The Sports Roundup

TSR has Moved!

2012-01-17T23:11:00.000-07:00

The Sports Roundup has officially moved!

First, we want to thank you for your loyalty. It's been a lot of fun and it will continue to be a lot of fun, just at a different address.

We made the decision to grow our blog and readership by merging with one of the most talked about and established hockey blogs on the web - The Checking Line.

More specifically with help of bloggers from the other western teams in Edmonton, Vancouver and Winnipeg we have formed "The Checking Line - West", which will focus on blogs on each of those four western based Canadian hockey teams.

We are very excited to be joining forces with TCL! So click the link below and check us out!

Also, for any further Jersey Foul submissions we will be continuing the tradition over at TCL so either send me an email at d.newman65@gmail.com or Bryan revbwright@shaw.ca with any Fouls that you see!

TCL - WEST

Sincerely,

Derrick Newman and Bryan Wright

Where do we put the dynamite?

2012-01-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

by Bryan Wright

Following every Flames loss, the cries come on twitter, on radio call in shows and in newspaper columns, that it's time to 'blow it up.' Never have the cries been louder than after last night's 9-0 loss to the Boston Bruins; a humiliating defeat that was the team's fifth in a row and ended a dismal seven game road trip. My question is, what prey tell, is there to blow up?

In idea behind the 'blow it up' philosophy is that the current assets could be shed for some solid returns that would help the team improve in the future. The only assets the Flames have right now, are Miikka Kiprusoff and Jarome Iginla. If the Flames traded Iginla, they'd have a crappy team without any leader, without any heart and without any identity. If the Flames traded Kiprusoff, they'd be a crappy team without a goalie. So, the return needs to be a substantial one.

The hope is that any trade would return draft picks or prospects, with which the team could build for the future. But, any trade made would most likely be with an upper echelon team, who isn't going to return a very high draft pick. Suddenly, you've traded Iginla for a 25th pick.. Draft picks, save maybe the top ten, are pretty inconsistent returns. Prospects are often a safer bet, but can still be a crap shoot as they haven't been tested in the NHL. The Flames don't want to wake up this time next year and realize they traded Kiprusoff for a third line plug that isn't reaching his potential.

Beyond those two players, there aren't really any assets to shed. The reasons Flames fans don't want Jay Bouwmeester on the team, are the same reasons other GM's don't want him on their team. The Flames don't really have any parts that are going to give them any return, so trading them doesn't do anything to improve the team for today or the future. When you trade in you '84 K-car, you don't get a 2012 BMW back.

Even worse than the cry to 'blow it up' is they idea that the Flames need to 'do what the Oilers are doing.' Do what the Oilers are doing?! The Oilers lose hockey games; that's what they are doing. While they may have a couple of nice young players, they still aren't even close to being a contender, and will miss the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. The Oilers haven't had two top draft picks because of some grand plan, they've had two top draft picks because they've been consistently awful for a decade.

So where does this leave the Flames? Unfortunately, it looks to be another season of 'wait until next year.' The difference this time around is the Flames have nine unrestricted free agents come July 1st. A true re-build can't begin until the Flames can start to rid themselves of these players. This summer, Jay Feaster has a chance to begin to turn the team around, and truly start building for the future. It will be a long process and will likely mean more losing seasons, but it can't start until the summer. Anything done right now is merely a reaction to last night's loss, and won't do anything to improve the team any time soon.

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The Calgary Flames: Mid Season Report

2012-01-02T14:50:00.001-07:00

By Derrick Newman

40 games into the 2011-12 season the Calgary Flames are hovering in 12^th place in the Western Conference two points back of the Dallas Stars and nine points back of the Vancouver Canucks for first place in the Northwest division.

Now, the idea of winning the division at the beginning of the season was a pipe dream with the likes of defending Western Conference champion Vancouver being in the mix, and truth be told it’s about as likely to happen as Mission Impossible winning Best Picture at the Oscars.

But, the idea of the Flames making the playoffs has always been a point of contention. Will they or won’t they?

Well, if the playoffs started today, they would be on the outside looking in for the third straight season.

The good news is that the playoffs do not start today and the Flames have just over half a season to make the ascent up the standings into the top eight in the soon to be transformed Western Conference.

The bad news, as of right now, the Flames have played more games than every team they are chasing, including six more than 9^th place San Jose and three more than 8^th place Dallas – meaning that the Flames most likely sit a little further back than the current standings suggest.

But isn’t this sort of what everyone expected?

The team is sitting a game above five hundred, in the mix for a playoff spot, struggling with consistency, and struggling to score goals at crucial times.

Goaltending has been the team’s bread and butter with Kipper consistently keeping the team in games. Despite allowing eight goals in his past two games, he holds a 2.45 GAA and .916 SV% and is on pace for 35 wins for the seventh straight season.

Besides Kiprusoff there has been a very exciting revelation in between the pipes – that of course is 2006 first round draft pick Leland Irving.

The 23-year-old Swan Hills, Alberta native has been nothing short of outstanding in his first three NHL starts posting a 1-0-2 record, a 2.23 GAA and .942 SV%. The only sour note would be that he surrendered two leads in those two extra time losses, including a one goal third period lead in Florida and a 3-0 first period lead in Ottawa.

Despite that, Irving is showing everyone that he is ready to part ways with the minor leagues for good and that the NHL is where he belongs. I have continuously said that the Flames made a mistake in signing Henrik Karlsson to a two year contract this past summer. Irving showed last season that he was ready to make the jump to the NHL as a back-up to Kipper, yet the Flames went out and signed Karlsson anyways.

Now the Flames find themselves in an interesting position when Karlsson inevitably returns from injury. Likely they will send Irving back down to minors instead of risking losing Karlsson for nothing by putting him on waivers. Or do they look to possibly move Karlsson to a team in need of goaltending depth? However, it might be tough to trade a guy who has yet to register a win this season, holds a 3.48 GAA and a sub .900 SV%.

Most likely, Irving will be sent down to play out the rest of the season in the AHL, leaving Karlsson to back-up Kipper the rest of the season as it makes the most sense with salaries, but keeping Irving in the NHL gives the Flames a better chance at winning on Kipper’s off nights.

And with the Flames being in the tightest of tight races for a playoff spot in the west winning on those nights when the MVP isn’t between the pipes could be the difference between playing golf and playing hockey a little longer.

But Irving’s rise and led to another interesting debate and that’s when does he take the reins from Kipper? It’s in the works and I will discuss this in further blogs.

Another issue plaguing the Flames right now is the loss of their top line winger Alex Tanguay. He was put on the IR last week with what some people suspect as a concussion but with what the team is calling an “upper body injury.” There is no timetable for his return and the team’s offence will be missing him until he returns to the ice.

Stepping up in his absence and for that matter all season has been Olli Jokinen who leads the team in assists and points (WHAAA?). He is on pace for his highest point total since leaving Florida in 2008. In the past year or so, Jokinen has transformed his game to fit the Flames system and it has paid off for him. Despite his incessant need to shoot from every obscene angle on the ice, I have nothing really bad to say about a guy I couldn’t believe the team re-signed in the first place. He’s been great. He’s even meshing with Iggy. Who would’ve thought?

As for Jarome Iginla, he is one goal away from joining the elite 500 goal club and will most likely hit that mark this week. Iggy started off slowly, as per usual, but since the end of November has reverted back to being the Iggy of old racking up goals and points and shutting up all his critics that insist he is washed up. He is the leader of the Flames and will be exactly that until he decides it’s time for him to go, either via trade or retirement. He will control his own fate. He has that much power on the Flames. Despite trade rumours abound, Iginla won’t leave this city unless it’s of his own accord.

One last note about the Flames at the midpoint of the season is the insurgence of young blood into the line-up.

Rookie Roman Horak leads the team with a +5 rating, and speaks to why he has spent the majority of the season in the show. Playing sound defensively is not only imperative in the NHL, but insanely vital in a Brent Sutter system, and Horak understands that. But Horak isn’t the only young blood impressing this season in Flames threads. TJ Brodie, Paul Byron, Derek Smith, and previously mentioned Irving have all impressed during their time with the Flames and GM Jay Feaster is staying true to his word that the youthful players will play if they earn their spot.

So halfway through the season, the Flames are meandering in the lower level of the western conference standings searching for that consistency that has plagued this team for the past couple years.

They have 42 games to change their fate and break a two year playoff-less drought in the Stampede City.

A look at how the Flames have fared against each division this season

10-3-0 vs Northwest

0-2-1 vs Atlantic

6-9-1 vs Central

1-3-1 vs Northeast

1-0-2 vs Southeast

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One year can change a lot

2011-12-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

By Derrick Newman

A year ago Darryl Sutter was canned as the General Manager of the Calgary Flames. The Flames subsequently went on an unbelievable ascent up the Western Conference standings to come only three points shy of a playoff berth.

Fast forward to today. Darryl is now the head coach of the LA Kings and the Flames are a different looking team.

They are substantially younger with the likes of Roman Horak, Blake Comeau, Mikael Backlund, Paul Byron, TJ Brodie, Leland Irving, and Greg Nemisz all getting time with the big club. This has led to a small dose of optimism in this city...ok, well less pessimism.

The Flames are playing much better in recent weeks having gone 9-3-3 since November 27^th, and climbed within two points of the 8^th and final playoff spot.

The powerplay has improved tenfold from the earlier on going 11 for 49 over that stretch or 22.4 %. The penalty kill has been good killing off 49 of 56 chances over the same stretch, which would rank in the top five in the league spread out over an entire season.

They are playing much better as a team and it would seem are buying into coach Brent Sutter’s philosophy.

This time last season, as Darryl was getting the boot, the team was sitting in the basement of the west playing tiddlywinks with the Edmonton Coilers. They made the drastic 180 degree turn but in the end the hole they dug for themselves early on proved to be too much.

Now, the Flames are positioned much better for a legitimate playoff run and will most likely be in the chase until game 82.

This upcoming road trip will prove to be a turning point for the Flames as they are set to play the Blue Jackets, Islanders, Senators, Predators, Capitals, and Bruins over an eight day stretch. Add in the Canucks before Christmas and that’s a seven game road trip – the team’s longest of the season.

Two of those teams, the Isle and the Jackets are dead last in their respective conferences. Ottawa, Washington and Nashville are all bubble teams, while the Bruins represent the class of the East.

It’s imperative for the Flames to get wins early on this trip against the lesser lights as getting wins in Washington and Boston will be hard enough, not to mention it will be at the end of a gruelling trip.

Leland Irving should see more action during the trip. Most likely during the team’s back-to-back games against the Isle and Sens. He has done nothing but impress from the moment he stepped between the pipes and has given good reason to question why the team signed Karlsson to a two-year contract last summer. Irving is ready for the big time, that’s quite apparent.

A milestone will likely be reached during this trip as Jarome Iginla is only three goals away from 500 for his career. There will be a big celebration when he becomes only the 42^nd player in league history to reach this mark and further cement his spot in the hockey hall of fame.

Six games, eight days and a season hanging in the balance. This is your chance Calgary.

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#18 and #19 - St Pete Times Forum and BankAtlantic Center

2011-12-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

My mission is to see the Flames play in all 30 NHL arenas, a mission that began in October of 2005 while at a local pub watching the Flames take on the Oilers. With the previous season’s work stoppage, and the season before’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals, Flames tickets had become a very hard item to come by. I was then struck with the idea of combining two of my favourite activities; watching hockey and travelling. You can follow my quest to visit all 30 arenas right here…

December 15, 2011 - Tampa Bay, FL

My first game in the Sunshine State got off to a rough start when there were problems with our flights. To make a long story short, we flew to Tampa from Calgary, via Vancouver and Ottawa, before touching down at 8:40PM the night of the game. Yes, puck drop was at 7:30, so this was a bit of a problem.

After running through the terminal Amazing Race-style to the taxi stand, we were lucky enough to get Ray as our cabbie. After telling him we were in a bit of a hurry, Ray put petal to metal, and made the 12 mile journey from the airport to our hotel in under ten minutes. It was an impressive bit of driving, and allowed us to make it to the arena in Tampa for the start of the third period.

Words cannot describe how foul
jersey really is.
- Flames/Lightning
15 Dec 2011

This marks the latest I've ever arrived for a game, and yes it's quite shameful, but it was better than not making the trip at all. But, it also means I can't really comment too much on the game or the arena. Situated right on the water in downtown Tampa, the arena itself is quite impressive. It's big, it's nice, and for the most part, full of hockey fans. I was quite surprised by the crowd, as I was expecting more of a Phoenix-style audience; an arena filled with people who are at the game because it's something to do, not because they love hockey. Instead, Tampa fans seemed to be quite knowledgeable, they wore Lightning jerseys and made for a good crowd. There is an exception however...as we saw the biggest jersey foul to date, a Lightning jersey with 'Gretzky' on the back. Foul!

Our seats were behind the net in the Flames attack end, and we were able to see two goals in the third, as the Flames fought back to tie it up, before surrendering a goal 30 seconds into overtime. After the game, basking in the warmth of the Florida night, we headed to a nearby pub fittingly named 'Hattrick's', which served ice-cold buckets of beer and heaping plates of nachos.

It was then back to the hotel for a quick sleep before driving to Ft Lauderdale...

St Pete Times Forum Fast Facts

Seats: Section 124; $38, Stubhub
Score: Flames 4, Lightning 5 (OT)
Arena Rating: 7.0
Unique Concession: Giant, Flintstone-style turkey drumstick
Souvenir Stick: Lightning, wooden
Public Transit: unknown
Unique Arena Trait: Lightning machines to mark goals
Swag: None

December 16, 2011 - Sunrise, FL

After a longer than expected drive down Alligator Alley through the Florida Everglades, we arrived at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, plenty of time before puck drop. The arena itself isn't too bad, but the location is absolutely horrible. Right on the edge of the Everglades, the BankAtlantic Center sits amongst a sea of strip malls. far away from...everything. Our hotel was a $50 cab ride away, and public transit simply doesn't exist. The arena is surrounded by parking lots and there isn't a single bar or restaurant in sight. It really doesn't create a very fun atmosphere, and makes it difficult to make an evening of going to the game. It makes me thankful the Dome is where it is, and hopeful a new arena in Calgary is never built near Balzac.

Because of the inconvenience, I wonder what the arena's location does to Panthers crowds. People think of it as being Miami's team, but the arena is 50 or 60 miles from Miami. It's even 20 miles from Ft. Lauderdale. I wonder how much a downtown location, like Tampa's, would do to make Panthers crowds a little stronger. I suppose they could also play better hockey, as they've missed the playoffs ten years in a row.

Our seats, at the bargain basement price of $20, were in row 9 of the lower bowl, in the Flames attack end, to Theodore's left. Despite being a relatively new arena, the seats, at least in the lower bowl, are packed so tight I was unable to sit without spreading my legs, lest my knees bang against the seat in front of me. Perhaps people in Florida are shorter, but I doubt it. They were just uncomfortable seats.

The concourses at the BankAtlantic Center are pretty standard, carpeted in places, with the same concession options repeated every few sections. Very disappointing to say the least. However, the nice thing is, as is the case with many 'non-traditional' markets, there aren't any line ups! The adage that the Saddledome spills more beer than arena X, has never been more true. There also aren't any line ups at the bathroom. The men's room near our section, with only eight urinals, would have a forty minute line up in the Dome; here it was 'free-flow'. Adding to the lack of lines, was a shelf to place your beer above each urinal. Brilliant. This should be standard at every sporting venue.

One of the great things about attending games in a warm climate like Florida, is wearing shorts and flip flops to the game. However, this makes it a bit chilly during the game. Fortunately, there are patios everywhere, so you can go outside and warm up during the intermission. Such an odd concept for a hockey game.

Following the Flames loss in a shootout, we headed to the Dania Beach Fronton, home to Jai Alai, a game that combines gambling, beer and a ball that travels 200MPH. Unique to Florida, Jai Alai could be one of the most fun things I've ever attended, and we were only there for an hour. I could see myself traveling to Florida, just to watch more Jai Alai; it was that awesome.

BankAtlantic Center Fast Facts

Seats: Section 115; stubhub $20
Score: Flames 2, Panthers 3 (SO)
Arena Rating: 6.2
Unique Concession: Cuban sandwiches
Souvenir Stick: Panthers, wooden
Public Transit: None
Unique Arena Trait: Beer shelves above urinals
Swag: Red Panthers towels

The trip was a quick one, say the Flames only manage two points, but I can now say I've been to Florida, visited two new arenas, and had a lot of fun. Now to figure out where the next road trip will take me!

-TheRev

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Preview of Road Trip XVI

2011-12-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

After over a year, my mission of seeing the Flames play in every NHL arena continues this week, with a short sojurn to the Sunshine State, Florida. The timing couldn't be better, as it's always nice to visit somewhere warm in the middle of a Calgary December. The current forecast calls for temperatures int he mid-20's, meaning I'll be wearing my flippy-floppies to the hockey arena. Tomorrow night, it will be a rematch of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, with a Flames-Lightning tilt at the St. Pete Times Forum, followed by a game against the Panthers on Friday night, in Sunrise.

I've actually never visited Florida, despite having been to 44 other states, so I'm pretty excited to be scratching another off the list, but of course it's the two hockey games that are the most important and visiting my 18th and 19th NHL arenas.

This will mark the first time Newman is joining us on the road! While he made the trip to Edmonton a few years ago, he's never been along for a Flames game South of the border. I forecast sun, beer, and hockey. Plus a little Jai Alai.

You can follow Road Trip XVI thw following ways:

1. On TSR @ the Flames Road Trips page

2. Updates on

3. Progress on The Map

4. Photos on Flickr

-TheRev

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What's Happening in the Press Box?

2011-12-09T11:59:00.001-07:00

by Bryan Wright

There is a new trend in hockey broadcasts that really, really bothers me. One that makes my blood boil. It bothers me for several reasons, but mostly because I can’t figure out the reason it is done. I’m talking about when a broadcast shows the GM after a goal. This seems to be a pointless camera shot meant to…well to…well that’s the problem, I don’t understand why this is done.

Don't pay for the whole seat,
you'll only need the edge!!

If my memory serves me correctly, this trend really took off when Brian Burke became the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team was terrible and Burke had a reputation for being a curmudgeon; a combination that meant the Leafs would surrender a lot of goals causing Burke to blow his top. Of course the only thing that we ever saw was Burke sitting in his press box, hands folded in front of his face, grimacing. Great stuff! It quickly expanded to include times when the Leafs scored, as if we might get to see Burke jumping out of his seat, high-fiving the people around him and maybe even shaking his hand at the camera, yelling ‘we’re number one!!’

But I expect this sort of second-rate sensationalism to appear in a Maple Leafs broadcast, where fans and pundits distanced themselves from reality long ago, and currently reside in a fantasy world of potential and pride. They feel that because they are interested in the GM’s reaction, they are some how more interested fans, or to put it another way, ‘better’ fans. Unfortunately, it has now made its way into the regular rotation of ‘candid’ shots during almost every hockey game. Last night, we witnessed Jay Feaster and Craig Conroy sitting in the press box several times. Each shot was the same, offered nothing for the viewer, and generally wasted an opportunity to show a big-chested fan in row 6 jumping up and down, cheering.

As I rack my brain, trying to figure out why networks think this is such a great angle, I struggle to come up with a viable explanation. Perhaps the networks think showing the GM will make the broadcast appeal to our appetite for mindless reality TV. By showing the GM, we’re getting a glimpse into the operation of a hockey team, not just the game; sort of a cheap, two-second clip of HBO’s “24/7.” Of course there are two flaws with this philosophy. First off, it’s just a middle aged man sitting in a suit, showing little to no emotion and offers no real insight. Secondly, hockey doesn’t need a reality angle; it is reality! This isn’t the WWF, where management needs to become a character in a scripted soap opera. Let's stick to the game and the excited fans in the seats.

Sadly, I see no end in sight to the candid GM shot, and no end in sight to my frustration as a result.

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Flames Escape Hurricane of a Finish

2011-12-07T01:23:00.000-07:00

By Derrick Newman

Well that was different...

Scoring seven or more goals for the first time since Valentines Day last year when they beat the Avalanche 9-1, the Calgary Flames squeaked by the just as desperate Carolina Hurricanes 7-6 on Tuesday night in Calgary.

The offence came alive scoring two in the first, two in the second, and adding on three in third, including Jarome Iginla’s empty net goal which proved to be the eventual winner.

The line of Iginla, Jokinen, and Brendan Morrison combined for 10 points on the night and were the driving force behind a much needed win – regardless of how ugly it got in the dying seconds.

The Flames also threw the 10,000 pound gorilla off their back when Mikael Backlund scored on the power play halfway through the third to break a string of 27 straight chances at home on the man advantage without a single goal – a streak that dates back to October 26^th.

Iginla now has six points in his last three games and is showing definite signs of turning on the afterburners, as he always does, and silencing his critics that say he has no gas left in the tank.

The Flames are now 4-1-1 in their last six games and sit only four points out of a playoff spot.

Things are getting better, aren’t they?

Well, in an effort to put a more positive spin on things, as I have been quite angry over the past little while towards the boys in red, I thought I would look at all the good things the Flames have going for them at this point in time instead of harping on the negatives as I tend to do.

The obvious positive is that the team is winning again and seemingly turning it around in time to stay in arms reach of the 8^th and final playoff spot.

Scoring is up over this six game span, having potted 22 goals – an average of 3.67 goals per game, which compared to 2.14 average they had in the previous 21 games is a vast and noticeable improvement.

The penalty kill has been perfect tin five of the six games, and the only setback came during the final two period collapse in Vancouver on Sunday night where they allowed a couple PP goals.

The play of TJ Brodie. Simply put, he has the poise of a veteran and looks to be cementing his skates in the Flames line-up for the foreseeable future. This is what everyone saw in the pre-season last fall, before he was sent down to the minors for more professional polishing. In 12 games this season in Flames threads he has a goal and three helpers, and with Mark Giordano out for an extended period he will be leaned on heavily to help this power play find itself again. I for one am excited to see him try.

The topic of Brodie brings me to my next point: the influx of youth in the Flames line-up for the first time in a LONG time.

Brodie (21), Backlund (22), Comeau (25), and Horak (20) are now regulars in the Flames line-up. With the likes of Byron (22) having the odd cup of coffee with the big club, and Leland Irving (23) now backing up Kipper, the youth movement of the Calgary Flames seems to happening just as advertised by GM Jay Feaster. I don’t think I’m alone in this either when I say I would rather see these young players go out and give it everything they have, rather than watching over the hill senior citizens hit the ice and go through the motions like we have been so used to seeing the previous umpteen season in Calgary.

