blues have made the playoffs in all but one year since 2011, were about to tap out on their core in 2019, sitting dead last in the standings, before going on a magical run that culminated in a Stanley Cup championship.
There are probably more examples, but those are the ones I could think of off the top of my head. Moral of the story – don’t give up on your team, especially when it has very talented star players on it. The Flames currently have very talented star players. Granted, keeping them might prove to be a challenge right now. Keeping everyone while staying under the cap is another challenge that the team is facing. But it can be done. It’s possible. I have faith. If the team is kept together, I think they can do great things in the coming years. That’s where I stand on this. If you feel differently, I won’t blame you for it. But for me, I still feel optimistic about this team, as long as it can be kept together. Don’t forget, a lot of these guys are still young. Dube is 23. Chucky is 24. Hanifin is 25. Kylly is 25. Andersson is 25. Mang is 26. Lindy is 27. Still a pretty young team in a lot of key positions. Another year older, another year wiser, I have no doubt these guys will be better next year, and especially so in the playoffs. With Sutter behind the bench and with valuable lessons learned, there’s no telling what this team can accomplish next year and beyond. Keep the faith!
The Negatives & Positives of '21-'22, and Future Outlook