Further to that notion, over the next month, the Flames and their fans will get a glimpse into their future when Max Reinhart and newly minted Michael Ferland do their best to make the Canadian Junior squad. Not to mention the we will get the pleasure of watching the number one prospect in the system Sven Bartschi play for Switzerland and another heavily skilled prospect in Markus Granlund play for Finland.

Markus imitated his older brother Mikael Granlund, who is property of the Minnesota Wild, when he pulled off this ridiculous goal (scroll to about the .25 second mark):

So yeah, things aren’t all doom and gloom in Flames land as much as I make it out to seem sometime. There a lot of positives to look at and a lot of things Flames fans can look forward to in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

Not to say that this team will change its image overnight, as reconstructing this sinking ship will take time, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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A trophy by any other name would smell as sweet

2011-12-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

by Bryan Wright

Just imagine how glorious a July it would be, if the Calgary Flames invited four other NHL teams, of their choosing, to play in a round-robin tournament following the Stanley Cup Finals. The five teams would each play each other a couple of times, before moving into some kind of playoff format, eventually crowning a champion for the 'mini-season.' They could get a couple of sponsors on board, say Imperial Oil, donate a lot of money to charity, and make it an annual affair. It could become known as the Esso Flames Challenge. How exciting would that be?

What would be even more exciting, is if the Flames were able to win their own 'challenge.' The press in Calgary, and the Flames' legions of fans could celebrate as if their team had just won the Stanley Cup, because let's face it, that would be as exciting. The City could host the Esso Flames Challenge Champions parade and everybody could really let loose for a few days, to revel in their glory.

Of course that all sounds pretty ridiculous, but this was the scene yesterday, as Tiger Woods was able to win the Chevron World Challenge, his own charity tournament featuring an army of 18 competitors, vying for a trophy that holds no meaning whatsoever. It truly was an inspirational Sunday afternoon.

Listening to the radio, watching on TV, or reading in the newspaper, one who was unfamiliar might think Tiger managed to win the Masters and the US Open at the same time, so monumental was his feat. They speak of him being 'back on top' and his quest to surpass Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors has returned to being a mere formality. All because he won a charity event nobody cares about.

Yes, it is a strong field, featuring the previous four major champions, the top 11 players in the World Golf Ranking, two players chosen by the tournament board, and Tiger himself. But the Skins game is a strong field as well, yet nobody takes a win there to mean someone is on top of the golfing world. At the end of the day, it's just an exhibition tournament that nobody loses any sleep over.

Some will argue that it isn't just this win, but also his third place finish in Australia a couple of weeks ago, that tell us Tiger is back to his winning ways. Again, weaker field, lesser tournament, don't mean a thing. The most loyal of fans will even point to his President's Cup 'success,' where he was able to win two-thirds as many matches as he was able to lose. Impressive.

The fact is, Tiger's career is slowly dwindling down. It isn't because of anything he's done, it's because Father Time has taken over, and unlike Swedish nanny's, Tiger can't keep him at bay by throwing him a few hundred million. Tiger will turn 36 in a couple of weeks and while he may be able to win the odd tournament here and there, and maybe even triumph at a major, winning four will be a monumental task; one even the champion of the storied 2011 Chevron World Challenge isn't up to.

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The Beginning of the End

2011-12-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

By Nick Symon

Sometimes reality isn’t what people want to hear, it can be good at times but harsh at times. Never has it been more apparent that the Flames should re-build after their mediocre 10-12-2 start, including two losses to the last place Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s the same story over and over again: consistency, competing, playing the system etc. etc. etc.

Quite frankly as a Flames fan I am sick and tired of watching, listening and talking about it constantly.

I really thought the Flames were in a stage a couple seasons ago much the same the Philadelphia Flyers were in, in 2006-07. That year the Flyers were horrible, much worse than the Flames have been in recent seasons. Then, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren swung three deals (essentially two) which helped turn the franchise back into a contender as fast as you can say ‘top cheese’.

He traded Peter Forsberg to the Predators for Ryan Parent, a 1^st and 3^rd rounder, traded Alexei Zhitnik to the desperate Atlanta Thrashers for Brayden Coburn and then used that 1^st round pick acquired in the Nashville deal to give it back to the Preds for the rights to then free agents, Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen. The Flyers have since been perennial contenders, been within 2 wins of a Stanley Cup and even after another face lift this summer, once again look to be in the upper echelon. Excellent drafting along the way hasn’t hurt either (Giroux, Richards, Carter, van Riemsdyk, Couturier, etc).

The Flames had a valuable piece in 2009-10, which they wasted for a bag of popcorn – I don’t think it should take anyone with a brain one second to figure out who that player is. The Flames have been horribly miss-managed the last couple of seasons and yes I know you’re all saying thanks captain obvious. I’m not saying deals like the Coburn one come around every day, because they don’t, but I really believe if they had received the proper pieces in the Phaneuf trade, unloaded some expiring aging contracts instead of acquiring more (Steve Staios, Ales Kotalik) at the deadline and continued to miss the playoffs that season, the Flames would have been right back in contention -- given their core, better/younger players to compete with for a Cup moving forward. That’s a whole lot of ‘ifs’ to make a comparison but I think it’s a fair one and it’s what I believe and have believed since the Flames traded Phaneuf back in January 2010.

This all brings me to the point of this blog, the beginning of the end. The miss-management and mediocre drafting of the Flames in the past has led to the end of an era here in Calgary and as sad as it is to say and admit for the 1^st time, this is the time for the Flames to trade Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff. Their time and numbers speak for themselves, Iginla with his 1,000+ points with the franchise, is the heart of soul of the this team and would like nothing better but to bring the Cup home to Calgary. Same goes for Kiprusoff, the all-time franchise leader for wins, but the reality is, it just isn’t going to happen here. Iginla, 34, and Kiprusoff, 35, are on the back side of their careers but have shown in recent seasons that they still have a lot to give.

Judging by the recent trade market, Iginla would be easier to deal than Kiprusoff but nonetheless the right deal has to be in place in order for the Flames to pull the trigger. A combination of prospects and drafts picks have to come back the other way and this franchise’s official re-build will begin. This is a huge task for GM Jay Feaster, it’s never easy to trade away the face(s) of a franchise especially in your first full season, but if he really wants to put his stamp on this franchise and show that he is the right guy for the job, (judgment to be made if deals are done and who the Flames receive in return) I think he has make the deals. Do I have complete faith in Feaster to make the right call and the right trade? At this point, no, but so far I haven’t minded the deals he has done as he has made the Flames a bit younger and given some young players a chance to play this season. It will no doubt be a sad day if Iggy and Kipper are traded. They have given so much to this franchise and it’s time for the Flames to give something back and allow them to win a Cup, somewhere else.

If I’m correct in writing this, I would like to thank Iggy and Kipper for their time here, it’s been a fun ride, especially the ’04 Cup run, and there is no doubt #12 and #34 will one day hang from the rafters inside the Dome.

The last question to be asked is… What comes first, Iginla’s 500^th goal or his trade to another team?

The moral of the story is that the Flames have to start moving forward and face reality that it’s the end of an era in the city of Calgary.

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A New Low: Flames Lose to Jackets

2011-12-02T03:31:00.000-07:00

By Derrick Newman

Really?

It isn’t hard enough being a Calgary Flames fan right now and they go and pull a stunt like this...

Up 3-1 with less than five minutes left against the WORST team in the NHL and the Flames somehow find a way to lose.

Is this 1999 all over again? Where are the young guns? Is Todd Simpson the captain? Where’s Sasha Lakovic when you need him?

This has gone from embarrassing to downright laughable.

The Flames, who claim to be a veteran laden professional hockey team, continue to exhibit traits of an inexperienced pre-pubescent novice division-five team that can’t form a functional power play and can’t shut a team down if their life depended on it.

They haven’t scored a power play goal since last week in Detroit and haven’t scored a power play goal on home ice since, get this, October 26^th , when they managed to beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2.

Talk about long time no eat.

Now, to be fair the Flames only had one opportunity on the man advantage against Columbus so on this night the power play was not the issue, but in broader terms it’s a major issue – it also doesn’t help that their quarterback Mark Giordano was placed on the IR yesterday either.

There are rays of sunshine beaming through the pile of shit that takes the ice every night.

TJ Brodie has been amazing since being recalled. With Gio going down he has shown great poise on the power play and in his ability to jump into the play. This bodes well for the future of the team and for him to be the leader of “Young Guns 2.0: How the west was won (in 2019).”

Also, they recalled Joe Piskula, and sent down PL3 (THANK TEBOW...errr GOD), who by all accounts has been playing great in Abbotsford as a shutdown defenceman. In seeing this I can only imagine it’s a matter of when and not if before the Flames find a suitor for Cory Sarich. As the season goes on and his contract becomes less and less of a burden on other teams, he will be snatched up as it is clearly apparent the Flames have little to no use for him other than wreaking havoc on the popcorn supply in the press box every night.

Back to my rant though.

What can you do?

Do you follow St. Louis, Carolina, Washington, and Anaheim with the oh-so fashionable trend of canning your bench boss in hopes that the season might be salvaged?

It’s worked so far for the Blues and my money would be that it works for Anaheim as well.

There comes a point where someone has to own up to the horrid display of hockey that is being played every night.

You can’t fire the players. Jay Feaster isn’t going anywhere until he is given an adequate run at turning this ship around. So is Brent Sutter the fall guy?

Is his voice falling on deaf ears? I’m kind of beginning to think so.

I don’t believe in switching the coach just for the sake of change but this guy has been given two + years to do something, anything, with this group and he has produced ZERO results. NONE. ZILCH. NADA. NYET.

You can’t argue with that. You simply can’t. No, stop trying. Give me a reasonable argument. I dare you.

The time that he has been given has been fair. His message, or system, is clearly not getting through. The near miracle run of last year was just that...a near miracle which produced yet another close calland nothing in terms of positive results.

Just think if Kipper wasn’t standing on his head for the last month, where this team would be? You want to talk about scary and depressing? At least we get to watch that guy lay his heart on the line every single night.

That’s more than 95% of the players in front of him can say.

I’m tired of it. I’m pissed off. I’m tired of hating the team I love.

I want changes. I want to know that this team is headed in the right direction. For the last three years, however, it’s progressively gotten worse and worse.

“I can only hope the Big Lebowski kills me before the Germans cut my dick off.”

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Book Review: 'A Course Called Ireland' by Tom Coyne

2011-12-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

by Bryan Wright

Now that Calgary is firmly into the winter season, I thought it time to talk about my summer passion, golf. Well, not necessarily about golf, but rather a book about golf. Several months ago I read a book entitled A Course Called Ireland by Tom Coyne. With the sub-title ‘A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee,’ it chronicles the author’s four month journey golfing and drinking in Ireland. Of course there are no shortage of books on the subject, so Coyne threw in a tiny caveat; he walked from course to course, circling Ireland, over 1,000 miles, on foot.

Obviously this book is aimed at the golfer in the crowd, but it’s as much about Ireland as it is about golf and could be classified as a travelogue as much as a golf book. Instead of a shot by shot account of his over 55 rounds, he instead focuses more on the people he meets, the towns he visits, and the rigors of walking such a distance.

It is in these adventures, or better yet, these miss-adventures, that the real enjoyment comes from. Coyne recounts his experiences walking up narrow Irish roads, encountering wild dogs and drunken Irishmen (is there another kind?), and perhaps most formidable, the gloomy Irish weather. And he does it all with the wit and style of a great storyteller. While he does detail much of the adventure, it also never gets bogged down on any one part of the trip. Instead, like the trip itself, the book moves along, from town to town, always progressing toward its conclusion.

But perhaps my favourite thing about this book was that I found the story inspirational and myself envious of the author’s journey. Any golfer can’t help but be jealous of a man who takes off on a four month junket to play golf, drink beer and go hiking, all with the backdrop of the Emerald Isle, one of the world’s great golf Meccas. It is truly one of those adventures one could say is a ‘trip of the lifetime,’ without a hint of exaggeration. But it’s also inspiring to read one man’s account of such an excursion, and allows the reader to imagine themselves taking some sort of ‘whacky’ trip and living to tell everybody about it. I know I personally have five or six of these in the back of my mind at all times, which I vow to one day complete. After all, Coyne’s just a regular guy who likes golf and beer, much as I do. Now I just have to figure out what will make the best book.

-TheRev

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2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge

2011-11-28T16:42:00.002-07:00

by Bryan Wright

Yesterday I attended my first ever sledge hockey game, between Canada and Japan at the 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge. The event is being played at the WinSport Canada Athletic & Ice Complex.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, sledge hockey players sit on a small metal frame, which sits on two skate blades on the ice. They each have two small hockey sticks with a normal curve on one end for shooting and passing, and small metal spikes on the other, for propelling themselves around the ice.

Game play, for the most part, is very similar to that of a normal hockey game. Passing and shooting are more or less the same as regular hockey, and players check each other into the boards much the same. The strategies used seem to be quite similar and the same rules govern play, including interference, hooking, slashing, etc. penalties. One new penalty, which caught me a little off guard was ‘t-boning.’ This is when one player crashes into another, much like when one car ‘t-bones’ another. Despite my high hopes, it did not mean everybody in attendance received a free steak.

The game itself does move a little slower than a typical hockey game, but considering the players are using their arms to propel themselves, it's pretty quick. Shot also aren't nearly as quick as one would see at a regular game, and most goals seem to be scored from clos\ser in or through traffic. I don't think you'd see too many Al MacInnis type goals at a sledge hockey game. I also wonder, although I didn't see this, if players ever poke each other with the spiky end of their sticks. Seeing as how they're sharp metal spikes, some real damage could be done. Perhaps there is a code among players not to do such a thing.

The facility at WinSport Canada is first rate, and something we are lucky to have in Calgary. The complex itself houses four regulation hockey rinks, three of which have seating for about 250 people, plus the rink for yesterday’s game which can hold around 3,000. Two of the four rinks are also fitted for sledge hockey use. This means they have clear, plexiglass boards at the benches and penalty boxes, allowing for the player to see the game. These same areas also have ice in them, instead of the usual rubber mats, so players can slide in and out with ease. It’s something I never would have thought of, but something that would make it very difficult to play without.

Also at the complex, is the ice house, which has four different luge and bobsled runs, so athletes can practice their starts and train year round, on ice. Across the street from the ice complex is the newly opened Canada Sports Hall of Fame, and of course both buildings sit at the base of Canada Olympic Park. It is truly amazing to have so many different winter sports available at one facility, right in the city.

Post Game Ceremony

All in all, it was a fun afternoon of hockey, and a comanding 8-0 win by Team Canada. I have to admit I felt a little bit sorry for the Japanese team at times; they were simply outmatched. While this game was entertaining, I'd like to go again and see one that's isn't such a blowout. Perhaps I can catch the Canada-USA game on Wednesday night at 7PM.

The 2011 World Sledge Hockey Challenge runs through December 3, and tickets are available at the door for only $10.

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Let's be honest: The Calgary Flames Suck

2011-11-26T02:05:00.001-07:00

By Derrick Newman

Definition of Struggling: Strive to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance.

In a nutshell, this defines the Calgary Flames, period.

With six losses in their last eight games, the Flames are quickly falling out of the race for a playoff spot and rapidly increasing their chances of winning the draft lottery.

Now some might say, “Just look at last year and what the Flames managed to do after they fired Darryl. It can happen again.”

So what is it this time that’s going to spark this band of low scoring misfits to do a complete 180 and get the ship pointed in the right direction?

Is it time for Brent Sutter to meet his maker?

After two-and-a-half years being at the helm of the Flames bench, Sutter has managed ZERO playoff appearances, and, besides last years post Christmas win streak, he has produced little to no hope within the fan base that his SYSTEM is actually going to catch on and work.

His recent candid press conference speaks to the fact that he may be running out of answers, and that maybe the players have simply started tuning him out.

But is that really going to solve the issue?

The truth of the matter is, the Flames are re-building, and it could be while before things in Flame land return to greatness…or even goodness.

The perennial "Trade Iggy" or "Trade Kipper" debates will pop up undoubtedly. With the growing string of losses, it might not be so far off before one of the cornerstones of this team is shipped elsewhere for what's hoped to be building blocks for a better future.

The team has scored all of four goals in the first three games of their current four game road trip. They are only two points clear of last place Columbus — a team that they lost to on Monday.

Their powerplay is horrifying, especially at home where they are dead last and have only scored twice in 42 attempts. What’s interesting is that they rank third in the league on the road in the same category.

Explain that to me please.

Are they nervous playing in front of their OWN fans? Are their moustaches weighing them down? It’s become a city joke that a Flames power play is a good way to kill two minutes off the clock — and nothing else.

They rank 27^th in league scoring, averaging 2.21 goals per game.

It’s frustrating, but I'll say predictable given the skill level iced every night.

The Flames are not that good. They have an all-star goaltender, and a hall of fame power forward, who currently is in a serious funk.

A few other bright spots, including Giordano, Horak, the recent play of Brodie, and throw in occasional spurts from Tanguay, Jokinen, and Glencross, but for the most part watching this team play hockey is equivalent to nails on a chalkboard.

It’s the same game over and over again. Flames get a lot of chances. Get stoned by the opposing goaltender (usually one that seems to play over his head). Get scored on. Try to comeback. Fall just short and complain about not playing a full 60-minute game and say they have to be better.

We’ve heard it too many times to count.

It’s not fun being a fan of this team. It sucks.

This, however, has not swayed my allegiance.

Until the day I die, I will bleed Flames red.

I just don't want to bleed to death too soon...

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Book Review: King of Russia by Dave King

2011-11-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

I read another hockey book this week, again with a Calgary Flames connection; King of Russia by Dave King. King, who coached the Canadian national team for almost ten years and coached the Flames for three seasons, was the first North American coach in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.

The book reads as a journal from King’s season in Russia, while he coached Mettallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL, from the start of training camp (in July!) through the end of the season in April. He details his difficulties with language and cultural barriers, and his relationship with the players (including a 20-year old Evgeni Malkin), all the while chronicling his team’s season.

Heading into this book, I was quite interested to learn about playing hockey in Russia. I’ve heard so many stories, be it about mafia connections, briefcases of cash, or dodgy arenas. It’s always seemed like such a culture change for anybody who goes over there.

In this respect, I was a little disappointed with King of Russia. I felt there was too much of a focus on his hockey season there. Yes, it’s a hockey book, and should be expected to be about hockey, but I thought it would focus more on living and working in Russia and how that differs from Canada. Too many times, King would touch on such interesting things, but fail to go into detail. He talks about his GM having briefcases of cash on road trips, but never really explains why, or even explores the issue; he only mentions it in passing. He talks about rampant nepotism and shady backroom deals with other teams, but fails to ever really talk about the causes or effects. Too often things are merely written off as ‘that’s just the way it is in Russia.’

Instead, King talked more about his team’s hockey season, player injuries, big wins, tough losses, etc. While I’m always interested in hockey, quite frankly, I wasn’t reading this to learn how Mettallurg fared back in 2006. Yes, it’s part of the story, and should be mentioned, but too often it seemed to be the focus, while the fact they were in Russia was secondary. I was hoping for the opposite.

Having said that, this wasn’t a boring read by any means, in fact it was quite enjoyable. It is a well written book that keeps the reader interested, and one I would recommend to any hockey fan. I suppose I was looking forward to a book written by a historian or a political scientist, focusing on the social and economic differences of life in Russia, with hockey as a back drop, not the other way around. But I shouldn’t have expected that from a book written by a hockey coach.

-TheRev

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Pulling the Goalie: Savvy or Stupid?

2011-11-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Last week I was sort of ranting about the mindset of many hockey people. Basically, that they stick with old ideas because they always have, not because there is any inherent logic to doing so. One of the things that really perplexes me in a hockey game is pulling the goalie late in the 3^rd, when a team is down by a goal. Although I am unable to back this up with any statistics, it strikes me as a bad idea that more often than not, ensures the trailing team won’t win the game.

The thought is, that with an extra attacker on the ice, the chances of scoring a game tying goal are increased. But the catch of course, is that you no longer have a goalie. There’s no way the opposing team’s chances of scoring a goal are not also greatly increased. So the question is, do the benefits of having an extra player outweigh the disadvantage of not having a goalie?

Statistically, a team that pulls its goalie does increase their goal scoring chances. When even strength, the average successful shot percentage in the NHL is 5.78% and the average rebound percentage is 5.67%. With an empty net, these stats improve to 8.25% and 8.04%, meaning a team is more likely to score with an extra attacker. But it doesn’t account for how often that same empty net results in a goal for the other team. The NHL does keep stats on empty net goals, but only on the number each team has scored and the number each team has let in. Unfortunately, this doesn’t take into account the number of chances or more importantly the rate at which this is a successful move.

Many will argue it is irrelevant if a team gives up an empty net goal, as they were already trailing. This could be true if there were only one or two seconds remaining in the game, but what if the empty net goal is scored with a minute left? With the goaltender still in net, the trailing team wouldn’t have surrendered that goal, and would still have a minute left to try and tie the game. With a two goal deficit and only a minute to play, the odds of tying the game decrease dramatically, making it all but impossible.

To determine if pulling a goalie is statistically wise, we would need to know the rates that each instance is successful. To begin, we would need to determine the number of goals that a team scores even strength for every 60 minutes of play, and the rate at which they allow a goal for every 60 minutes of play. This would need to exclude all penalty situations, including when a goalie leaves the net on a delayed penalty.

This could then be compared to the rate at which the same team scores with an empty net, per 60 minutes versus how many goals they surrender with an empty net, per 60 minutes of ice time. The goal differential in each situation would then determine whether it’s a good idea or not. Basically, does the gap between goals scored and goals allowed improve with an empty net?

I suspect it doesn’t, which means that it is statistically wrong to pull your goalie, and actually hurts your chances of winning the game. But if it does, wouldn’t it make sense to pull your goalie much earlier than the final minute or two of play? The more time you play with this goal advantage, the more likely you are to capitalize on it. In fact, wouldn’t it make sense to pull your goalie anytime your team is down? The added benefit of pulling your goalie midway through the first period is that if a goal is surrendered, there is still time to comeback, while in the final minute of the game, there isn’t.

But I’m guessing that deep down, even hockey people know that pulling your goalie doesn’t really make any sense, and this is why they don’t pull their goalie every time they are down. In reality, pulling your goalie is like a Hail Mary pass in football. Sure it works the odd time, but in reality it’s merely an act of desperation, used when a team hopes the fates will take over and they’ll snatch victory from the claws of defeat.

Of course having said all this, I really can’t back it up with any statistics. Ironically, it’s just a gut feeling. Anybody want to volunteer to track this for the next four or five years?

-TheRev

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Book Review: Playing with Fire by Theo Fleury

2011-11-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to reading one of the most notable hockey books to come out in a few years, Playing with Fire, by Theo Fleury. Growing up, Fleury was one of my favourite players. Of course he was. Everybody loved the way he played the game; scrappy, quick, and tough. He was one of the best players in the league, and for a few seasons, pretty much the only bright spot on the Calgary Flames. But after being traded from the Flames to the Avalanche, his star sure fell, and fast. And that’s what Playing with Fire is about; Fleury’s fall from grace and why it was basically inevitable.

Most already know the story, so in terms of any major new developments, there aren’t any. But the book does offer an excellent behind the scenes look at what was happening to Fleury during his rise to fame in junior hockey, his ascent to the NHL, and his eventual downfall. While most may know the story, they may be surprised at the extent of his problems.

Without a doubt the most notable chapters would be those concerning the abuse he suffered at the hands of his junior coach, Graham James. While the fact that Fleury was abused is already known, the book explores how it began, how it happened, and how he dealt (or failed to) with it. Obviously it was a life altering experience, with a profound effect on who he was and who he would become. At times these chapters are a little difficult to read, purely because of the subject matter, but I must hand it to Fleury for having the courage to come out and talk about something of this nature, so openly. Few are able to do the same.

Besides his abuse, Fleury also explores the effects of his drinking, his drug use, and his gambling. It really is amazing to think he was able to succeed on the ice, despite so many distractions and problems off it. But as a fan, it was also difficult to accept that someone who I thought so much of, could turn out to be, so human, flaws and all. Never was he the demi-god so many thought him to be, instead he was only a regular Joe, with common problems, who happened to be a really good skater.

At times, I found the book to be a bit of a struggle to read because of the style in which it was written. And perhaps written is a bit of a misnomer; it seems as if this book was simply dictated. Instead of being written with any real prose, it reads as if it is merely a transcript of an interview Fleury was giving. I suppose this was done to give the book a feeling of intimacy and honesty, but at times I found it a little mind-numbing. While people may talk like that, when I’m reading, I wouldn’t mind something with a little more structure and a little better use of the language.

Then again, if it was great literature I was looking for; I wouldn’t have chosen this book. Instead, I was looking for a little inside info on Fleury and the NHL, and that’s exactly what I received. I guess kudos are in order.

-TheRev

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Hagman Claimed by Ducks

2011-11-14T14:30:00.001-07:00

By Derrick Newman

It’s official.

The Niklas Hagman era in Calgary has come to an end as the much maligned winger was picked up on re-entry waivers by the Anaheim Ducks today.

Now, maybe not the most significant era in the annals of the Flaming C, but one that caused controversy from the very beginning.

Hagman came to Calgary alongside press box junkie Matt Stajan, current Red Wing Ian White and current Blackhawk Jamal Mayers for Dion Phaneuf, Keith Aulie, and Freddy Sjostrom.

In 108 games with Calgary he racked up 17 goals and 25 assists – not exactly numbers worth the $3 million price tag.

After showing promise in Dallas and Toronto putting up three consecutive seasons with 20 + goals – including the season he was traded to Calgary – his consistency fell off and his knack for putting rubber past goaltenders went MIA.

So now he leaves Calgary, replaced, more or less, by Paul Byron and Roman Horak – two young speedy, hungry players looking to make their mark on the NHL.

But going back to the trade that brought him here… it just keeps getting worse and worse doesn’t it?

Now the Flames have only Stajan and his fat contract, and technically Babchuk left (as he was brought in for Ian White) for what was a top defensive prospect and Dion, who although controversial and sometimes spacey in his own zone, had value far greater than his return.

First Calgary trades Doug Gilmour for Gary Leeman…now fans will have, and have had, this extremely lop-sided deal to vent over for the next decade.

But at least GM Jay Feaster knows that he inherited a mess and he is doing his best to clean it up, while keeping the team semi competitive.

The $1.5 million in relief that Hagman’s contract will provide (remember Calgary is still on the hook for half his salary even though Anaheim claimed him) the Flames with some flexibility during the season.

The ugly swamp of garbage that Darryl Sutter left in his wake is slowly dissipating…you can almost see daylight.

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Flames Split Back-to-Back

2011-11-12T23:44:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Calgary Herald

By Derrick Newman

First the Calgary Flames can’t score a goal to save their own lives in Chicago and make NHL cast-off Ray Emery look like the next coming of Jacques Plante. Then they look like the Edmonton Oilers of the high flyin’ 80s putting up four goals in a period and half in Colorado tonight. And in the end of this mini two game road trip the Flames looked like the Flames – white-knuckling the steering wheel and hovering the brake trying to desperately hold onto a four goal lead.

It has been said it’s the worst lead in hockey.

To give them credit, they registered the ‘W’ on the back half of back-to-back games – now 1-1 in that situation this season – and maintained their dominance over their division rivals with their 8^th straight win over the Avs.

None of this could have been possible without the stunning brilliance of Miikka Kiprusoff. He was outstanding in every facet of goaltending. He made save after save and enabled the Flames to inch closer to the .500 mark after dropping two straight and three of their previous four games.

The line of Roman Horak, Paul Byron, and Lee Stempniak was undeniably the best line on the ice in the win tonight. They started the Flames engine with a rush up the ice and Byron finished off the play for his first career goal in Flames threads.

The hope was that the youth and exuberance of Byron, coupled with the ongoing excellence of Horak would spark the team, and on this night it did just that.

That’s what, in many ways, Flames fans have been waiting to see for a long time. Speed kills in this league and Colorado is a prime example of that with the likes of Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, and Paul Statsny leading a youth laden club to an impressive start.

Calgary doesn’t possess the youth or the prospect pool of Colorado, or for that matter of many teams in this league, but a little spark that Byron provided tonight might be enough to show Flames brass that what this team really needs is to be faster and preferably younger.

Feaster and Sutter have continually said that if the younger players earn a chance, then they will see ice time and so far they have kept their word with the likes of Byron, Horak, and Brodie un-seating veterans like Sarich, Hagman, and Stajan for ice time.

I’ve been waiting years for this, and in a way it’s the beginning of what I hope to be a youth transition in Calgary. For a team that is consistently in the upper ranks of aging teams, it’s a welcome change to see young, speedy talent in the Flames line-up.

They provide a spark that the stereo-typical ‘veteran third line grinder types’ cannot. They see the game differently. For a team that has been stuck in limbo for the better part of the last three years, it’s extremely welcoming.

Now, issues will still persist and the third period of the Avs games tonight was a prime example of that.

With a 4-1 lead heading into the third, the Flames shouldn’t have had a problem shutting the game down. But, in typical Flames fashion, and thanks to a brutal Jay Bouwmeester give away, they give up a goal in the first 30 seconds of the final frame forcing the tension to rise and the ‘collapse to the net mentality’ to kick in.

You could almost see it coming, couldn’t you?

Maybe I’ve grown too pessimistic watching this team do the same thing over and over again, but it’s just all too predictable.

Thanks to Kiprusoff the Flames eeked out the win, but not without a dramatic edge of your seat finish with a flurry of Avalanche (pardon the pun) crashing the net in the hopes of sending it to OT.

In Brent Sutter’s post game conference he mentioned something along the lines of having the core of this team for two years now and still they have horrible mental breakdowns like the third period.

Is it just me or did Sutter pretty much write his own resignation letter?

If, after two years the players still aren’t getting a grasp on the system, then maybe it’s time to switch up the system.

The clock is ticking.

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Flames Moves: Youth Movement

2011-11-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

By Derrick Newman

Some quick hits on the recent Flames moves...

In a flurry of activity on the Flames front Niklas Hagman was placed on waiver today and if, when, he clears he will be sent to Abbotsford. This move was made because Mikael Backlund will be activated from the IR tomorrow morning after sitting out the first 14 games with a broken pinky.

Also, Paul Byron was recalled from the Heat because Brendan Morrison was placed on the IR with what is basically being deemed as a failure to recover from knee surgery properly – or in English terms, he came back too soon.

Further to all this was the activity yesterday with Anton Babchuk being placed on the IR with a broken hand and TJ Brodie being recalled.

So with all this the team just got significantly younger and quicker with the likes of Brodie on the back end, and Backlund and Byron up the middle.

Seeing Hagman sends a serious message from ownership in that the dollar figure beside a players name means little to nothing as Hagman’s $3 million cap hit will be buried in the AHL.

The team is in need of a serious energy boost after starting the season a very mediocre 6-7-1 record and having recently scored only three goals in their past three games.

The team holds almost an identical record to 2010-11 version of Flames at this point in the season.

The Flames are a league worst 2-for-34 on the powerplay at home this season, thanks large in part to Tuesday’s 0-for-7 outing, which included a five minute powerplay.

Sutter called out Alex Tanguay, saying he is too “soft” on the power play and very easy to play against because everyone knows what he is going to do. You can’t really disagree with that assessment as everyone in the Dome knows he is looking for #12 at all times.

They need to instil some much needed creativity into the man advantage unit and maybe with the addition of Backlund and possibly Brodie, you see that. Both guys will be chomping at the bit to make an early impact.

The Flames play the Blackhawks tomorrow night. The season series last year was 2-2 with the home team winning each time. The Flames had great success on the PP versus the Hawks last year going 6-for-20 over the four game span. Maybe the Hawks are just what the doctor ordered.

The Flames are 3-3 on the road this season.

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The Path Less Travelled

2011-11-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Backlund is one of only two players playing for the Flames
that was drafted by the team.

By Guest Blogger Greger Buer

When you hit a fork in the road, you must choose a path. Left. Right. The Calgary Flames have been sitting at the crossroads for the past five seasons. At the end of each year, the Flames either came off a crippling first round defeat or missed the playoffs entirely. After each of these disappointments fans, media, and folks in the organizations themselves would try to explain what they thought the team needed to do to improve. Most of the time the problems these groups found were definitely viable, but the fundamental problem is this was a veteran team that gets older every year.

The Calgary Flames are so desperate for youth that everyone around them reacts in utter shock on those few occasions when a young player cracks the roster. Look at the hype when Mikael Backlund broke through, when T.J. Brodie had a solid training camp, or when youngster Roman Horak was named to the season opening squad.

For most other teams an injection of youth is expected and at least one or two rookies make the jump each season. A quarter of the Nashville Predators seem to turn over each year, yet that team consistently makes the playoffs despite a payroll that is dwarfed by Calgary.

It’s redundant to beat on the “bad contract” drum as an excuse for the Flames, it is one reason this team can’t count itself among the NHL or the Western Conference’s elite, but there are many more. Calgary doesn’t have the top-end talent of a Vancouver or Chicago, Jay Bouwmeester isn’t the bona fide number one defenseman the Flames expected him to be when they paid him over six million dollars a year, and the club lacks the team speed that would allow them to regularly score on the rush or on the counter-attack.

There’s little doubt that an influx of number one or even top-five draft picks would make the Calgary Flames better, but this is true of any club. The answer doesn’t lie in scuttling the ship and pulling a “Pittsburgh/Chicago” (or an “Edmonton” if you drink the Kool-Aid from up North).

The true method to build a team that can and will win consistently is to have a scouting department that can take the mid- to late-first round picks that good teams have and regularly turn them into NHLers. You also take advantage of the following rounds in the draft to fill your coffers with solid prospects that may eventually help your team.

The obvious and best example of a continuously impressive group of player prospectors is the Detroit Red Wings. The General Manager Ken Holland and his scouts and player personnel department have uncovered the late picks that are the envy of the rest of the league and a huge reason for that team’s consistent success – evident in the Red Wings’ 20 season playoff appearance streak.

The Detroit Red Wings roster features 13 – THIRTEEN! – players that were drafted by the club, of whom only two, defensemen Jakub Kindl and Nicklas Kronwall, were taken in the first round. The Calgary Flames have a grand total of two players on their squad that they drafted, forwards Mikael Backlund and David Moss. That’s a frightening discrepancy, especially considering that Detroit is a team that Calgary beat in the 2003-04 Stanley Cup run and fell to in six games in 2006-07. A few short years ago, the Flames counted themselves amongst Detroit’s peers and now it’s nearly parade-worthy when Calgary takes a regular season win over the Red Wings.

This divergence in paths demonstrates the crucial flaw in the Calgary Flames’ direction – or lack thereof. The utter failure of Calgary’s scouting and drafting is the most fundamental flaw in the NHL team’s hopes of future success.

Instead of blaming the General Manager Darryl Sutter (who did make numerous crucial mistakes) or Jay Feaster and rather than pointing the finger at the era’s coaches, Darryl Sutter, Jim Playfair, Mike Keenan, or Brent Sutter – we should blame their inability to hire an effective head scout and the subordinates to help foster a strong youth and prospect pool.

Rather or in addition to firing Darryl Sutter last December, the Flames should have taken money that they would otherwise blow on players (see: Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Anton Babchuk, etc.) and instead try and woo someone from the Detroit Red Wings hockey operations to run their scouting and drafting, either: Assistant GM Jim Nill, Director of Amateur Scouting Joe McDonnell, or Director of European Scouting Hakan Andersson.

This may not be as exciting a plan as melting down a team and plummeting to last in the NHL for five years. Calgary bar owners might complain that they won’t have the opportunity to hold NHL Draft Lottery parties in April every season. Yet, the “secret” to continuous success does not – and has not been proven to – lie with bottoming out and absorbing three number one draft picks into your team. The ability to find talent throughout the draft and a system that encourages their development is crucial to success every year without requiring a repeat of the ‘Young Guns’ era.

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It's Always Been That Way

2011-11-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, in my review of Moneyball, there are a lot of stupid stats in sports. Well perhaps stupid is too harsh of a word, but flawed stats would be very accurate. While I was reading the book, I kept going back to hockey, and how so many statistics in hockey don’t make any sense. And not just how the stats are often flawed, but also how conventional thinking in hockey is often flawed.

Like baseball and like most professional sports, much of the decision making is made by former players. While they have a lot of insight into the game, having played it, they aren’t really capable of looking outside the box. The thing about former players is they don’t have any experience or more importantly any education outside the game. As a result, ‘gut feeling’ is a popular method when making a decision, and reliance on these flawed stats, dominates their thinking. The doomed philosophy of “that’s the way it’s always been…’ is so prevalent in sport. When it comes to stats in hockey, there are several that come to mind as being fundamentally flawed, but I’ll just take a look at a couple that stick out in my mind.

Let’s start with a player’s plus/minus rating, which is used to determine a player’s defensive prowess. To begin, there are too many factors out of a single player’s control, such as the quality of the opposition, to render the stat almost useless. A defencemen playing on the top pairing is likely playing against the other team’s top line, meaning their best line. Odds are, regardless of how effective they are defensively, they’ll likely be on the ice for more goals than a number six defencemen. It also doesn’t take into account the quality of one’s teammates. Being on the ice with Ilya Kovalchuk might lead to more goals against than a more defensive minded player. Yes, Kovalchuk will score more goals, evening out the statistic, but then it ceases to be a defensive stat. As it is not a ratio, it also doesn’t take ice time into account either. The more time one spends on the ice, the more of a chance they have of being there when a goal is scored. But to prove the insignificance of the stat, one need only look at one of the all time highest plus/minus players, Wayne Gretzky. Nobody ever thinks defence when they talk about Gretzky, but he has one of the highest lifetime plus/minus ratings ever. This tells us that he scored a lot of goals, but I prefer to use a different stat to measure that; goals.

Another flawed statistic is shots on goal. While the stat does measure what it sets out to quite effectively, the flaw is in the interpretation. Shots on goal are often used as a measuring stick for how much pressure one team puts on another. The problem is that every time the goalie stops a puck, it’s considered a shot, and pucks that hit the post or sail just wide, are not. If Tanguay dumps the puck in from the opposite end on a penalty kill, and it slowly slides toward the goalie, who taps it to the side with his stick, it’s a shot. Yes, the goaltender had to stop it, but it hardly implies the Flames were applying any pressure on the opposition. Conversely, if Tanguay fires a shot off the crossbar, catches the rebound, fires it off the left post, where Iginla takes the rebound and then fires it off the right post, from which it ricochets out of the offensive zone, there won’t have been a shot recorded, despite there have been a lot of pressure applied to the opposing team. Shots on goal also doesn’t track how many shots were blocked. A newer stat, pucks on net, is much more effective at measuring the offensive pressure one team is applying, but it hasn’t been fully embraced by the NHL.

While there are countless other flawed statistics in hockey, I’ll finish with Penalties in Minutes. Yes, it accurately measures how much penalty time a players is issued over the course of season, but the question is why this is a good thing and why one ‘leads’ the league in this statistic. Watching the Flames/Avs game on Sunday, the announcers talked about Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (whose inclusion on the Flames’ roster is simply baffling), as leading the AHL last season in penalty minutes. So he made his team play shot-handed more often than anybody else? For the life of me, I don’t know why this is a good thing. Football players aren’t applauded for incurring penalty yards, they’re cut from the team. Baseball players don’t boast about the number of ejections they receive either, but in hockey, it’s seen as a sign of ‘grittiness,’ whatever that means. But really, it’s a statistic that measures how ineffective a player is. Getting two minutes for slashing or tripping isn’t grit; it’s an error that penalizes the team. But most in the hockey establishment continue to see it as a positive.

And that’s the other thing I kept thinking about while reading Moneyball with regards to the NHL. Hockey has a real problem with change, and most hockey people seem to be afraid of any changes, as they cling to the past like a family heirloom. When helmets were firs made mandatory, the players fought back saying it would negatively alter the game. It didn’t. When the head shot rule was brought in this year, people cried it would end hitting in hockey. It hasn’t. But this fear of change dominates the thinking in the NHL. In today’s game, where fighting serves no point whatsoever, players and coaches continue to look to PIM’s as a good thing, and value having an ‘enforcer’ on the roster. This player, as is the case with PL3, serves no purpose on the team, other than to go out on the ice to incur a penalty, which hurts the team. But, remember, ‘it’s always been that way…’ Players, coaches and the media continue to talk about plus/minus all the time, even though the statistic doesn’t really measure anything of value with regards to a specific player. Again, ‘it’s always been that way…’

But by continuing to adhere to the old ways, many teams are getting left behind. For the Calgary Flames, we only need to go back two years at the last few seasons of Darryl Sutter’s reign of terror. He continued to build teams as if it was 1998, and failed to embrace new ideas and strategies. Sutter was a poster boy for ‘it’s always been that way.’ Not only did he fully embrace PIM’s as a good quality, filling the team with checkers and grinders, he was against anything that wasn’t the same as when he played in the early 80’s. I’m sure if given the opportunity he’d have spoken out against helmets, goalie masks and pads as well.

Yes, ‘it’s always been that way…’ is a popular train of thought in sports. One could say…it’s always been that way.

-TheRev

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Book Review: Moneyball by Michael Lewis

2011-11-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

There are two things I spend the majority of my free time on; reading and sports. Of course these aren’t two mutually exclusive activities as there is no shortage of books about sports. I then occurred to me I should be writing about the sports books I read. So, without further ado, I give you the first in a series of weekly TSR book reviews, starting with Moneyball by Michael Lewis.

The movie “Moneyball” has been out for a couple of weeks now, and I haven’t seen it. But, I finished reading the book on the weekend, and the book is always better than the movie. Always. There are no exceptions. Deliverance was close, but the book was still better. I am really interested to see “Moneyball” now however. But I digress, I just read the book, and it was great.

In Moneyball, author Michael Lewis chronicles how Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane went against the conventional thinking in baseball and started looking a little deeper at players’ statistics. By finding so called diamonds in the rough, he was able to put together winning teams on a shoestring budget. They weren’t star-studded teams, but they won a lot of ball games.

But I like to think that the book isn’t about the Oakland A’s and their surprise success, it’s about how ineptly many sports franchises are run. In Moneyball, Billy Beane and his staff discover that by not following conventional statistics, which they find to be very flawed, they can get players that while good, other teams aren’t interested in.

Take a look at batting averages. While they do represent how often a player gets a hit, it doesn’t represent how successful he is at not making an out; that is better represented by on-base percentage. Of course today, everybody looks at that stat, but in 2000 it was cutting edge thinking. Because teams were so focused on batting average, instead of on-base percentage, Beane and his staff felt they could put together a great line up, by getting guys who had a really high on base percentage and paying them peanuts. These guys may not have as high an average, but there didn’t make as many outs. The thinking was it was better to have a guy batting .280 with a .400 OBP over a guy batting .310 with a .350 OBP. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

But when Beane first begins to look at these newer statistics, he meets a lot of resistance from his scouting department, who tend to rely on ‘gut feeling’ more than anything else, when trying to decide if an 18 year old will be a good player in six or seven years. He quickly realizes that his new system isn’t simply looking at a different column of stats, but a dramatic change in thinking about how the team is run. As most of the people running a team were former players, they tended to rely on the stats that were used in their playing days, however flawed. Basically, everybody seems to adhere to the ‘we’ve always done it that way’ philosophy, regardless of how ineffective it has always been.

The book is well written, interesting and entertaining, which I guess makes for a pretty good read. And it doesn’t hurt that I’m a baseball fan who is interested in the economics of sports. But it isn’t just for baseball fans, as one can draw so many parallels to other sports. In fact, it’s probably time to look at stupid hockey stats. However, that’s another story for another day. For now, if you’re looking for a good book, try Moneyball.

-TheRev

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Flames Bury Avalanche

2011-10-27T00:22:00.000-06:00

By Derrick Newman

Dominate for two periods and then white knuckle the steering wheel and hold on for dear life.

That was the story of the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night in a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, who suffered their first defeat away from home after starting the season with six straight wins in opposing barns.

The Flames were led by rookie Roman Horak, who scored his first as a Flame tonight while adding one assist, and Rene Bourque, who potted his team leading fourth and fifth goals of the season.

Despite outshooting the Avs 12-1 in the first 10 minutes of the game, it was Colorado who struck first on the power play putting the Flames behind the 8-ball early.

But, the Flames didn’t panic, which is a good sign, and stuck to their game answering right back less than three minutes later when Horak took a pass from Tanguay, moved it to his backhand and put it upstairs all while falling to the ground.

One he’ll remember for a while I’m guessing.

The power play went 1-for-3, after going 1-for 15 in their previous four games. A big reason for the man-advantage marker was the return of Anton Babchuk to the line-up. His shot presence alone gives the Flames that extra element on the PP that teams have to look out for. They had it when Phaneuf used to troll the blue line, and now Babchuk has been trying to fill that role recently, when he is not sitting in the press box.

He does have some defensive deficiencies, but with a team that is struggling to the find the net, I think it’s imperative to have a guy like that on the ice, especially in a league where special teams is so vital.

The Flames dressed seven defence tonight, choosing to go with only 11 forwards with Curtis Glencross being hurt and Matt Stajan being a healthy scratch.

So, clearly the dollar figure beside the player’s name doesn’t mean anything as Hagman ($3 mill), Babchuk ($2.5 mill), and now Stajan ($3.5 mill) have all spent time in the press box for non injury related reasons.

And with the return of Mikael Backlund looming in the next couple weeks, I would imagine it won’t be the first time Stajan is getting comfortable in the press box.

What makes the situation even more interesting is the play of Horak, who was probably slotted to be demoted to Abbotsford when Backlund returns.

What do the Flames do? Can you bury a contract like Stajan’s or Hagman’s in the minors? Will ownership allow it? Or, do they simply send Horak down? Feaster and Sutter have consistently said that if a young player deserves to play, then he will play. I guess barring another forward injury, we will all find out how true to their words they are in a couple weeks time.

Getting back to the game.

Kiprusoff, who turned 35 tonight, was outstanding in the third. When the Flames decided to play the ol’ “prevent defence” (where all it does usually is prevent you from winning), Miikka made a number of miraculous saves, 19 in total out of a possible 20, to keep the Flames ahead.

It’s obvious that the Avs were going to press in the third, but why do the Flames go away from their game so quickly?

Most great teams drive the gas pedal into the ground, while the Flames hover over the brake like an 85 year old Grandma in south Florida.

It’s frustrating.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with the win and the team stuck to their game plan for 40 minutes of play. I just want to see a little more killer instinct, because that’s what makes an average team great.

Notes: In all three wins this season the Flames have been scored on first. The Flames have now beat the Avs six straight times. This is the first time in five games that the Flames have been outshot.

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No Afternoon Delight: Flames lose second straight

2011-10-23T23:35:00.001-06:00

By Derrick Newman

Well, that was an exciting Saturday afternoon of hockey at the Saddledome.

Anyone who actually paid for tickets should be forming a line at the box office demanding their money back for that snoozefest.

Now, to be fair, this was in the cards from the beginning given the odd time of the game (2pm), which usually means players rhythms are thrown off forcing them to come out either slow, disjointed, lethargic, or all of the above.

Also, the Flames were playing the Nashville Predators, who possess no enigmatic scorers on their team and work as a team defensively to lull you into a dreary slumber and subsequently take advantage of a lucky bounce – the first goal they scored off Niklas Bergfors shoulder—and then pounce on one of only legitimate scoring opportunities all game to put the nail in the coffin and the fans fleeing for the exits in disgust.

It wasn’t pretty.

However, the Flames didn’t play all that bad. The Preds just know how to limit “real” opportunities and also possess one the best goaltenders in the Western Conference, if not the NHL, in Pekka Rinne.

Coupled with the last second overtime loss to the Rangers on Thursday, the Flames now fall to 1-1-1 halfway through a crucial early season six game home stand.

The power play has gone cold going 1-for-12 on the homestand and 1-for-15 in the last four. In turn the goal scoring has gone MIA with only six goals in those four games.

A potential key player on that player, Anton Babchuk ($3-million annually), has been the early member of the Brent Sutter doghouse only suiting up for two games thus far this season. You have to think that he will suit up on Wednesday against Colorado in an effort to give the team a needed offensive jolt.

The Goaltending Debate

Going back to the Rangers game and the idea to start Karlsson over Kipper. I’ve listened to a number of people that were upset with the decision including a couple of knuckle draggers on the FAN960’s overtime call in show.

However, I was totally fine with it and given the out of conference game and an upcoming matchup with Nashville, a more important game technically speaking, the move made perfect sense and was clearly part of the plan from the beginning of the homestand, if not the season.

That’s two starts for the back-up in the first six games of the season. Compare that to last season where he didn’t see start number two until game 10 and go back a year further where the back-up to Kipper, then Curtis McElhinney, didn’t see his second start until game 13 and it is painstakingly clear that Brent Sutter is dead serious about keeping Kipper to 60-65 starts.

Last season, Kipper started 10 straight from the end of the October until the mid-November, and the trend of starting 8-10 in a row would continue throughout the season.

Sorry Flames fans, but these days are over, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, because Karlsson is a legitimate goaltender.

Despite his shaky first outing in St. Louis, he played good versus the Rangers and had many decent outings last season to justify starting him more.

It’s just something we as Flames fans aren’t used to. We are used to seeing #34 between the pipes night in and night out. Now, is this the beginning of the end for the team’s franchise wins leader? I’m not willing to go that far just yet and call for a trade but it’s simply a different philosophy that the Flames will be deploying this season.

Now, the question looms if the Flames continue to lose and are in need of picking up a lot of wins in a hurry, like last year, do you abandon that philosophy and ride Kipper into the ground like in years past?

I tend to think that would be the end result if the Flames slide, and Kipper would end up with 65+ starts.

Desperate times, right?

Aside from the goaltending in Calgary, which isn’t really the issue for the slow start, the Flames simply need a spark (no pun intended) to get back into the win column.

On a side note, why did the Flames sign this Leblond idiot? 1 GP. 2:56 TOI. 5 game suspension in pre-season and no redeeming qualities that guys like Jackman, Kostopoulous, et al don’t already have. I’ve seen just about enough.

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Should Calgary Flames fans be worried?

2011-10-16T23:30:00.001-06:00

By Derrick Newman

After starting the season with one win over the first four games, should Calgary Flames fans be worried?

Well, truth be told you probably should’ve been worried before the season even started, or perhaps should have just lowered your expectations.

I know what people are going to say now, “Here comes Newman with another cynical look at the Flames,” but really what’s there to be happy about?

Let’s find some positives, shall we?

The Habs game. The Flames looked great and took advantage of an injury riddled defence and scored on opportune chances. They looked well rested and Kipper played great. The powerplay went 2-for-4 and even Niklas Hagman got in on the fun.

The power play in general has looked decent rolling at a 23% clip and ranks in the top ten in the league. Needless to say if it stays this way, the Flames should have no trouble scoring goals, but then again, over the last year that’s never been the problem.

The play of Curtis Glencross and Rene Bourque has been outstanding. Both players have tallied three goals in the first four games. Olli Jokinen can’t be overlooked either with his four in four games, and much maligned Niklas Hagman has looked good in tallying a goal and two assists and a plus two rating so far.

Mark Giordano has also looked good, especially on the point of the powerplay. Go back to the home opener where he set up Glencross with a nice move around a sprawling penalty killer. He also leads the team with 14 blocked shots.

The goaltending has been hit and miss. Kipper was great against Montreal but has looked average in the Pittsburgh and Toronto games. Karlsson, in his one appearance against the Blues, started strong but ended up letting five past him.

Now, the shot discrepancy has be addressed in the team’s opening four contests. Outshot by 17, 18, and 15 in their first three games, including getting outshot 12-1 in the third by the Habs. Now, you can argue quality versus quantity, but these are fairly distinct differences and eventually the numbers will catch up to you.

The three losses have all had an eerily similar feel to them. The Flames scored first in every one, then fell behind and failed to fully recover. Consistency is a major issue with this hockey team and for some reason they have a tough time playing a full 60 minute hockey game.

It’s grossly familiar to last season’s struggles where the Flames would be fighting from behind in a majority of their games, only to come up tragically short in the end – kind of like their fruitless playoff spot charge.

The Flames don’t like playing with the lead – or maybe, better yet, they simply don’t know how to play with a lead. Their game plan seems to change when they get ahead and they forget what got them there in the first place.

It’s frustrating to watch as a fan and I’m sure it’s frustrating for the coaches and players to go through it.

But what is wrong and how do you fix this problem, and should fans be worried?

Well I’m not a hockey coach. I’m just some “IDIOT,” as a loyal reader so eloquently put it, who knows less about hockey then his daughter, who apparently isn't a fan of the game.

So don’t come to me if you are looking for answers as to why the Flames aren’t a very good hockey team. The numbers speak for themselves.

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Flames downed in Opener

2011-10-09T16:00:00.000-06:00

By Derrick Newman

Watching the Flames home opener last night, you couldn’t helped be filled with a little bit of optimism heading into a brand new season where anything is possible and dreams of a playoff berth seem realistic.

After one period, everything looked great. The Flames were up 1-0 on the Penguins, despite being outshot 9-4.

Then it all went downhill – fast.

Four goals in the span of just over 11 minutes and the Flames were left wondering which way is up.

When you produce only nine shots through two periods, you don’t really deserve to be in the game anyways.

The Penguins are simply a better hockey team, and it was clearly evident last night. Even without the best hockey player in the planet on their roster, they picked apart the Flames like they were an AHL team.

Last night was simply a display of a cup contender taking on a fringe playoff team and the drastic difference between the two.

The Flames looked decent for a about five minutes of the opening period, but then came off that high very quickly and back down to harsh reality.

Sure the Flames made a valiant last ditch effort to get back in the game, but how eerily familiar was that to so many games last season?

You can say what you want about this being the first game of the season and not to worry just yet, but this was just a prime example of how far removed the Flames are from being an elite team in this league.

\Side Note: I read in Eric Francis’ column on Thursday or Friday that Brent Sutter is “one of the best most accomplished coaches in the league.” Please explain to me how a guy who has never made it out of the first round of the playoffs as a coach and missed the playoffs in back-to-back years is considered an “accomplished coach.” Sure, he has accolade for his achievements in junior, but that doesn’t always translate. Don Hay is a great junior coach, but failed miserably at the pro level. I just don’t understand why Sutter gets all this praise for being this amazing coach, yet all he’s done is lead the Flames to back-to-back early golf seasons.

Check out the latest Jersey Fouls! from last night's game HERE!
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Do You Want Frys.com With That?

2011-10-07T10:20:00.002-06:00

Brendan Steele, Briny Baird, Garret Willis, Matt Bettencourt. Golf's Mt. Rushmore? Not exactly. They sit atop the leaderboard and are merely four of the 85 golfers who are currently ahead of Tiger Woods at the Frys.com Open this week in San Martin, California. My how the mighty have fallen.

Timber!

There was a time when Tiger Woods shunned tournaments with url's in the title, now it may be one of the few he's eligible for. Not having played since an MC at the PGA Championship in August, there has been so much speculation that Tiger's career may be over. He hasn't won a tournament in over two years now, and outside of a T4 at the Masters, hasn't even really contended in one for over a year. He simply isn't the same golfer that dominated the sport for over ten years.

To silence the critics, Tiger needs a good finish, even if only a top ten, simply to say to everyone 'I can still play.' Playing in the Frys.com Open, a smaller tournament with lesser known names, less media attention and less pressure, may seem like the perfect opportunity for a fallen star to regain his lustre.

But through one round, it hasn't been pretty for the IHOP frequent flyer, who struggled to a two-over 73 on Thursday. The problem with playing in a smaller tournament, with lesser known names, less media attention and less pressure, is it is also interpreted to be 'easier' for a golfer like Tiger Woods to do well. He shouldn't just finish well this week, he's expected to run away with this tournament. Or at least old Tiger would have been. New Tiger, Tiger 2.0, Tiger sans Steve, whatever we call him, shouldn't be expected to run away with this tournament. In fact, it should be surprising if he does play well. No longer is he Tiger Woods, the world's most dominant golfer. Now he is Tiger Woods, 132nd in FedEx points in 2011, playing out what's left of the exemption from his 2008 US Open win.

-TheRev

Jersey Fouls
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30 Teams 30 Thoughts

2011-10-05T16:13:00.001-06:00

By Nick Symon, Guest Blogger
Twitter: @NickSymon

1. Anaheim Ducks- The return of age-less 41 year old Teemu Selanne has Ducks management breathing a sigh of relief, providing them with secondary scoring after their big three of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan. The bigger return to the Ducks could possibly be goaltender Jonas Hiller who has said he is full recovered from his bout with vertigo. Hiller can be an elite goalie when healthy and could be the x-factor for the Ducks to compete with the Sharks & Kings for the Pacific division.

2. Boston Bruins- There is always the concern of a Stanley Cup hangover but the Bruins have more than enough depth to overcome that. Sophomore Tyler Seguin could be the breakout player in 2011-12 after his dazzling performance in the latter half of last year’s playoffs. Seguin will probably stay on the wing this season which should see him get top-six minutes.

3. Buffalo Sabres- No one made a bigger impact in the off-season then the Sabres did. Sabres owner, Terry Pegula has brought the passion and more importantly the money to Buffalo – a perpetual small market team where players develop and then leave for the bigger pay day. New faces around the Sabres locker room include, Ville Leino, former Flame Robyn Regehr and Christian Ehrhoff, who join a healthy Derek Roy, up and coming Tyler Ennis and arguably the best goalie in the league, Ryan Miller. The Sabres should compete for the top spot in the east and possibly Lord Stanley’s mug in the spring.

4. Calgary Flames- I hate to be a broken record but the burning question in Calgary is, will the Flames be able to continue their success they enjoyed late last season, which saw them fall just short of the playoffs? Or was it just a team on a hot streak that is continuing to age? Personally I look more at the latter, hoping they prove me wrong. Captain Jarome Iginla continues to carry the team on his back as he approaches 500 career goals (484). Mikael Backlund was in line for a breakout year as he was slotted to play in between Iggy and Alex Tanguay on the Flames top line, but now with his recent injury he won’t likely see action until sometime in November – a big loss for the team, but possibly a bigger loss for Backlund’s development.

5. Carolina Hurricanes- Falling just two points short of the playoffs last season, the Hurricanes will once again be in tough to make it this year. There will be lots of pressure on sophomore Jeff Skinner to back-up his Calder trophy winning season. Skinner was everything and more the Hurricanes could have expected last year and I wouldn’t worry of any setback for this kid. The ‘Canes roster is pretty similar to last years with the notable additions of winger Anthony Stewart (Atlanta/Winnipeg) and defensemen Tomas Kaberle (Boston).

6. Chicago Blackhawks- The Hawks were one goal away from pulling off a 0-3 series comeback to the Vancouver Canucks. This year will be much different as the Hawks shouldn’t find themselves in 8^th place. There will be heavy pressure on goaltender Corey Crawford to prove that he can be the number 1 throughout an entire season. A healthy David Bolland and veteran additions of Andrew Brunette, Jamal Mayers and Dan Carcillo should have the Hawks competing for the Central Division title.

7. Colorado Avalanche- the Avs took a step backwards last year after reaching the playoffs the year before. After a couple of questionable moves by GM Greg Sherman, trading away Chris Stewart and over-paying for goaltender Semyon Varlamov, things might not be a bleak as it seems in Denver. The Avs got a potential franchise defensemen in the Stewart trade with Eric Johnson and have a very young core up front, which is only going to get better with time. 2^nd overall pick, Gabriel Landeskog is the early favourite for rookie of the year.

8. Columbus Blue Jackets- Scott Howson didn’t sit back this off-season but really didn’t have a choice. Howson, who is no doubt on the hot seat. not only looked to improve his club this summer but also tried to help save the franchise in Columbus. Jeff Carter will finally give Rick Nash his first bona-fide number one centre. Carter and Nash could become one of the best duos in the league. With the addition of Carter as well as defensemen James Wisniewski, it could be a make or break season for Howson and the Jackets.

9. Dallas Stars- It was a messy summer for the Stars. Between questions surrounding their ownership and the loss of star centre Brad Richards, times in Dallas have been brighter. The Stars still have some young talent with Loui Eriksson, Jamie Benn and Alex Goligoski, which won’t make them push overs in the West but the Stars will no doubt be in tough to make the playoffs with the loss of Richards.

10. Detroit Red Wings- The ageless Red Wings saw a couple of their ‘old’ core players retire this summer as both Kris Draper and Chris Osgood decided to call it a career. Like usual, the Red Wings have been grooming players like Darren Helm to replace older players and probably are the best in the league at doing so. Nicklas Lidstrom returns for most likely his last season and will help the Wings continue to be perennial Cup contenders.

11. Edmonton Oilers- Two years, two number 1 draft picks. The future is bright in Edmonton but patience might be the best word around the organization. Number one overall pick, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins proved this pre-season that he has the talent to play with the big club, but how long will the Oilers give him? The nine game window will come quick for RNH, and the question that remains is he ready for the NHL, and is it best for his development to play right away? We all know what happened with a smallish skilled forward name Brule who started his NHL career too early…

12. Florida Panthers- Other than the Flyers, no team went through a makeover like the Panthers did. Potentially 12 new faces, including rookie defensemen Erik Gudbranson could be in Florida’s opening day roster. The Panthers once again won’t be competing for a playoff spot but it could be an important season for young players like Gudbranson and goaltender Jacob Markstrom if they manage to crack the Panthers roster.

13. Los Angeles Kings- Drew Doughty is back, which is a relief for all of Kings nation. The contract hold-out between the Kings and Doughty has been an ugly one and there is no doubt the Kings need Doughty to become one of the elite teams in the NHL. After acquiring Mike Richards from the Flyers to give the Kings one of the best 1-2 punches down the middle with him and Anze Kopitar. The contract dilemma with Doughty has over shadowed everything GM Dean Lombardi did to improve his club over the summer.

14. Minnesota Wild- Things are changing in Minny as fans wanted more exciting hockey. General Manager Chuck Fletcher delivered as he acquired both Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi from the San Jose Sharks – two guys known for being able to put the puck in the net. Nothing comes free unfortunately as the Wild gave up franchise defensemen Brent Burns in the Heatley trade. Pressure will be on the defence with the loss of Burns.

15. Montreal Canadiens- In my eyes, Carey Price will be a top-5 goaltender in the league if he isn’t already. Last year Price proved that not only can he handle the pressure in Montreal but he can also carry the team on his back. Price will get a lot more help in front of him as Josh Gorges and Andrei Markov both return from season ending injuries last year. The Canadiens over-paid for winger Erik Cole but something tells me he along with Mike Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec will be a very good top line.

16. Nashville Predators- Nothing is new in the Music city, as once again the Preds will score by committee led from the back-end by franchise defensemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. The biggest question surrounding the Preds is the long term uncertainty of Weber. Weber has one more season after this before he becomes a UFA but after a ugly arbitration hearing between he and the club, pressure to lock up Weber is GM David Poile’s number one priority as both Suter and goaltender Pekka Rinne are UFA’s after this season as well.

17. New Jersey Devils- Last year, even after a hot finish, was a complete disaster for the Devils, who for the first time since 1996 missed the playoffs. New coach Peter DeBoer has the task of trying to get this team to gel and back into the playoffs. Martin Brodeur isn’t getting any younger and wasn’t at his best last season. The bigger question in New Jersey is what to do with Zach Parise if they are unable to lock him up long term.

18. New York Islanders- Time is ticking on the Long Island as the team’s future in New York looks bleak. Regardless, Garth Snow has done a pretty good job at assembling some good young talent. Locking up franchise player, John Tavares, long term was also a good sign for the franchise that might surprise some teams this season.

19. New York Rangers- The lack of a number one centre wasn’t more evident in the Rangers 1^st round loss to the Capitals last season. Que, Brad Richards who will re-join his former coach John Tortorella and the blue shirts. Star players usually die when they go to the Big Apple but in Richards’s case, I think he will be the complete opposite. The Rangers could be another dark-horse team with Richards and all-star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

20. Ottawa Senators- It’s tough to predict what kind of team the Sens will be this season. One could say they will struggle like they did last year, while another could say they can compete since their healthy. To me there are just too many question marks around the Sens to make them a playoff team in my eyes. A group of young players, Mika Zibanejad, Erik Karlsson and David Rundblad could be fun to watch as they are the core of the Sens future. One more player to watch in the Nation’s Capital is Nikita Filatov who fell out of favor in Columbus after being one of the most sought after prospects in the league a couple years ago.

21. Philadelphia Flyers- The only change the Flyers didn’t make to their team in the off-season was re-naming their franchise. Out are what was supposed to be the Flyers core for years to come, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. Replacing them, Ilya Bryzgalov, 39-year old Jaromir Jagr, Brayden Schenn, Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds. Reports said the Flyers locker room was divided with Richards and Carter so only time will tell if GM Paul Holmgren knows what he is doing. If the Flyers gel quickly, new captain Chris Pronger stays healthy and Bryzgalov gives stability in net, the Flyers will once again be a top team in the east.

22. Phoenix Coyotes- Another team with an uncertain future has also been one of the biggest surprises the last two seasons. Coach Dave Tippett is no doubt one of the best in the league, leading his underdog Coyotes to two consecutive playoff appearances. With the off-season moves, that trend might end. Tippett no longer has Ilya Bryzgalov to rely on in net. Replacing Bryzgalov is Mike Smith along with returning back-up Jason LaBarbera. Tandem and committee are the best words when describing the Coyotes this season.

23. Pittsburgh Penguins- Much like the Kings, the Pens are waiting on their franchise player to return to the team. Sidney Crosby has made significant strides the last couple of weeks, skating without contact, which makes it seem he might not miss much time at all as he recovers from his concussion. Unlike the Kings though, the Pens are in a better position without Crosby than the Kings are without Doughty. The Pens led by Head Coach Dan Bylsma is a team strong in every aspect and will have a healthy Evgeni Malkin to start the season. With a healthy Crosby, the Pens are my favourite to win the Cup.

24. San Jose Sharks- Another Conference Final appearance, another disappointment. No team has struggled to get to the next level more than the Sharks have in the last decade. There is no doubt the Sharks are an elite team but what will it take to get them to the Cup finals? GM Doug Wilson made two significant trades with the Wild, acquiring both Brent Burns and Martin Havlat. Burns helps the Sharks become more of a complete team at every position and this could truly be the season the Sharks get over that hump.

25. St. Louis Blues- A team on the rise got some very good news as David Perron has re-joined the team after a 10-month layoff due to a concussion. Perron still has a ways to go but that is a very positive sign for a team who is on the verge of breaking out. The acquisition of Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk near the end of the season was a brilliant move. The Blues look like they have the right mix of young and old throughout their roster which I think will help them get into the playoffs.

26. Tampa Bay Lightning- What a job GM Steve Yzerman and Head Coach Guy Boucher have done in just one season with the club. The Lightning went all the way to the Conference finals last season and with the continued growth of young superstar Steven Stamkos and reliable play from Marty St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, it looks like the Lightning will continue to be a team to watch out for. The only question is in net where Dwayne Roloson gets a year older.

27. Toronto Maple Leafs- Here is another team right on the brink of the playoffs; will this be the year though? The Leafs have a solid group of forwards lead by Phil Kessel and a potent top 6 on defense, but questions surround goaltender James Reimer on whether he is the real deal. Reimer was brilliant last year and was rewarded with a new 3 year contract to be the Leafs number one. Reimer went from #4 on the Leafs depth chart to #1 and only played 37 games last season.

28. Vancouver Canucks- This is going to sound like a Flames fan favored opinion but in my eyes the Canucks will have a tough time making it back to the Cup final this season. Injuries to top-6 forwards Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond have them out till at least November along with the Cup loss hangover, will have the Canucks off to a slow start. Roberto Luongo proved he needs an all-star team in front of him to truly win the big game and the last time I checked he isn’t playing for team Canada. The Canucks will end the season in the top 3 in the west but I don’t see much more than that from them.

29. Washington Capitals- My award for best off-season moves goes to the Capitals and GM George McPhee. The Capitals lacked the combination of grit/goal scoring big time. McPhee probably over paid for both Troy Brouwer and Jason Ward but along with the addition of Jeff Halpern and the re-signing of Brooks Laich, gives the Capitals possibly the best 4 lines in the league. McPhee also brought in veteran defensemen Roman Hamrlik and the bargain of the summer, goaltender Tomas Vokoun who will not only provide solid goaltending but also provide mentoring to Michael Neuvirth. If Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin can finally prove they can win, the Capitals might be hoisting the Cup next June.

30. Winnipeg Jets- JETS JETS JETS! There isn’t a city on this planet more excited for a hockey season to start. Winnipeg deserved another shot with an NHL team and I can’t be more excited for the organization and the fans. The Jets have some good pieces in place from the former Atlanta Thrashers with Evander Kane, Andrew Ladd, Zach Bogosian and Ondrej Pavelec so it will be up to GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to bring in the right pieces to make sure the ‘new’ Jets are successful. Mark Scheifele, who was a bit of a surprise pick at number 7 in last June’s draft, has looked very good so far in the pre-season and will be a player to watch.

JERSEY FOULS!!!!

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Roman Empire: Horak looks to stick with the Flames

2011-09-30T18:12:00.000-06:00

By Derrick Newman

Roman Horak is quickly allowing Calgary Flames fans to forget about Tim Erixon.

Horak, who came over from the New York Rangers for the highly touted Erixon, has been 2011’s version of TJ Brodie – in other words a rookie who has surprised everyone by sticking around in the big city.

With today’s demotions of both Paul Byron and Lance Bouma, it seems almost a given that Horak will make his NHL debut next Saturday against the Crosby-less Pittsburgh Penguins.

Horak is 20-years-old and was fully expected to head to Abbotsford, but instead has beaten out players like Bouma, Byron, and Greg Nemisz – all players that have some NHL experience – and stuck around with the Flames.

I have unfortunately not been able to see a whole lot of Horak play due to other commitments like work, school, and what not, but from what I’ve heard he has been impressive.

The thing I know I like without seeing him play, is simply put, his age. He is 20-years-old, which would make him the youngest player on the roster by two years – Mikael Backlund is 22.

If he is slotted in as the third/fourth line centerman, that would effectively mean that two of the team’s top four centermen are 22 and younger, which is a drastic shift from years past when senior citizens ruled the roost.

The youth movement is coming slowly, but at least it’s on its way.

Now, the realistic chance of Horak staying with the team past the first week is, well, not good. With the likes of Morrison, Jackman and PL3 due back from various injuries and suspensions, the easy demotion becomes Horak on a two-way contract.

This brings me to a point of annoyance with a portion of the team. (Flames Nation’s Kent Wilson agrees)

Ivanans, Jackman, and PL3. Do we really need three guys that can chuck the knuckles? Especially with the idea of hitting, much less fighting being slowly taken out of the game by Sheriff Shanahan.

My hope is that if Ivanans does come back he is shipped to the Abby, and if not then he is simply put on the IR. I see no need for PL3. He is dirty (SEE: first pre-season tilt), and he will most likely cause more harm to the team than good.

Jackman can do a better job playing the same 4^th line, sometimes-3rd line role, and he should be the only one sticking around, assuming he comes back fully healthy.

With a healthy Jackman and Morrison, not to mention Bourque and Iginla, the Flames sit with 13 forwards not including Horak.

You don’t have to be a math major to figure out what’s going to happen here unless something drastic occurs with one of the overpaid veterans -- like Stajan or Hagman being traded/waived/demoted, with an outside chance of seeing Kostopoulous being sent down.

Unless more injuries pile up, Horak will be play between five and ten games with the Flames and then head to the interior of B.C.

But regardless of what he does this season, it’s a welcome surprise to the Flames prospect cupboard to have the young Czech centerman showing some promise at his age.

And, as I stated before if he does make an impact with the club in this year, or in any years to come, the Erixon snub won’t seem as bad.

Check out the latest JERSEY FOULS!

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The Rules of Jersey

2011-09-26T09:38:00.000-06:00

TSR has been receiving a lot of questions lately about different jersey fouls. People seem to be taking this tragic fashion problem seriously, so we felt it was time to expand and clarify the rules. Of course it all comes down to common sense, but just in case:

Basically, there are three main rules to wearing a jersey, each with their own exceptions and a couple of amendments.

Rules of Jersey Wearing

1. Appropriate Jersey: A fan is never to wear a jersey from a team that isn’t playing. If you’re at a Flames game against the Oilers, you should not be wearing a Panthers jersey.

1-1. Headwear: Hats do not apply to Rule 1. If you’re at a Kings-Stars game, whilst on vacation in Southern California, it would be okay to wear a Flames hat. After all, they’re jersey fouls, not headwear fouls.

1-2. Multiple Events: If a fan is attending another sporting event that same day, it is deemed acceptable to wear attire from that game to the other event. When TheRev went to a Cubs/Cardinals game in Chicago in 2009, he was decked out in his Flames gear in preparation for that night’s Flames/Blackhawks tilt.

1-3. Sister Teams: You may wear a jersey from a team of the same city. It is okay to wear a Stampeder jersey to a Flames game, although it isn’t encouraged.

1-4. National Teams: National team jerseys are almost always acceptable attire for a sporting event. If you’re at an NBA game, it is acceptable to wear a Team USA jersey. However, if you’re at the Olympics watching a game between Team Belarus and Team Kazakhstan, your Team USA jersey becomes an opposing, non-playing team jersey, and Rule 1 applies.

2. Jersey Nomenclature: Fans are not to have their own name sewn onto a jersey. You didn’t play for the team, nor are you part of the organization.

2-1. Appropriate Positions: Those who play an important role within the organization, but didn’t play for the team, may have their name put onto the back of a jersey, as per Rule 2-A-i.

2-1-a. Team owners and team coaches. Being a ‘superfan’ is not deemed to be an important part of the organization and therefore does not warrant having your name on your jersey.

2-2. Non-names: The name rule also applies to sayings, slogan, websites, nicknames, mantras, mottos, catchphrases, organizations. While the number 69 is a funny number, you shouldn’t use it on a jersey unless you’re wearing a Capitals jersey with Angelstad on the back.

2-3. Authentic Era: When player names are being put on the back of a jersey, a fan must ensure they have the correct jersey for that player’s era. Don’t put Lanny’s name on the back of a black, flaming horse jersey. Lanny didn’t wear it and neither should you.

3. Tucking: Do not tuck you jersey into your pants. It looks really, really stupid.

3-1. Uniform Exemption: As baseball, basketball and football players tuck their jersey into their pants, as part of their uniform, those wearing full uniforms to a sporting event may tuck their jersey into their pants. If you would like to attend a Cleveland Indians game, dressed in full uniform, then by all means, tuck your jersey into your pants. In fact, it’ll look stupid if you don’t. Ironic that the exception includes a full contradiction of the rules; it seems jersey fouls are like French verbs.

Amendments

I. Amateur Sports: When attending an amateur event, jersey fouls do not apply, unless it is an opposing, non-playing team’s jersey, then again, Rule 1 is in effect. You can wear any jersey to a Vipers game, except a jersey from another team in that league.

II. Bullshit Jerseys: Under no circumstances should any fan wear a jersey representing the Oilers, Canucks, Maple Leafs or Roughriders.

Remember, when you wear a jersey to a game, and that team’s playing, you’re a fan. When you wear the jersey of a team that isn’t playing, you look as stupid as that guy wearing his Chargers jersey to Wal-Mart on a Wednesday, just like you saw on peopleofwalmart.com

Click here to see past examples of Jersey Fouls and don't forget to send the ones you see in to thesportsroundup@gmail.com

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The Circle of Life

2011-09-22T13:47:00.004-06:00

For those of you who don't know I have recently joined forces with Ritch Winter, a player agent who represents such players as Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky, to get the hockey agents voice heard. In this piece, Ritch gives public a first hand look at what he went through during the Russian plane crash and how agents deal with such horrifying situations. It's a moving piece, and very sincere. Please click the link below to read more:

http://www.theagentsofchange.com/2011/09/circle-of-life.html

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Beer and Hockey

2011-09-21T09:53:00.000-06:00

Well hockey has returned to the Saddledome with last night’s pre-season tilt between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. What can I really say about the game? While brochures handed out at the entrance proclaim that ‘every game matters’ we all know that may be true, with the exception of the pre-season games, which don’t matter at all.

The fact that these games don’t matter is quite apparent too, as there is an obvious lack of intensity from players, coaches, media and fans. It just isn’t the same. Having said that, I always enjoy going to the first pre-season game, as it’s a chance to get back into the Dome, and get back into the swing of watching the Flames play on a regular basis.

I can’t really comment much on the game last night. Some will say there are players ‘fighting for jobs,’ but really, are there? There are maybe two players, maybe, that have a chance of ‘cracking the lineup.’ This team is pretty much set. And I definitely couldn’t comment on the Canucks, who were fielding a team that wouldn’t even hold water in the AHL. I mean, they had Anders Eriksson in their line up. Anders Eriksson! I guess Andrei Zyuzin was busy. As with any pre-season game, I didn’t head into this one with any kind of expectation of seeing some great hockey. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed.

Earlier this month, or maybe it was in August, there was a new partnership announced between the Flames and Budweiser. Waking up early that day to watch the press conference live (okay, I watched it on-line a week later), I listened with excitement as things like the first ‘beeriod’ were announced, as a chance to elevate the fan experience. And most importantly, it was announced there would be bottom pour technology at the Dome (this was on the tarmac during Stampede if you aren’t familiar).

I didn’t see the first beeriod last night. And while I did see one bottom pour station on the main concourse, I expected to see them everywhere. Disappointment isn’t a big enough word for what I felt last night.

Now maybe it was only a pre-season game, and the technology will be installed everywhere by the home opener, and maybe the first beeriod will be ready to go. It better, or there I will have been let down, by beer. Something I never thought would ever happen.

-TheRev

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Langk You Very Much: Daymond Langkow Traded

2011-08-29T15:18:00.000-06:00

By Derrick Newman

Following Robyn Regehr and Ales Kotalik out the Scotiabank Saddledome door this summer is yet another high priced contract in Daymond Langkow.

Langkow is set to make $4.5 million this season and coming off a near career ending injury, the 35-year-old wasn’t getting any younger.

Sure, Langkow is a serviceable, reliable veteran who can play anywhere from the first to the third line without ever hearing a peep or complaint from him.(The Flames have another player like that in Brendan Morrison)

But simply put, he was not in the long term plans of the team and GM Jay Feaster most likely saw a chance to shed some more salary to give the Flames added flexibility this coming season, while at the same time keeping the team competitive.

In return the Flames receive yet another former Maple Flake in right wing Lee Stempniak.

What is it about the Flames acquiring former Leafs? Probably just a strange coincidence, but it’s funny how the Flames have missed the playoffs ever since the parade of Leafs to Calgary started (they are carrying a virus I think). But I digress.

Stempniak had a 52 point season, with 27 goals, back in 2006-07 in St. Louis. He put up half that total the following year and was subsequently dealt to the Leafs.

He spent a season and a bit in the blue and white before being dealt to Phoenix in 2009.

He put up 14 goals in 18 games with the Coyotes and helped them get back into the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

Coming from a Coyote perspective I don’t quite understand the deal as they get older and more expensive.

Figuring the Yotes are on a serious budget, you would think they would be going younger and cheaper, but what do I know.

My friend did just bring up the point that Jim Playfair is now in Phoenix and that connection probably assisted in the trade somewhat.

On Calgary’s end, the move gives Mikael Backlund the proverbial green light to take control of the number one center position – something I, and I’d like to think a plethora of Flames fans, have been hoping for since his arrival in Calgary.

Backlund is ready to take the reins.

Just like Regehr, I liked what Langkow brought to the table. He is as reliable as they come, but this is a business and the Flames are drowning in contracts that most teams aren’t going to touch with a ten-foot pole.

See: Stajan and Jay Bouwmeester.

This move puts the Flames almost $3.5 million clear of the cap going into the season.

I like the move.

It sheds salary, but also makes the team more dynamic on offence. It also makes the team younger bringing in a 28 year-old Stempniak and giving way to a 35-year-old greybeard in Langkow.

The trade also means that Langkow returns to Phoenix after being traded to Calgary back in 2004 for Oleg Saprykin and Denis Gauthier.

Saprykin will be forever remembered for scoring the winning goal in game five of the 04’ cup final.

Gauthier will be forever remembered for his ability to clear it off the pane of glass beside the hash-marks – oh, and submarining forwards whenever he had the chance. Good times.

JERSEY FOULS!

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Scott Hannan: New Flame but same old strategy

2011-08-13T23:49:00.000-06:00

Bringing his talents to cowtown

Written by Newman

I remember a time not too long ago when Scott Hannan was considered one of the premier shut down defenceman in the NHL.

I even remember him being constantly compared to another shut down defenceman – Robyn Regehr.

Where did the time go?

Regehr is gone and Hannan is now a Flame. Not traded for one another, but you can’t help but think that one is replacing the other – even if Hannan is not on the same level as a Regehr at this point in his career.

Hannan had his best days as a San Jose Shark and most of them before the lockout.

He is 32-years old, so not quite over the hill.

For one million dollars, there is no real risk in the signing.

But I find myself thinking the exact same thing with every signing the Flames make.

You bring in an older veteran to take yet another spot away from a prospect ready to make the jump.

It’s become the Flames modus operandi.

Do they have such little faith in their prospects or are they just terrified of losing a couple more games in the name of eventually becoming a better team?

Much like the Morrison signing, I would rather the Flames let a young kid play instead of giving his minutes to a guy like Hannan who is nothing but a stop-gap in the Flames development of talented d-men.

This leaves the Flames with Bouwmeester, Giordano, Sarich, Babchuk, Butler and Hannan as regular NHLers on the blue line. You’re left filling the holes with Mikkelson, Carson, Brodie, Breen and Negrin.

Barring an injury, it doesn’t leave a lot of space for a rookie to get much ice time, now does it?

So why do it? Are the Flames going to win the Stanley Cup this year? No, they’re not. They aren’t good enough.

So why not give Brodie or Breen or Negrin a realistic shot at making the team as a full time member.

Heck, at least give them a fighting chance.

The bargain bin philosophy that the Flames have had these past two summers with the likes of Tanguay, Jokinen, Morrison and Hannan seems to be working but why not build from within and save the money for a talented player who is already in the system?

I’ve had this conversation with too many people to count, but I’d rather see a guy like Brodie play a full season with the Flames and struggle a bit, but learn from his mistakes, than watch a run of the mill defenceman like Hannan play average hockey just so the Flames can finish in 9^th place again.

Scott Hannan isn’t going to push this team over the top, and I’m sure that’s not the intention. But a TJ Brodie with a couple years of NHL experience might eventually take this team to a different level.

That is, if he is ever given an actual shot at seeing the ice.

At this rate, it seems unlikely.

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Glory's Last Shot or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the PGA

2011-08-11T16:49:00.000-06:00

The last major championship of the year, the self-proclaimed ‘Glory’s Last Shot’, the PGA Championship begins today. In a way, the PGA Championship is the red-headed step child of the majors. It doesn’t have the historical significance of a British Open, the national status of a US Open, or the prestige of the Masters. Simply put, it’s the least important major. But, it’s still a major, it’s still a tournament the players want to win, and it still has a very good field. So how to pick a winner?

Don't be fooled by the flags, Americans
almost always win the tourney

To begin, the PGA’s field is different than the other majors. The other three fields feature a host of amateur players taking up spots from potential winners (I have nothing against amateurs in majors, but they don’t really have a chance of winning, and they do keep a professional out of the tournament), while the PGA has twenty odd club pros, who have absolutely no chance of winning. We can shrink the field down quite a bit when looking for potential winners, but there are still a lot of golfers with a chance at the Wannamaker Trophy.

What also makes it more difficult is the PGA’s tendency to crown more ‘one and done’ major winners than the other three. In the past quarter century we’ve seen such household names as Jeff Sluman, Shaun Micheel, YE Yang, Rich Beem, Wayne Grady, Mark Brooks and Bob Tway win this tournament. Hardly world beaters, these are players who never really amounted to much other than that one hot week. So when we look at the field this weekend, these ‘no-name’ players have to be considered, even though their biggest ‘win’ might be a T22 in the Lumber 84 Classic.

Of course having said all that, the cream of the crop still win most of the time, and the PGA has featured multiple major winners like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, and Vijay Singh in the past ten years. But it’s so difficult to handicap the world’s best players at the PGA, because they play so little leading up to it. Many of the top players might only play three or four tournaments in June, July and August, including the Majors.

The tournament is being held at the Atlanta Athletic Club, which last hosted in 2001 where David Toms won by one over Mickelson. The course has also hosted the Tour Championship a couple of times, so it shouldn’t have any surprises. One last thing to consider is that the past six majors have been won by non-Americans and first time Major winners. Only once before has there been a stretch of four majors without an American winner, and Americans have won 77 of 93 PGA Championships.

I just don’t see this trend continuing for too much longer, so look for a Yank to win this week. I’d like to say that person will also have already won a Major, but there are only 14 Americans in the field who have previously won a Major, four of which are Larry Nelson (age 63), Mark Brooks (age 50), Jerry Pate (age 57), and John Daly (fat and drunk). Add to that Tiger having no chance, there aren’t many options. I think I have to agree with Newman, Phil as the best shot to win.

I was hoping to have this posted early this morning, but due to some technical difficulties I wasn’t able to. Since the first round is almost complete, I’ve decided not to include anything specific to any one player. However, I thought it funny to note my pre-tournament predictions for these two, in light of what happened in round 1:

Steve Stricker - 1,000,000,000 to 1

I am sick and tired of hearing about Steve Stricker. He may be the most overrated player of all time. Or at least tied with Sergio Garcia. He’s never won anything of significance, and his only top finish in a major was a 2nd at the 1998 PGA. His world ranking is dependant on strong finishes in tournaments real top players wouldn’t show their faces at. If he wins, I’ll wear Canucks apparel to the Flames home opener this year.

Tiger Woods – 500 to 1 (to win) – 5 to 1 (to withdraw because of ‘injury’)

Tiger’s return to golf last week didn’t really turn out as planned. Not only did he finish near the bottom, his former caddy was on the winning bag. That might have lit a fire under old Tiger, but Tiger 2.0 is a shell of his former self. He still isn’t in the right place mentally, and he’s too fragile physically. The only thing he’ll be stalking this week is IHOP.

Please note, I stand by both of these predictions.

-The Rev

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Tiger's Ex-Caddy and Other Summer Musings

2011-08-09T00:12:00.000-06:00

Tiger has the club in his hand. You are
holding a god damn pin.

By Derrick Newman

Watching the summer go by at the speed of light I have been unable to blog as much as I would like but over the past few days I’ve seen some things that I just can’t keep quiet on...so here are my thoughts in written form.

The Caddy

Steve Williams. Oh Stevie boy. You are a true champion.

Let me get this straight.

Did YOU actually win 145 tournaments? Have YOU won 13 majors? Have YOU won eight times at Firestone? Was that YOU winning by 15 shots at Pebble Beach?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I could have sworn that was Tiger Woods winning, not you.

You were carrying the guys F#%king bag! Get over yourself, please.

Caddies have two jobs in this world.

1. Carry the bag

2. Keep your mouth shut.

You were able to do one thing correctly, but that’s about it. You thought you were bigger, and better, than the man you were working for, and that unfortunately is not the case.

Just like senior citizens... see here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3KUEkxkbKc

Caddies can still serve a purpose. Yes on tour they can be a big help to the player in keeping him focused on the task at hand, but in the end, there is only one guy swinging the club. There is only one guy making the putts.

Also, remember that without the guy hitting the golf ball, you do not have a job sir.

As much as I have come off my “I Love Tiger” bit over the last half year due to his complete and utter disrespect for the media, I still side with him on this affair. He is in charge when it comes to choosing who he wants working for him. If he feels Stevey has run his course and is in need of a change, then so be it. He is the boss, not the other way around. A caddy can’t fire his player.

He only made Williams the richest sportsmen in all of New Zealand for carrying a freakin’ bag.

Where does Williams get off? Oh yeah, and I’m sure winning the Bridgestone Invitational was much better than any of those 13 majors you have won while working for Tiger...yeah, and hooking up with the check out girl at Target was probably ten times better than the hummer you got from the pole dancer at Cheetahs.

As a Kiwi, how does it feel having the Australian flag on your back?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

The Unknown Best

Raise your hand if you know who Yani Tseng is.

(scanning the room...still scanning...oh is that a hand...no, just stretching, ok....)

I’ll save you the Google search.

SHE is the number one ranked female golfer in the world and holder of five major titles including the recently completed British Women’s Open. At 22, she is the youngest player, male or female, to win five majors championships.

But the question remains, does anyone care?

The answer, for the most part, is no.

And that my friends, is the sad, pathetic state of women’s professional golf right now.

I don’t even care enough to keep writing on the subject. I simply wanted to see if ANYONE knew who she was. I’m guessing that I’m not alone.

The Blue Jays

I’ve joked with my friend (a non-baseball fan) for the past decade that this is the year that Jays will make the playoffs. Well, for the years where Riccardi was in charge I might as well have been hitting the crack pipe, because there was no possible way, with that guy at the helm, that this team had any hope of playing ball in October.

But things have changed.

Enter Alex Anthopoulos, or AA as he is known.

He has not only changed the way the team is managed, but he has changed the entire aura around the club.

Actual optimism is surrounding this franchise for the first time in almost two decades.

With the recent acquisition of center fielder Colby Rasmus at the deadline and the call up of the much heralded Canadian third baseman Brett Lawrie, the Jays are actually being talked about outside of Toronto for the first time in a LONG TIME as an actual TEAM TO WATCH.

They have three young starters in Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow, and Brett Cecil that are really coming into their own. Romero was just named AL player of the week.

They have a young catcher in JP Arencibia who continues to improve game in and game out. Case in point: he leads AL catchers in HR’s and RBI’s since the all star break, despite a subpar batting average.

And of course, they have an all-star right fielder in Jose Bautista, who not only has lived up to hype, but has surpassed all expectations after last year’s breakout campaign.

He currently leads the league in HR, SLG% and OPS, while ranking in the top ten in RBIs. Maybe not a one hit wonder after all...

However, one glaring problem still lurks in the shadows of Rogers Centre: the bullpen.

Even with a five run lead going into bottom of the ninth the other night, I feared the worst.

There is no confidence in any of those arms.

Francisco, Rauch, Janssen, Camp, Tallet, etc. The list of un-inspiring names goes on and on. The pen has blown 19 saves this season, which leads the American League. Maybe leads is not the word I’m looking for.

It’s the one thing left that needs to be rectified in order for this team to take the next step.

Everything else is taking shape.

MLB is talking about adding another wild card spot to the postseason in 2012, and even if they don’t the Jays have the best opportunity they’ve ever have of knocking the Yanks or the Sox off their perch.

All the stars are aligning.

AA, it’s your move.

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Calgary Flames in July

2011-07-19T22:02:00.000-06:00

By D. Newman

Well now that the two-week party known as 2011 Calgary Stampede is over, I can get back to writing.

By the way, if you have never been to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, I would highly recommend it. It’s...a lot of fun.

Anyways, enough bull bustin’, let’s talk some puck.

The Flames have been busy of late making a couple of signings and a small trade.

Jay Feaster traded a fifth rounder to New Jersey for tough guy-grinder-checker Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, or P-to the triple L.

Leblond has had a prolific career in the NHL putting up three assists in 37 games over a period of three seasons. Prolific might not have been the word I was looking for.

He’s what amounts to an AHL calibre player who likes to throw up his dukes. Case in point: he had 334 PIMs in 64 GP with the Albany Devils last season. At 26, his NHL aspirations aren’t shot, but I just don’t see the point.

I’m not entirely sure why the Flames need another player like this.

I figured Jackman was good enough. But I guess I missed the arms race memo.

Edmonton brings in Hordichuk and Eager so the Flames stock their turrets with PLLL.

This also means, most likely, that Raitis Ivanans career is done.

The Flames also re-signed Brendan Morrison and Brendan Mikkelson.

Now I know I’m going to take flak for this, but I just don’t care for the Morrison signing or the Mikkelson signing for that matter.

Sure, Morrison played great last season and he provided some great depth for a team that sustained some injuries, but I’m tired of seeing Flames sign older players in favour of young talent.

I’ve been saying for years that it’s time for a youth movement in Calgary. However, it’s never going to happen if they continue to make moves like this. Plus B-Mo just had knee surgery as is likely out till mid-October.

The Flames now have Langkow, Jokinen, Stajan, Backlund, and Morrison as natural centers. Plus, throw in Bouma and Nemisz and you have an even half dozen.

It simply just bumps Bouma and Nemisz down a peg before the season even starts, and that really grinds my gears.

Morrison is not going to take this team to first place but if you start giving these young kids an actual chance at some decent playing time, they might turn into decent NHLer’s and take this team in the right direction. B-Mo is a short term solution to a long term problem.

It’s sort of become the Flames motto in the last half decade.

I would rather see some young bucks grow in the show than see the Flames win maybe two more games because they insist on employing older players in the twilight of their careers.

As for Mikkelson, he has never done anything to really impress me. In 86 career NHL games, he has all of six assists and 40 PIM. His contract is a two-way so he will be battling with the likes of Brodie, Breen, and Negrin for that 7^th spot. Brett Carson is in that battle too but being on a one way contract it gives him a bit of leverage – however, a training camp trade is never out of the question if one of the young bucks outperforms him.

It’s not as if these moves are game changers by any means and they probably won’t hurt the club all that much. I just don’t see the need for a majority of them.

The only move left now would be to somehow get rid of Niklas Hagman or, god willing, Matt Stajan.

Wouldn’t that be something if every single player from the Phaneuf deal was off the team before the fall of 2011? I cry a little inside every day thinking about that debacle.

And remember to check out some new posts in TSR's JERSEY FOULS!

Newman
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Non-Moves: Flames Strategy

2011-07-05T17:07:00.000-06:00

Courtesy: CP

I go to Idaho for three days and the entire NHL loses it freaking mind.

James Wisniewski 6 yrs, $33 million? Erik Cole 4 yrs, $18 million? Ville Leino, 6 yrs, $27 million?

Is everyone taking crazy pills? And that’s not even half of the outrageous deals that have been handed out over the past couple of days,

What about the “Pick up as many players as possible and sign them to 4 year contracts” strategy that Dale Tallon has employed in Sunrise, Florida?

Unfortunately Jovo Cop can’t even say he’s taking his talents to south beach, because A) Sunrise is long, long ways from South Beach, and B) Jovo Cop’s talents are severely diminished from when he last left the state of Florida.

And then there’s the so-called “un-tradable contracts.” We’ve seen two of those, Brian Campbell and Dany Heatley, subsequently dealt in the last week.

It’s kind of fun to see, isn’t it? Starting to seem like these GM’s are almost treating their teams like their own personal fantasy teams. Ok, well maybe not quite like that, but close, right?

The ridiculous deals can all be attributed to a couple of factors that don’t really need to be stated but for reference I will.

The $6 million increase in salary cap and the need for some teams to simply reach the cap floor of $48.3 million. Also the lack of “really” talented players outside the B. Richards of the world have made overpaying average players not only popular but Bieber popular.

The one thing I was happy to see, from a Flames perspective, is that Jay Feaster decided not to throw money around like it was flowing like the salmon of Capistrano.

He stood pat after signing Alex Tanguay and quietly signed newly acquired defenceman Chris Butler to a modest $1.25 million a year for two seasons. A decent dollar amount for a player, that I believe, will provide similar services to that of Adam Pardy and at a lower price than Pardy got in Dallas. ($2 million per for 2 yrs – another head scratcher).

Feaster then signed Anton Babchuk to a two year deal worth $2.5 million a year. This one surprised me. I really thought Babchuk would be moving back east, as I thought he would be one of those players who would be overpaid by a needy GM.

He helps the PP a ton, but his defensive deficiencies are a cause for concern. Hopefully new Associate Coach Craig Hartsburg can help out with that.

This leaves the Flames with 13 forwards signed (including Raitis Ivanans who I don’t expect will play another NHL game), six defence, and two goalies under NHL contracts.

This doesn’t include the signing today of first round pick Sven Baertschi to an entry level deal worth $1.45 million annually (including bonuses which count against the cap).

I like how they went out and signed this guy right away to avoid any more Tim Erixon-like things happening again.

Feaster has gone on record as saying that unless they can find a top 4 d-man to fit into the team, then they will go with what they have, which makes the Shane O’Brien rumours carry a little less weight as I don’t think O’Brien fits in the top four of this team. And personally I’d rather see TJ Brodie, Chris Breen or John Negrin given a shot to make the squad over a guy like O’Brien. The Flames have enough grit on their team (Jackman, Sarich, Giordano, and Butler) that they don’t need any more in my opinion.

They only have $3+ million left in cap room and it would be kind of nice to simply leave that and give the team that flexibility they’ve been dreaming of for years.

It was nice to see Feaster go after Brad Richards. I’m not sure how realistic the chance was but given Richards comment of how much being in the east meant to him, I doubt the Flames had a realistic shot at him –even with Iginla helping out.

Richards chose location over anything else, as I think he left roughly $4-5 million on the table (rumour was that Feaster offered him 9 yrs, $64 mill. He took 9 yrs, $60 mill from New York).

Feaster didn’t seem to make any big moves, and therefore it’s really hard to screw up. It’s the moves he didn’t make that I’m really happy with. Not signing Pardy to the money he was given was a great non-move, and not shelling out ridiculous dollar amounts to under-achievers was great to see.

The Flames have enough of those playing on their team already (Stajan, Hagman).

They still however insist on giving no-movement clauses, and it seems to have become the Flames modus operandi. However, those clauses are seemingly becoming easier and easier to get around, so I’m not sure how big of a deal it is in the end.

Those are my thoughts. Rookie camps are under way!

Here is to the 12 month long hockey season!

JERSEY FOULS!

Newman

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Canada Day Frenzy: Flames Analysis

2011-06-30T10:35:00.000-06:00

By Nick Symon

Friday brings more than just a national birthday, it also brings hockey fans together to get the low down on which free agent will be dawning their favourite teams colors come September. Our hometown Flames have an interesting summer coming up, as GM Jay Feaster gets to start putting his stamp on the franchise. The Flames don’t have a lot of holes to fill but also don’t have much cap space as their current payroll sits at just over 56 million dollars, according to nhlnumbers.com. Feaster already filled the most glaring hole, by re-signing LW Alex Tanguay to a 5 year deal to once again play alongside Captain Jarome Iginla. The cap has once again risen and will sit at 64 million dollars next season, giving the Flames just under 8 million dollars to spend.

Current Flames Line-up:

CAP HIT - $56.7 Million

CAP NEXT SEASON - $64 Million

TANGUAY – BACKLUND– IGINLA
GLENCROSS - JOKINEN – BOURQUE
(VOID) – LANGKOW - MOSS

KOSTOPOULOS - STAJAN – JACKMAN
BOUMA - (VOID) – HAGMAN

(VOID) – BOUWMEESTER
SARICH – GIORDANO

BUTLER – (VOID)
MIKKELSON – CARSON

KIPRUSOFF

KARLSSON

UFA’s: Pardy (D), Babchuk (D), Morrison (C), Staios (D),Chucko (F), Pelech (D), Armstrong (F)

RFA’s: Mikkelson (D), Butler (D), Irving (G)

Top 3 prospects: 1. T-J Brodie, D

2. Greg Nemisz, RW

3. Ryan Howse, LW

Taking a look, the Flames need a top-9 winger, one top-4 defensemen, a 5th/6th defensemen and some extra depth down the middle.

Top 9 winger:

This year’s free agent crop isn’t very impressive, aside from Brad Richards. Wingers available top out at 2nd liners at best and most of those guys are injury prone. Topping the list of possible available players is Pittsburgh Penguins, Tyler Kennedy. Kennedy had a career high 21 goals and 45 points last season playing on a Pens team that was riddled with injuries. Kennedy did not receive a qualifying offer from the Pens making him a UFA come July 1st. Bob McKenzie tweeted late Wednesday night, that the Pens will try to work on a deal with Kennedy on Thursday, so stay tuned. Another player at the top of the list is Bobby Butler. Butler, only 24 years old, really shined down the stretch with the Sens, finishing the season with 21 points in only 36 games. He is no-way a house hold name but he could be a steal as he will probably come cheap. Simply watch this goal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB9YTcSjRSs

Butler was a free agent signing by the Sens back in 2010 out of the NCAA.

Intriguing names that fall under the 2nd liner/injury prone are guys like Scottie Upshall and Tomas Fleischmann. Joel Ward, who had a coming out party in the playoffs, fits that top 9 winger extremely well, as does a guy like Max Talbot. Finally, other players of interest could be Chris Higgins and Sean Bergenheim. That list of players are young (age range 24-30) and most of them will be entering their prime. Kennedy and Butler really pop out at me, both are only 24 years old but given a chance to play, they both have shown they can be extremely effective.

Top 4 defensemen:

The crop of defensemen is much like the crop of forwards, guys who are solid in the top 4 but aren’t superstars. There is no secret that this player will be looked upon to fill the shoes left by Robyn Regehr. Topping my list, as long as those damn Red Wings don’t re-sign him, is Jonathan Ericsson. At 6-4, 220 pounds, Ericsson is a different player than Reg (less physical, better puck-mover) but would have no problem filling in for him. Latest reports say that the Red Wings are close to re-signing him, so for the Flames sake, hopefully there is a snag in the negotiations. Second on my list, but another player who might not make it to July 1st, is James Wisniewski. Wisniewski might also be out of the Flames price range but with his booming shot and physical style, he could fit well in the Flames top-4. Other names to keep an eye on are, Jan Hejda, who is your prototypical defensive defensemen, Andy Greene, Jack Hillen and Mike Lundin. Hejda is 33 while Greene, Hillen and Lundin lack the physical style which the Flames probably need. Like I mentioned, this list has a lot of ifs. If Ericsson reaches July 1, then he tops the list without a doubt. If he doesn’t and I don’t like the Flames chances with Wisniewski, then Feaster might have to get creative. All I hope is that the Flames go younger.

5th/6th defensemen:

I think this spot has to go to T-J Brodie. He shined in camp last year and all signs have him being a tough out again this season. The Flames have to start giving their prospects a chance and with depth on the blue line, (Brett Carson and Brendan Mikkelson) a guy like Brodie can make mistakes. At the end of the day, Brodie should be on the Flames roster come October.

Depth at centre:

Depth at centre for the Flames depends on if they can move out Matt Stajan. If they do, then look for a more suitable 4th line center to be brought in. One name who could be a good replacement is, Zenon Konopka. Konopka will not only bring toughness to the squad (307 PIMS last season) but he will also bring it in the face-off dot (4th in the NHL - 57.7%). If the Flames can’t unload Stajan then look for minor league deals to be handed out.

Finally, look for the Flames to add depth through their farm system in Abbotsford, as former 1st round picks, Kris Chucko and Matt Pelech as well as AHL players, John Armstrong and Hugo Carpenter weren’t given qualifying offers. Some of these holes could come from the NCAA, as the Flames, with their new Assistant GM John Weisbrod look to be more active when it comes to signing players.

The biggest question this off-season for the Flames however, is how much salary can Feester unload to clean up Darryl Sutter’s mess? Feester has already gotten rid of one bad contract, as he shipped Ales Kotalik and his 3 million dollar salary to Buffalo at the draft. It came with a cost as the Flames gave up corner-stone defensemen Regehr and a 2nd round draft pick in 2012. In return the Flames received 24-year old defensemen Chris Butler and 22-year old prospect Paul Byron. The more I look into and read about this trade, the more I don’t like it. Even though Regehr isn’t getting any younger, I don’t think the Flames got the most they could’ve got in return, even when Ales Kotalik is part of the package. Why we had to give up a 2nd rounder, I don’t know, especially when we got a prospect who wasn’t even rated in Buffalo’s top 10 and Kotalik only has one season left on his contract. If Luke Adam or Marcus Foligno were part of the package I would say great deal. Regardless the deal has been done, the Flames freed up some cap space and you got to give this Byron kid a chance. The most glaring contracts that many fans would like to see off the books are ones of Matt Stajan and Niklas Hagman. Stajan has 3 years remaining on his deal at a cap hit of 3.5 million dollars, while Hagman will play out his final year, at a cap hit of 3 million. Both players were horribly inconsistent last year, proving they are worth half their cap hit and not suited to be top-6 players. Out of the two, Hagman would probably be a whole lot easier to move but with teams around the league grasping to get to the cap floor (48 million), you never know who might be willing to take on a Stajan’s contract.

Top 5 teams in NEED of salary (Current cap hit):

Florida ($21.35 Million)

Colorado ($27.1 Million)

Phoenix ($31.4 Million)

Winnipeg ($35.9 Million)

Islanders ($36.6 Million)

Feaster has a lot of hard work ahead of him and if he can unload more bad contracts (especially Stajan), I really hope he doesn’t give up any more draft picks to do it, unless the package in return is for a TOP prospect. Personally I don’t like his chances but with a whole slew of contracts coming off the books next summer, (Langkow- 4.5, Jokinen- 3, Hagman- 3 and Sarich- 3.6) I think Feester just has to play it smart this summer and build towards the future. I would be ecstatic if Feaster could land Bobby Butler and Jonathan Ericsson.

JERSEY FOULS!
thesportsroundup@gmail.com
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Chris Butler and Paul Byron: The Newest Flames

2011-06-27T11:22:00.001-06:00

Chris Butler

So who exactly did the Flames get in return for Robyn Regehr?

Well, Their names are Chris Butler and Paul Byron. Butler is a defenceman who's played a couple seasons in the NHL with the Sabres and Byron is a small forward who played a handful of big league games but has mostly toiled in the minors. Byron can score, as is evident in his stats seen below. I wouldn't call the trade a write off quite yet.

Remember when we traded Theo Fleury to Colorado for some young defenceman named Reggie?

Here are some numbers on both players:

Paul Byron

Paul Byron

Since we are pretty in the dark about these two players, we thought it would be nice to get a Buffalo perspective. So we bring in Joey Pinzone who runs Buffalowins.com, a blog about the Sabres and Bills out of Buffalo. We asked him some questions regarding both Butler and Byron and his thoughts on getting Kotalik dumped on his team.

Who is Chris Butler as a player? Skill set?
Chris Butler was one of those prospects that the Sabres brought up from the minor league system, who had flashes of being a legit player, but was too inconsistent. He's a decent skater, who can carry the puck into the offensive zone, but he's not someone who is going to be a major threat in the offensive zone. He's not going to dish out big hits like Regehr, but he's just your classic, stay-at-home defensemen. His biggest flaws are that he can be worked off the puck rather easily and can be a turnover machine. However, if he puts his skill set together, he can be a formidable force. At best, I think he can be a #4 defensemen. Butler's career can be summed up with the way he preformed in the playoffs against the Flyers. In game 1, which was a 1-0 shutout victory for the Sabres, Butler played out of his mind. He was blocking shots, he was active, he was great on the penalty killing...it was really eye-opening. Then, by game four, he was a complete disaster. That's Butler. I do think a big problem with Butler was that Ruff use to always bench him. He's never played more than 60 games in a season, because Ruff would alternate between him and Andrej Sekera. So, you could make the point that he just didn't get into a groove.

What do you think of getting Kotalik back?
Eh. I'm not exactly thrilled with it. Hell, I didn't even know he was still in the league. Only thing I can say about Kotalik is that it was a classic case of Calgary looking to dump salary. You want Regehr for just B&B? Well, you gotta take Kotalik's 3-million dollar salary. Also Lindy loves Kotalik for some odd reason. He actually picked Kotalik over JP Dumont in 2006. It will be hard for him to make the club, because the Sabres are so deep at wing. I don't know, but I still can't see a 3-million dollar player sitting in the AHL. The best we can hope for with Kotalik is that we buy him out, he gets traded, or he goes back to his 10-15 goal production that he had during his final years in Buffalo. Then again, those seasons added to why we hated him. Prediction: AHL bound.

What about Byron? What can he bring to the table for the Flames?
I'm not exactly fluent when it comes to prospects, but Kris Baker over at Sabres prospects, viewed him as the 13th best prospect in the farm system. Baker describes him as: Speedy, slippery, and possessing an excellent set of hands. Obviously, hockey prospects are a complete crap shoot, as we have no clue whether they will be legit NHL players. He did have a cup of coffee with the parent club for a handful of games and actually played well. Nothing flashy, but he played a safe sound mini-season with the Sabres.

Be sure to visit Buffalowins.com for all your Sabres/Bills news and information and see what Buffalo fans think of having Robyn Regehr in the Blue and Yellow.

Newman
The Rev

Jersey Fouls
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twitter.com/TheRevBW
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Regehr Traded and Tanguay Signs

2011-06-27T00:26:00.001-06:00

Exhibit A: Regehr on Hemsky

The Robyn Regehr era in Calgary has come to an end.

After spending 11 seasons donning the flaming C, Regehr will have a new address in Buffalo, NY.

The durable defenceman (he has only missed 15 games in the last 5 seasons) was one of the Flames true leaders, and the second longest tenured player behind the one, the only, Jarome Iginla.

He will be missed in these parts.

I think the happiest person in Alberta right now has to be Ales Hemsky though. Hemsky will no longer have to endure getting tossed around like a Raggedy Ann doll in the corners by the hulking Regehr. For so many years, Regehr has made it his top priority to ensure that Hemsky can’t even peel himself off the end boards.

This is my fondest memory of Rocket Robyn and I will miss him.

But in saying that, I understand the need to trade him.

The Flames were in a bind financially and something had to be done to gain some flexibility when it came to the salary cap. Regehr just so happened to be the most marketable asset.

Jay Feaster was able to trade Regehr($4 mill) and throw in Ales Kotasuck ($3 mill) and wipe the Flames clean of over $7 million in the process.

In return the Flames received Chris Butler and Paul Byron. An at best 4th defenceman and a forward prospect that no one knows much about, but I’ll get to that later.

The return is not great. In fact, the Flames even threw in a 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft and still only got the two players back. They gave up the best player in the draft and relatively nothing close to fair value in return.

Sounds kind of familiar, doesn’t it?

But this situation was different than the now infamous Dion Phaneuf trade.

This was, and always will be, a straight salary dump.

Feaster has a giant pile of horse manure to sift through thanks to Darryl Sutter, and sometimes to get yourself out of a situation like this, you simply have to eat shit.

And Feaster gulped it down by the spoonful.

Regehr will continue to be a great shutdown defenceman for years to come, but it won’t be for Calgary.

If you want some silver lining it is that Regehr is slow and if he wasn't in good position could be taken advantaged of by speedy forwards streaming down the wing. His game was built for the pre-lockout way of hockey and he has been forced to adapt, which he has, but their are holes in his game.

But this is me nitpicking and trying to justify the loss, as I was and am a Regehr fan.

The Flames depth on defence is diminished, but this now opens the door for some of the Flames young defence prospects to make that jump, and I truly believe they may get a legitimate shot to make the big club.

TJ Brodie, John Negrin, Chris Breen, and Keith Seabrook – I’m looking at you.

So goodbye Robyn Regehr. Say hi to Leo and Monty for us. We will eagerly await your return to Calgary and be cheering when you step on the ice.

So much for my retro 28 jersey (sigh).

Tanguay

A result of the Regehr/Kotalik salary dump was the signing of Alex Tanguay to a five year deal worth $17.5 million.

The cap hit works out to be $3.5 million a season.

Is the deal longer than I would have liked for a 31 year old?

Yeah, probably.

Am I happy they didn’t pull another Michael Cammalleri?

Yes, I am.

It’s been documented that Iginla was very crucial to the deal happening as he was constantly calling both Tanguay and Craig Conroy, making sure a deal was being consummated.

From what I gather, Tangs was looking for a 4 year deal for $4 million per season.

So, you give and take in negotiations. Flames gave another year and Tanguay shed half a million a season. What’s $500,000 between friends anyways, right?

The one thing Feaster didn’t do was give Tanguay a no-movement/trade clause, which Feaster’s predecessor gave out like Kit Kat’s on Halloween.

It keep the ball in the team’s court, which should be the case.

Tanguay finished top 30 in scoring. He would have probably received the same if not more money on July 1st from another team. I’m glad Feaster realized that he was the best option out of all possible other players that might have been available.

The Flames have roughly $7.5 million of cap space to work with and only four defenceman under contract. At least we know what Feaster’s next move most likely will be.

Going back to the forwards. Tanguay and Iginla will be together for a while, and Flames fans should be happy for that.

Now, if they could just find a center to play with them, or is he already right under their nose?

What’s that I smell? A Swedish centerman ready to make his mark.

Newman
Jersey Fouls!
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thesportsroundup@gmail.com
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Bye Bye Birdie: Robyn on his way out of Calgary?

2011-06-23T16:46:00.000-06:00

It looks like Robyn Regehr could be on his way out of Calgary.

The second longest tenured Flame and a perennial team leader could be packing his bags and moving to Buffalo.

This move would free up $4 million for the team and open the door for another move – a move that would have something to do with Ryan Smyth becoming a Calgary Flame or so the rumours are saying.

It’s also being speculated that Stajan and/or Hagman could be involved in the Regehr deal as well, which would really help the team shed some serious dough.

Am I happy to see Regehr leaving?

Yes and no.

He’s been a fixture on the blue line for the last 11 years. He has the ability to instil fear in forwards making a break into the Flames zone. He’s mean, which is what a lot of fans loved about him.

On the other hand, in recent years he has seemingly lost a step on the competition. He is slow...er, then he used to be and thus is getting beat by speedy forwards down the wing. He is all about positional play and if he has the angle on the player there is usually no escaping him.

He was better last season, and especially after the departure of Phaneuf, where he was constantly put in the position of “ass covering” when Dion would meander into the nether regions of the Saddledome.

Still, his salary and decreasing skill set (yet not totally void of skill) make him an ideal player to be traded. It gives the Flames the flexibility they will need.

However, if it is Ryan Smyth that they are targeting, I question the move. Does Calgary really need a Ryan Smyth? A 35 year old Ryan Smyth at that? Do they really need to get older? Is this there solution to not signing Tanguay. If it is, I want to vomit.

It reeks of Tony Amonte all over again.

I’ve heard a player like Brad Boyes could be a possible return in the Regehr deal. I don’t mind the player. A 29-year old center that could possibly fit into the top line and my guess would be that this would only occur if Stajan was part of the deal, and this were the case then I, along with the majority of Flames fans, would be ecstatic.

Boyes is slated to make $4 million next season, so if it was one for one, than financially it doesn’t make sense, but if Stajan/Hagman are involved than it kind of adds up.

Also, the move to Buffalo would re-unite Reggie with Jordan Leopold, his defence partner for the 04’ run. I’m sure Leopold has a call into Reggie, or vice versa.

But all this becomes a moo point (that’s a cow’s opinion) if Regehr says no to the deal.

A couple quick comments on the Flyers implosion today.

Was Darryl Sutter hired as Holmgren’s personal assistant and no one was told?

I’ve heard of shaking a team up but this is bordering on insanity.

Richards, Carter gone.

Bryzgalov, Schenn, Simmonds, Voracek, a 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd round pick in.

Giroux becomes the No. 1 center and JVR becomes a first line threat. Schenn slots in as the third line center behind Briere. They are still deep and just got a lot younger. And that’s not to say Carter and Richards were old relics.

Heck, they would almost be the youngest players on the Flames roster.

It’s a ballsy move by Holmgren, that’s for sure. The return is quite good, but o the other hand all you are really trading for is potential when you HAD two guys who you knew were good.

It had to be more than just a shake-up and this reeks of dressing room problems. Funny that Pronger is part of that dressing room. Just saying.

Sure has made the 2011 draft weekend 10 times more exciting than the 2011 Trade Deadline day.

Newman

Jersey Fouls!
twitter.com/TSRNewman
thesportsroundup@gmail.com
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The Missing Word in C-Town

2011-06-23T02:43:00.000-06:00

P-R-O-S-P-E-C-T : anticipation; expectation; a looking forward.

It’s been a tough go for our Calgary Flames when the word prospect comes up, words like disappointment and phrases like, ‘how’d we let him go’, are usually front and centre. The trend continued this summer, when top prospect, Tim Erixon, who the Flames selected 23rd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, refused to sign his entry level contract with the Flames, handcuffing GM Jay Feaster and forcing him to deal Erixon to the New York Rangers. Erixon was by far and away the Flames top prospect. Rated 15th in the Hockey News’ top 50 prospects in the NHL, Erixon is a steady two-way defenseman who should have challenged for a spot on the Flames’ blue line next season. In my eyes, the Flames, or I should say Feester, could really only do so much in this situation and I do give him credit for getting two 2nd round draft picks (45th and 57th overall) and prospect Roman Horak in return. I question the Flames scouting staff and then GM Darryl Sutter on drafting Erixon in the first place. How, with all the testing, scouting, interviewing etc, would something so important (not wanting to play in the organization) slip through is beyond me. Never the less, Darryl is gone but there is even more pressure on this scouting staff to make sure this year’s draft produces some excitement when the word prospect is brought up around Calgary.

The Flames will select 13th overall in this year’s draft, which will be their highest selection since they drafted Dion Phaneuf, 9th overall back in 2003. This year’s draft has consensus top 8 or 9 players and after that, it’s a bit of a crab shoot, not to say there aren’t some quality prospects to pick from in the first round. In my mind, if the Flames want any of these 9 players, they would have to trade up in order to get them:

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Gabriel Landeskog

Jonathan Huberdeau

Adam Larsson

Mika Zibanejad

Sean Courtier

Ryan Strome

Dougie Hamilton

Ryan Murphy

That leaves the Flames with a whole bunch of other guys to pick from. In my mock draft, I predicted that the Minnesota Wild would select LW Sven Bartschi with the 10th pick, the Colorado Avalanche would select G Christopher Gibson with the 11th pick and the Carolina Hurricanes would select RW Joel Armina with the 12th pick. Of the three, I would say only Bartschi and Armina would be on the Flames radar at 13. I then predicted the Flames would select C Mark McNeill with the 13th overall pick, which in my eyes is the perfect pick. Here is the rundown of Bartschi, Armina and McNeill along with a couple other players who could be available and who I think would be worthy of the 13th overall pick.
Sven Bartschi, LW- Portland (WHL), 5-10, 175, NHL Central Scouting- #7 N.A.

66GP-34G-51A-85PTS
A very talented forward, who has great hands, great vision and great hockey sense. Bartschi came over from Switzerland to play the in WHL alongside fellow countryman and New York Islanders 1st round draft pick, Nino Nierderreiter. Bartschi doesn’t have many flaws in his game, but many wonder if he might be one of the players who slide. Projected as an offensive forward.

Joel Armina, RW- Assat (Fin), 6-3, 191. NHL Central Scouting- #4 EURO

48GP-18G-11A-29PTS
Playing in Finland’s top league, SM-liiga with Assat, Armina is every GM’s dream with his size and willingness to put the puck on net. Armina struggled at the World Juniors but was one of the top scorers with Assat playing against men. Armina is projected as a goal-scoring forward.

Mark McNeill, C- Prince Albert (WHL), 6-1, 204, NHL Central Scouting- #14 N.A.

70GP-32G-49-A-81PTS
One of the most developed players in the draft, McNeill has scouts excited on how strong he is. McNeill has great hockey sense and composure which along with his physical play has pro game written all over him. Scouts have compared him to a Ryan Getzlaf or Bobby Ryan as McNeill can also play the wing. McNeill is projected as a versatile power forward.

Mark Scheifele, C- Barrie (OHL), 6-2, 177, NHL Central Scouting- #16 N.A.

66GP-22G-53A-75PTS
Playing on a very weak Colts team, who only managed 15 wins, Scheifele was consistently matched against other team’s top players and still put up a very respectable 75 points. Scheifele has good hand and playmaking skills. Bob McKenzie compared him to Ryan Johansen of the Columbus Blue Jackets as a player who came out of nowhere and made an impact in his draft year. Scheifele only has one year of major junior under his belt as he played junior b the season before last. Projected as a power forward.
Nathan Beaulieu, D- Saint John (QMJHL), 6-2, 185, NHL Central Scouting- #5 N.A.

65GP-12G-33A-45PTS
Puck-moving defensemen are extremely valuable in today’s NHL and Beaulieu fits the bill. Growing over the summer, Beaulieu did nothing but impress this season, starring in the CHL Top Prospects game, the QMJHL playoffs and the Memorial Cup, helping his Sea Dogs to the championship. Beaulieu will have to fill out and adjust to his added height but is projected as a very solid two-way defenseman.
Jonas Brodin, D- Farjestad (Swe), 6-1, 165, NHL Central Scouting- #3 EURO

42GP-0G-4A-4PTS
Brodin struggled against men in Swedish top league but he also played on the best team. Brodin is a great skater who has great confidence with the puck which helped him excel at the World Juniors. Brodin can be called upon to play lots of minutes and is considered a safe pick in this year’s draft. Brodin has a lot of upside and should transition into a solid two-way defenseman in the NHL.
Zach Phillips, C- Saint John (QMJHL), 6-1, 181, NHL Central Scouting- #15 N.A.

67GP-38G-57A-95PTS
Phillips is one of the most gifted offensive players in the draft. An increase of 50 points this past season with the Sea Dogs has him in the top 10 on some scouts lists. What will probably keep him out of the top 10 in this draft is his skating. Phillips has been compared to Jarrett Stoll with more offensive upside and is projected as a goal-scoring forward.
The list of possible players the Flames could pick at 13 goes on and on but in my mind, those are the top 7 players that I think the Flames should consider drafting. If I had to order them from 1 to 7, it would go, McNeill, Scheifele, Bartschi, Brodin, Beaulieu, Armina, and Phillips.
Is there any chance the Flames could deal the pick? In my mind unless they can trade up or get a legitimate/proven top 6 forward, I would hang onto the pick. If the Flames were to trade up, they do have those two, 2nd round draft picks in play but not a lot of prospects or players on the roster with much value, so I don’t think many teams would bite. Names such as Jeff Carter and Mike Richards are rumoured to possibly be on the trading block and who would look awfully good wearing the Flaming C. In order for the Flames to acquire either of those players, the 13th overall pick would most certainly be going the other way, as well as a top prospect (T.J Brodie, Greg Nemisz) and probably a roster player to even out the cap hit. In my mind I don’t see that as a possibility either. Like I mentioned before, it seems to be in the best interest of the organization to hang onto the 13th overall pick and the two, 2nd round picks to revamp an empty farm system and to add depth to the organization.

Finally, this draft is even more important as the Flames were forced to deal Erixon away, GM Feaster and the scouting staff better make sure those two 2nd round picks they got in return pay off for the club. Here are some names to look for when the Flames select 45th and 57th overall.

Daniel Catenacci, C- S.S. Marie (OHL), 5-10, 176, NHL Central Scouting- #37 N.A.

67GP-26G-46A-74PTS

- Plays game at high speed with the ability to make plays, compared to Mike Cammalleri

Stuart Percy, D- Mississauga (OHL), 6-1, 184, NHL Central Scouting- #53 N.A.

64GP-4G-29A-33PTS

- Mobile defenseman, who moves the puck well, has to be more aggressive.

J.T. Miller, C- U.S. NTDP, 6-1, 198, NHL Central Scouting- #23 N.A.

48GP-11G-26A-37PTS

- Great work ethic and willingness to go to the net on a consistent basis has him projected as a checking-line forward.

Alexander Khokhlachev, C- Windsor, 5-10, 188, NHL Central Scouting- #29 N.A.

67GP-34G-42A-76PTS

- Said to be a hard working kid with strong character and skill. Compared to Marc Savard offensively, projects him as a two-way forward.

Vincent Trocheck, C- Saginaw (OHL), 5-10, 184, NHL Central Scouting- #41 N.A.

68GP-26G-36A-62PTS

- Has great competiveness and good touch around the net. Isn’t the biggest guy but has great hockey IQ which should translate to a playmaking forward.

Overall, I’m excited for this draft. It is said to be one with no super stars in it (i.e. Crosby, Ovechkin) but it does have a lot of depth. For the Flames, like I have mentioned twice before, this is a very important draft for them and one that could help their farm system and organizational depth. I’m sure GM Jay Feaster is feeling the pressure as he looks to put his stamp on the Flames in his first draft as General Manager.

- Nick Symon, Guest blogger

thesportsroundup@gmail.com

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Mock Draft: Picks 21-30

2011-06-22T11:40:00.000-06:00

Tyler Biggs

Nick Symon looks at the final 10 picks of the first round.

21. OTTAWA SENATORS (via NSH) - Tyler Biggs, RW, U.S. U-18

Analysis: The Senators have to continue to stock-pile young players up front and with the love of size Bryan Murray has, Biggs could be a nice choice with their second pick in the first round. Biggs stands at 6-foot-2 and projects to be a power forward. Biggs has great work ethic to go along with his physical play, but whether he will score once in the NHL, is yet to be seen.
22. ANAHEIM DUCKS- John Gibson, G, U.S. U-18

Analysis: The Ducks are another team who did very well with last June’s draft when Cam Fowler fell to them. Fowler enjoyed a very good rookie season and looks to be a top defensemen for years to come. GM Bob Murray has stock piled fire power up front and the back end in recent drafts and it’s time to add a prospect behind Jonas Hiller. Gibson, the second goalie taken with the last name Gibson, is projected to be a franchise goaltender. He is the top rated goalie in Central Scouting rankings and is compared to Dallas prospect, Jack Campbell. Gibson is said to stay poised and not get rattled.

23. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS - Ty Rattie, LW, Portland (WHL)

Analysis: The Pens never needed much goal-scoring help on the wings with Crosby, Malkin and Staal down the middle, but it never hurts to have it either. The Pens used their first round choice last June on RW Beau Bennett who with his skill and hockey sense has the potential to be a top-6 forward. Add Rattie who is projected to be an offensive forward on the left side and the Penguins could be even scarier than they already are. Rattie isn’t the biggest player (5-11, 170) or the smoothest skater but only Nugent-Hopkins and Bartschi outscored him among draft-eligible players in the WHL.

24. DETROIT RED WINGS - Jonas Brodin, D, Farjestad (SWE)

Analysis: With the sudden retirement of Brian Rafalski, and the uncertainty of Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings have some question marks on the back end. The Red Wings do have young Jakub Kindl who saw some action throughout last season and Brendan Smith in the farm system but past that, most of their top prospects are up front. Brodin is a prototypical Detroit defensemen, smooth skating, good confidence with the puck and can play big minutes if called upon. Brodin is said to be a smart pick, with offensive upside, who should form into a solid two-way defensemen.

25. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (via PHI) - Matt Puempel, LW, Peterborough (OHL)

Analysis: I’m sure Brian Burke would like the 9th overall pick but taking away questions surrounding that deal, Phil Kessel can no doubt score goals. Saying that, the Leafs still don’t have enough goal scorers and need to continue to get players who can put the puck in the back of the net. Puempel has goal scorer written all over him. Puempel, who played for a weak team had a couple of injuries, was forced to only 55 games but still managed his second consecutive 30-goal season. There are some issues with his skating but at the start of the season he was a consensus top-10 pick.

26. WASHINGTON CAPITALS - Brandon Saad, Saginaw (OHL)

Analysis: The Capitals skill has got them as far as a great regular season and a huge disappointment in the playoffs. Compete could be something lacking with the Caps. Saad, who had a disappointing season offensively, is an all around player the Caps could use down the road. Saad brings good size (6-1, 208) and is said to be a horse with his strength and his smarts.

27. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING - Joseph Morrow, D, Portland (WHL)

Analysis: The third Winterhawk taken in the draft, Morrow is projected to be a solid two-way defenseman. He made big strides this season as he plays a very physical game while still being able to move the puck. Morrow finished with 49 points on a very solid Winterhawks team.

28. SAN JOSE SHARKS - Tomas Jurco, RW, Saint Johns (QMJHL)

Analysis: No wonder the Sea Dogs were Memorial Cup champs, with the potential 4th player taken in the first round. Jurco was a You-Tube sensation this year and with his unbelievable skill and size, the Sharks won’t have a problem taking him with the 28th overall pick. Jurco could be a little more consistent but his top-end skill usually makes up for it.

29. VANCOUVER CANUCKS - David Musil, D, Vancouver (WHL)

Analysis: Musil is a prototypical defensive defenseman, big, strong and plays the game with little or no flash. Musil’s skating has improved since coming over from the Czech Republic to play for the Giants. Musil could be a valuable piece down the road for the Canucks to complement their puck moving defensemen.

30. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (via BOS) - Daniel Catenacci, C, S.S. Marie (OHL)

Analysis: Brian Burke loves big, tough power forwards but in a draft filled with smaller, skilled forwards, Burke has to take what he can get. Catenacci (5-10, 176) is small in stature but makes up for it with his skating and his ability to play at high speeds. He plays both ends of the ice and has no issue putting the puck in the net. Scouts compare him as the next Mike Cammalleri.

-Nick Symon
thesportsroundup@gmail.com
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Mock Draft: Picks 11-20

2011-06-21T08:42:00.001-06:00

Continuing from yesterday's look at the possible top 10 picks in this weekend's draft. TSR Guest blogger Nick Symon looks at the middle of the first round and what the Flames might do with their 13th overall pick.

11. COLORADO AVALANCHE (via STL) - Christopher Gibson, G, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

Analysis: With the Avalanche’s second pick in the top 12, they need to address their other glaring hole, goaltending. The Avalanche did select Calvin Pickard, 49th overall in last June’s draft but with the slow development of goaltenders, it’s never bad to have more than one. Gibson, who is half-Finnish, half-British, has said to be a big game goalie. He led an offensive weak Chicoutimi team into the playoffs. Gibson has good size and is projected to be a starting goaltender.

12. CAROLINA HURRICANES - Joel Armina, RW, Assat (FIN)

Analysis: The Draft was very good to the Hurricanes last year, as 18-year old Jeff Skinner was a phenom in his first season and led all rookies in scoring. What can Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford do for an encore? That’s a tough question but I have heard he doesn’t like selecting defensemen with a high pick, so Armina could be his guy. Armina, a big (6-3, 191) right winger has the makings of a pure goal scorer. Armina uses his size well and throws a lot of pucks on net. He could complement the 3 S’s down the middle, Skinner, Staal and Sutter, very well in the Hurricanes future.

Mark McNeill the next Flame?

13. CALGARY FLAMES - Mark McNeill, C, Prince Albert (WHL)

Analysis: Our home town Flames have been filled with disappointment when it comes to the Entry Draft in recent seasons (beside Backlund). It continued this summer as top prospect, Tim Erixon refused to sign with the Flames, handcuffing GM Jay Feaster and forcing him to trade Erixon to the Rangers. It was a tough spot for the organization but I will hold my opinion back about that for now. In my eyes, this draft becomes even more important for the Flames. The Flames need to add some size and offensive potential up front. McNeill has been compared to Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan. He can play either centre or wing and from watching him play in P.A, he is what the Flames need.

14. DALLAS STARS - Duncan Siemens, D, Saskatoon (WHL)

Analysis: The Stars have some great young forwards with the likes of Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn and a promising young goaltender with Jack Campbell. A strong defensive prospect is missing and Siemens would be a great add to the Dallas farm system. Siemens is one of the youngest players in the draft but can bring it in all aspects. He is a strong skater which should help him transition to a solid two-way defensemen in the NHL, with limited offensive potential.

15. NEW YORK RANGERS - Boone Jenner, C, Oshawa (OHL)

Analysis: The bigger story line in New York, when it pertains to the Rangers anyways is the race for Brad Richards. The Rangers have been reported to have high interest in Richards and will buy-out the final year of over-paid and captain Chris Drury’s contract to help make room. Take nothing away from Drury, he is a solid two-way player who won’t have trouble finding a new home. With the 15th overall pick, the Rangers should grab Jenner who plays a very similar game to Drury. Jenner is a 200-foot player who is good in the faceoff dot and does the little things well. Jenner has the potential to be a second line centre.

16. BUFFALO SABRES - Zach Phillips, C, Saint John (QMJHL)

Analysis: The Sabres are another team with a strong track record at the draft and should be looking for some punch up front down the road. Zack Phillips had a 50 point increase over that season, finishing the year with 95 points, including 38 goals. Phillips is projected as a goal scoring forward and is compared to Jarret Stoll. Phillips one weakness is his skating but Buffalo is filled with smooth skating forwards that could complement Phillips down the road.

17. MONTREAL CANADIENS - Nathan Beaulieu, D, Saint John (QMJHL)

Analysis: The Canadiens have a solid mix of youth and veterans throughout their line-up. Louis Leblanc and defensemen Jared Tinordi are the Canadiens top prospects, so the Canadiens could really go anywhere with this pick. Beaulieu potentially could be the third Sea Dog selected in the first round. Growing last summer, Beaulieu (6-2, 185) brings a solid two-way game onto the ice. He was one of the best players at the CHL Top Prospects Game and was solid in the playoffs and the Memorial Cup.

18. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS - Mark Scheifele. C, Barrie (OHL)

Analysis: The Blackhawks plain and simple are going to be competitive for a very long time. There aren’t a lot of holes throughout the franchise so this is another tough pick to predict. Scheifele played for a very weak team in Barrie, who only managed to win 15 games. Regardless, Scheifele put up very respectable numbers with 75 points. Scheifele brings size and grit down the middle, the stuff scouts say will make him a solid power forward. Put Scheifele behind Toews and Bolland one day and the Blackhawks could have a very solid top 3 centres.

19. EDMONTON OILERS (via LA) - Jamie Oleksiak, D, Northeastern (H-EAST)

Analysis: With their second pick in the first round, there is no argument on my behalf about the Oilers selecting a defenseman. Oleksiak is a monster to say the least. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 244 pounds, Oleksiak has been compared to a poor man’s Tyler Myers. Oleksiak is good on his feet and can move the puck fairly well. His calling card for the NHL could be a defensive defenseman.

20. PHOENIX COYOTES - Nicklas Jensen, RW, Oshawa (OHL)

Analysis: Usually a perennial team in the top-10, the Coyotes have turned it around for two consecutive playoff appearances. Unfortunately they have faced the Detroit Red Wings both years. The Coyotes really lacked goal scoring and size on the wings. Jensen is projected as a power forward that can shoot the puck. Jensen came over from Denmark to play for the Generals this season proving he is committed to the pro game. Questions do surround his skating but he could be a nice fit alongside fellow countrymen, Mikkel Boedker down the road.

Coming soon: Tomorrow Nick takes a look at the final 10 picks of the first round and on Thursday he will delve a little deeper into what the Flames should be looking to do come the weekend.

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Hank was Screaming: Karlsson re-signs

2011-06-20T14:28:00.001-06:00

The Calgary Flames have re-signed back-up goalie Henrik Karlsson to a two-year contract worth $1.725 million. He posted a 4-5-6 record last season with a .908 save % and a 2.58 GAA.

Comments from Jay Feaster regarding the signing (taken from flames.nhl.com):

"We are very pleased to have Hank under contract and welcome him back,” said Flames General Manager Jay Feaster. “Last season he demonstrated that he is more than capable as a dependable back-up goalie to Kipper who can win games for us when needed and get us valuable points in the standings. Hank’s game performances, especially after long layoffs and in relief efforts, his work ethic, and his positive personality earned him the trust and support of Brent and his teammates and we are happy to have him back in the fold."

The signing doesn’t surprise me and it’s probably the right one. As much I would love to see Leland Irving given a chance in the NHL, it would probably be best to have him gain some more confidence at the AHL level and bring him up for a maybe a spot start here or there.

Regardless though, Irving will not just play dead. He will battle even harder in training camp to try and prove to the Flames brass that he deserves to play in the big leagues –and he will play with the big boys one day, that much I am sure of.

I believe Irving is the future of goaltending in this city once Kipper decides to move on, whether to the retirement home or to another franchise.

Karlsson is simply a solid number two at this point. That’s not to say he couldn’t one day be a starter but I’d like to think that the Flames would love to see Irving, a Flames draft pick, between the pipes one day.

Karlsson is the safe play and he showed last season that he can be reliable when called upon. Depending on how the season goes will depend on how much work he receives. If the Flames are forced to play catch up again like last season, expect The Calgary Tower to be stapled to the end of the bench and forced into the role of permanent water boy/bench warmer/cheerleader.

With the Karlsson signing, it still leaves Tanguay and Pardy as realistic guys to be re-signed before July 1 – Staios is gone, Modin is not coming back, Babchuk apparently wants too much money, Mikkleson is replaceable and Morrison is the wild card and could be a last minute deal.

And with the salary cap set to increase to $64 million next season, you would think that signing Tanguay is all but certain now. The Flames sit at just over $57 million right now which leaves roughly $6.5 million to sign Tanguay and a couple other fill in players.

Hopefully they are just crossing those “t’s” and dotting the “i’s” as we speak.

Feaster has a busy two weeks ahead of him.

Newman
Jersey Fouls!
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Rory's Glory Story

2011-06-20T14:07:00.001-06:00

While I don't think anybody is surprised that Rory McIlroy has won a major championship, I'm sure there were a few raised eyebrows that he was able to win the U.S. Open by a whopping eight strokes. Just as I'm sure it turned a few heads when he was able to rebound from the worst final round by the leader at the Masters, when he fired 80 on Sunday to blow a four shot lead and to come in fifteenth.

I have to admit, I was a little surprised he was able to pull it off, despite having said in my predictions last week that if he could have a solid first round, he'd win. But to be honest, I didn't think he would have a great first round! And I definitely didn't think he'd win by so many if it were too happen.

Now, less than 24 hours from his victory, the questions have started to pop up, 'how many Majors can Rory win?' Of course this always happens when a young player wins a Major. Remember Sergio Garcia coming in 2nd in the 1999 PGA Championship? All of the sudden, all the talk was of a great rivalry between Tiger and Sergio, one that would be reminiscent of Nicklaus-Palmer. Of course, that was the highlight of Sergio's career, and nothing ever materialized.

So will Rory McIlroy be the next Shaun Micheel, a one hit wonder, never to be heard from again? Will he be Ben Curtis, Todd Hamilton, Jeff Sluman, Scott Simpson, Larry Mize, Bob Tway, or Bill Rogers? Last night on ESPN I heard the announcer predict Rory would win 'seven or eight majors.' Pretty lofty predictions, considering, he has only won one, and considering that Tiger is the only person to win more than six majors in the past thirty years.

But, there are some differences between McIlroy and those one hit wonders. First off, McIlroy is young. Really young. At only 22 years old, he's the youngest U.S. Open winner since Bobby Jones, and the youngest major winner since Tiger Woods' first victory at the 1997 Masters. Majors are tough to win, and there's a reason few 'kids' ever do. They need the experience first, to be able to handle the pressure that comes with such an event. But McIlroy doesn't seem to have any trouble with this. Yes, he blew a lead at the Masters in April, but he showed how resilient he is mentally to be able to come back and win the U.S. Open in such a dominating fashion. Everybody's going to have some bad blow ups, but it's how well they rebound that counts.

Secondly, unlike most of the above list of one and dones, McIlroy did not come out of nowhere to win this tournament. Unlike Ben Curtis, who had never even played in a Major before, or Todd Hamilton who had been languishing in obscurity in Japan for ten years, Rory McIlroy is a known commodity. He's been ranked in the top 10 in the World for almost two years, has won tournaments in the US and Europe before, and most importantly, he has finished well in previous Majors. In only 10 Major appearances as a professional, McIlroy has won once, finished 3rd three times and tenth once. In addition, he held the 54 hole lead at the Masters this year, led the British Open in 2010 after firing 63 in the opening round, and missed a playoff with Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer by one stroke at last year's PGA Championship. To put it another way, he's been at least tied for the lead at one point on Sunday in three of the previous four majors.

So maybe it's a little bold to predict this kid will win seven or eight majors, but then again, maybe it isn't. Could McIlroy be the 'next Tiger'? Or will he turn out like so many players who were dubbed the 'next Nicklaus', most of whom never lived up to their lofty expectations. Of course only time will tell, but I can say right now that I know who my favorite to win the Open next month will be.

-TheRev

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Mock Draft: Picks 1-10

2011-06-20T01:33:00.000-06:00

TSR welcomes a guest blogger, Nick Symon, to the fold to talk about the upcoming NHL entry draft. So without further ado...

The NHL season has come to an end but the fun is about to begin. Friday, the NHL Entry Draft will take place in St. Paul, Minnesota. With Mock Draft’s and trade rumours flooding the internet, I thought it would be fun to put together my own mock draft. These things are virtually impossible to predict, as I have done a mock draft for every draft since 2007 and have got a whopping 18 of 120 picks correct. I can’t believe I’m admitting that but here we go again:

Ryan Nugent-Hopkinn: soon to be Oiler?

1. EDMONTON OILERS - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Red Deer (WHL)

Analysis: The Oilers will pick first overall for the second straight season and so far so good (excluding his injury) for last year’s pick, Taylor Hall. Not much argument here with Nugent-Hopkins, as the majority of mock drafts has him going first as well. The one argument that can be made is the Oilers lack of depth on defence. To that I say, in my opinion from watching him play, as I help cover the Calgary Hitmen, Nugent-Hopkins is the real deal. I don’t think the Oilers can pass on him and when him and Hall fully mature, they will complement each other very well and could be a lethal duo. Keep in mind the Oilers also hold the 19th pick in the first round and have a couple solid prospects on the back end with Jeff Petry and Martin Marincin in their system.

2. COLORADO AVALANCHE - Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Kitchener (OHL)

Analysis: The Avalanche has done very well in recent drafts. Matt Duchene looks to be a budding super star after his first couple of seasons in Colorado. Looking at the Avalanche roster and prospects, they are filled to capacity down the middle and are fairly solid on the back-end. With Chris Stewart being dealt to the Blues before the deadline for defensemen Eric Johnson, the Avalanche has some holes on the wing. Landeskog is the unanimous choice here. Compared to Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers, Landeskog along with Duchene could make the Avalanche perennial contenders. Landeskog was captain of the Rangers at the young age of 17 and with the recent retirement of Adam Foote, could be groomed to be the Avalanche’s next captain in a couple seasons.

3. FLORIDA PANTHERS - Jonathan Huberdeau, C, Saint John (QMJHL)

Analysis: No prospects stock has soared higher than Huberdeau’s after his outstanding performance and MVP selection at the Memorial Cup. The Panthers have built from the net out in recent drafts, selecting goaltender Jacob Markstrom 31st overall in 2008, puck-moving defensemen, Dmitri Kulikov 14th overall in 2009 and bruising defensemen, Erik Gudbranson, 3rd overall last June. The Panthers now need to add some punch up front and Huberdeau brings that after scoring 105 points last season with the Sea Dogs. Huberdeau is projected to be an offensive forward in the NHL.

4. NEW JERSEY DEVILS - Adam Larsson, D, Skelleftea (SWE)

Analysis: After a disappointing season, where nothing went right for the Devils, they managed to get into the NHL draft lottery and win it, moving them up 4 spots to select 4th. This pick is a no-brainer to me after the Devils have lost top defensemen like Scott Niedermayer, Brian Raflaski and Paul Martin in recent seasons. Larsson is projected to be a top pairing two-way defenseman when he gets into the league and he falls nicely to the Devils at number 4. Larsson was a power-horse at the WJC and many scouts have compared him to Nicklas Lidstrom. Larsson could be ready to step into the league right away.

5. NEW YORK ISLANDERS - Mika Zibanejad, C, Djurgarden (SWE)

Analysis: The Islanders have gone off the board a bit in recent drafts, which make this pick even harder to predict. The Islanders would love to compliment, #1 center and franchise player, John Tavares and Zibanejad is their guy. Rated as the second best European skater by NHL Central Scouting, Zibanejad played in the Swedish Elite League, so his offensive numbers weren’t strong. He has size and versatility which will make him a strong two-way forward in the NHL. The only question surrounding Zibanejad is if he will mature with his offense in the NHL.

6. OTTAWA SENATORS - Sean Couturier, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)

Analysis: The Senators are much like the Panthers with their prospects in their farm system, strong in net with Robin Lehner and solid on the back-end with David Rundblad and Jared Cowen. Missing on the Senators is some offense to help out Jason Spezza and co. Sean Couturier in my mind, is another no-brainer with this pick. He showed flashes of brilliance at the WJC and is expected to be an offensive forward in the NHL. His stock has dropped over the season but his size (6-4, 195), will have Sens GM, Bryan Murray drooling.

7. WINNIPEG - Ryan Strome, C, Niagara (OHL)

Analysis: What an exciting time in Winnipeg. NHL hockey is finally back and the fans have been going crazy. This could be the most anticipated pick in the whole draft, as new GM, Kevin Cheveldayoff will have the honour along with owners, True North to select it. The new Winnipeg franchise has a solid core to build from with young stars like Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and Ondrej Pavelec. Strome could be the perfect complement to these guys as he projects to be a play-making centre in the NHL. Strome has been an internet sensation with some dazzling moves. His stock has sky rocketed through the season as he finished with 106 points. Strome will need to add some strength.

8. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS - Dougie Hamilton, D, Niagara (OHL)

Analysis: This is the most interesting pick of the draft as reports have swirled that Blue Jacket GM, Scott Howson has been working the phones, trying to make a slash. The rumour getting the most attention is one involving the Philadelphia Flyers. The rumoured deal would see the Flyers send Jeff Carter to the Blue Jackets in return for the 8th pick and winger, Jakub Voracek. The Flyers have to free up some cap space after acquiring the rights to Ilya Bryzgalov from the Phoenix Coyotes. If the Blue Jackets do keep the pick, Dougie Hamilton is their man. The Jackets have craved a defenseman like Hamilton for a number of years. Hamilton brings size (6-4, 193) and a solid two-way game that could make him a force on the Jackets blue line for years to come.

9. BOSTON BRUINS (via TOR) - Ryan Murphy, D, Kitchener (OHL)

Analysis: The rich get richer, thanks Brian Burke. Nothing much can go wrong for the Bruins after winning their first Stanley Cup in 39 years. Second overall pick from last year, Tyler Seguin showed flashes of pure brilliance when he got into the line-up against the Lightning in round 3. The Bruins will happily add more promise to their future as Ryan Murphy is a great pick at 8th overall. Murphy lacks size (5-11, 176) but makes up for it will excellent skating ability and uncanny vision. Murphy is projected to be and offensive defensemen in the NHL. Who needs size when you’re protected by Zdeno Chara anyways?

10. MINNESOTA WILD - Sven Bartschi, LW, Portland (WHL)

Analysis: There will be a lot of pressure on Wild GM Chuck Fletcher with the draft at their home barn. Excitement is what is needed in Minnesota as lacklustre, defensive hockey has seemed to dry out. Bartschi is pure skill and excitement. Born in Switzerland, Bartschi followed fellow countryman and Islanders draft pick, Nino Nierderreiter to the WHL and the Winterhawks. Bartschi lacks size but he is what the doctor ordered in Minny.

Coming Tuesday: Picks 11-20 including who the Calgary Flames could land...
Nick Symon

Jersey Fouls!

thesportsroundup@gmail.com
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The US Open: Glory's Third Last Shot

2011-06-16T09:58:00.001-06:00

The season's second major begins today outside Washington, D.C., where players will tee it up at Congressional Country Club, each trying to win the 111th US Open. The biggest story of course, isn't who's going to win, but who isn't going to win; Tiger Woods. Tiger has pulled up lame and will not be competing this year. The way he's played the past year, it's doubtful he really would have been a factor, but with him not even playing, it is truly wide open as to who's going to win. Perhaps the most wide open field since the late 90's.

The thing about the US Open, it's cachet if you will, is the difficult course set up, which normally sees a winning score a little closer to par than at other tournaments. The rough is thick, fairways tight and greens fast. For some, this means that it takes driving accuracy to win a US Open, while other claim it comes down to putting. But really, like almost every tournament, it comes down to a combination of everything. The person who puts it all together for 72 holes will come out on top. And that leads to the biggest question; who's going to win this year?

Let's take a look at the favorites:

Lee Westwood          10-1

The 'Best Player Without a Major' is once again in position to win his first. But can he do it? While Westwood is consistently in the mix in the majors, he's never able to bring it home. However, that experience of being in contention on Sunday only helps him in the future. While I have trouble considering him a favorite, I wouldn't be surprised if he won.

20-1. The BPWAM moniker is a tough one to shake.

Steve Stricker          25-1

Seriously? I don't get the hype about this guy. The biggest prize of his career is the 'Comeback Player of the Year' which he somehow won two years in a row. He doesn't have many big wins, and hasn't been in contention in a major since the 1998 PGA Championship.

Let's be realistic, 50-1

K.J. Choi          30-1

The South Korean was able to win the 'fifth major' this year, at the Player's Championship. A consistent player in the majors, but he hasn't been able to put together a real good US Open, missing three cuts in the past five years. His strength is his steady game which helps him avoid finding any real trouble most days. Could be a factor come Sunday if he's near the top of the leaderboard.

30-1 sounds about right.

Rory McIlroy          15-1

After McIlroy's epic collapse at the Masters in April, it's difficult to give him any real consideration. Most players who suffer such setbacks take years to recover mentally. Look at Phil Mickelson after the 2006 US Open. He didn't contend in a major for three years. However, McIlroy has one thing going for him, he's 22. Kids can rebound from those kind of things a little better than the older players, so he could still be a factor. Just maybe not 15-1.

I've got McIlroy at 25-1. If he can come out of the gate with a good first round though, look for him to win.

Dustin Johnson          25-1

Dustin Johnson sort of has the same thing going on as Rory McIlroy; it's mostly mental. Johnson was the one who collapsed at the US Open last year, shooting 82 on Sunday. But he was able to show resilience, losing the PGA Championship after a rules infraction on the 72nd hole. To be able to compete successfully after having suffered the 82 at Pebble shows me this guy has what it takes upstairs. Plus he hits it a ton.

I think he's better than many think. I have him at 15-1.

Bubba Watson          40-1

He hits it a long way. He hits a lot of greens. And he's been in contention in a major before, having lost last year's PGA in a playoff. He also won in New Orleans in April. I have to think he'll be a factor this weekend.

40-1 is too much for this guy, I think he's a more respectable 20-1.

Graeme McDowell          35-1

Who is Curtis Strange? That's the Jeopardy 'question' to He was the last person to repeat as US Open champion.  That happened in 1989. Before that, it was Ben Hogan in 1951. Don't look for McDowell to be next. While he was a worthy champion last year and I wouldn't consider his win anything close to a fluke, I don't think he'll be able to do it twice in a row. There's a reason only two people have repeated in the past 60 years; it's just so difficult.

75-1. He could win another Open in the future, but nothing tells me he's ready to repeat.

Ernie Els          50-1

Sure, he won the last US Open to be held at Congressional in 1997, but the game and the course have changed so much, that 'course knowledge' doesn't really amount to a hill of beans. Ernie will go down as one of the better players of the past generation, but I think his best years are behind him.

100-1. Thanks for the memories Ernie!

Phil Mickelson          12-1

Despite what some lanky writers might tell you, with Tiger Woods out, Phil Mickelson is the best player in the world, the most able to win the US Open, and should be the hands down favorite to win this week. Mickelson has a record five runner up finishes in this tournament, so he knows how to be there on Sunday. His career accomplishments are more than the rest of the player featured in this article combined, and in a head to head battle with any of them, I see him coming out on top.

Phil wants this tournament more than any other. 5-1.

Nick Watney          25-1

Watney's having his best season ever on the PGA Tour in 2011, which has included a victory in a WGC event. But he's struggled in the US Open, with two missed cuts, a 60th and a 76th place finish. In fact he's never been under par in any US Open round. Experience is such an important factor in winning a major, and he needs a little more to be taken seriously.

40-1.

Luke Donald          10-1

The current number one has been having a fairly good season, winning the Match Play Championship and losing the Heritage Classic in a playoff. While I'd like to rank his a little higher, Donald hasn't fared well in the US Open, missing three cuts in seven starts, and a tie for 12th as his best finish. So while he's been playing as well as anybody this year, his track record scares me a little.

I'll put him at a still respectable and more realistic 25-1.

Martin Kaymer          25-1

Yes, he won the 2010 PGA and was ranked number one in the world. But have you done for me lately Herr Kaymer? He missed the cut at Augusta and has been relatively quiet this year. I don't see him coming out of the wood work to win this weekend.

75-1. You can't miss the cut at Augusta four years in a row and be considered a favorite to win a major.

-TheRev

Jersey Fouls
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Why I Don't Like the Canucks

2011-06-13T22:56:00.001-06:00

Sitting amongst a sea of blue and green at a local bar (By the way Melrose, you should be ashamed to call yourself the home of the red mile) I couldn’t help but stand up and cheer every single time Boston lit the lamp.

I received my fair share of evil, stink, and crook eyes but I truly could care less. I found one local “Bruins fan” to high five and that was plenty to satisfy my need. I was smiling ear to ear.

I’m not a Bruins fan per say. I’m just a Flames fan who would rather see anybody but Vancouver win the cup. It’s pretty simple actually.

This year’s playoff hockey has been outstanding for the most part. The first round itself comes to mind. The overtimes, the drama, the excitement – it was all just fine and dandy from a genuine hockey fans perspective.

But, I have had no greater pleasure throughout this entire post-season than I have had cheering against the Vancouver Canucks. I just hate them that much.

And now we get the joy of witnessing a Stanley Cup Final Game 7. Does it get any better?

Well, the answer would be yes and that’s if the Flames were in the final, but we know that’s not going to happen anytime soon. I digress.

I don’t know what it is exactly about the Canucks that I hate so much. Maybe it’s the whiney fans, maybe it’s the pansies that play for that team that constantly dive (I’m looking right at you Lapierre, Burrows, the Sisters, and throw in Kesler), or maybe it’s the simple fact that they are Calgary’s arch nemesis.

1989. The Flames beat the Canucks in a gruelling seven game series when a puck goes in off Joel Otto’s skate while charging to the net.

Go back to 1994 when Pavel Bure took a two-line pass (yeah I said it) and scored the winning goal in triple overtime in game 7.

2004. The Flames come back from 4-0 down in game 6 to send it to overtime only to have Brendan Morrison score in triple overtime to send it to a game 7.

In game 7, the Flames let in a goal with less than 10 seconds left to send it to overtime. Then, Martin Gelinas ends it sending Flames fans into the streets and sending Canuck fans...well, into the streets as well.

That’s how a rivalry is formed. That’s how true hatred is formed.

If the Emperor was looking for a way to bring Luke Skywalker’s hatred out and turn him to the dark side, he had bad luck that Luke wasn’t a Flames fan because all you would have to do was show footage of 94’ or any game in which the Canucks beat Calgary – which would be five times season—and Luke would be knocking out Jedi left right and center.

Someone asked me why I’m cheering for the Bruins? I simply said, because I’m a Flames fan and I would rather eat hot garbage than watch Henrik Sedin hoist the cup over his head.

I can’t cheer for them. I’ve never tried and I never will. It would feel like I was cheating on a really hot girl that constantly disappointed me but never failed to keep me guessing, and therefore always has my heart.

The Canucks are a great team, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t mean I have to like them.

So now it’s Game 7.

Bruins.

Canucks.

For all the marbles and possibly years saved of hearing Canucks fans brag about 2011 and how they won it all.

I really can’t say it enough.

ABV and GBG.

Rant over.

Newman
Jersey Fouls!
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Flames Have Hart: Hire Craig Hartsburg as Associate Coach

2011-06-06T18:25:00.000-06:00

The Calgary Flames were busy today.

Not only were they playing their annual alumni golf tournament but they also made some hires in Craig Hartsburg and Jamie Pringle.

Hartsburg was hired as the team's new Associate Coach and comes in with a wealth of experience having Head Coaching exerience in Anaheim, Ottawa and Chicago, while assisting in Minnesota and Philly twice. He also was the head coach of the Canada's world junior team in 07' and 08' -- winning gold both times. Additionally, he was Brent Sutter's assistant in 2006 for Canada, winning gold as well.

Last season he was the GM and Head Coach of the Everett Silvertips of the WHL.

He has loads of experience and Sutter is extremely familiar with him. Hartsburg said in an interview on the radio today that he won't be just a "Yes Man" and if he disagrees with what Sutter is saying, he will let him know and not just stand idly by.

Never a bad thing to have a couple of sollid opinions. Hopefully discussion doesn't result in infighting.

The Flames now have a wealth of experienced junior level coaches in Sutter (Red Deer), Lowry (Hitmen), and Hartsburg.

Maybe now they won't be so reluctant to bring up the young prospects and give them a chance to play. In the past, under Darryl Sutter, the team has been very reluctant to bring anyone younger than 35 years of age up to play on this team. Ok, maybe not that old, but they have been reluctant to move prospects along and I hope this means the younger guys get a fighting chance.

Jamie Pringle is the new Senior Video analyst for the Flames. This guy is aspiring to be the best video analyst in the game, which bodes well for the Flames. He has no asipirations, or so we've heard, of doing anything else, which should mean he will be solely focused on helping the players extract an edge of their opponents.

This seems like a good hire and will probably be a welcome change from Rob Cookson, who was with the team for the last decade.

Two spots still remain vacant with the Flames -- goaltending coach and assistant GM. The AGM most likely won't be hired until after the draft, while the goaltending coach could come any day now.

Sutter made the hires -- something he has always wanted. This is his team, and this will be THE year to put his stamp on the team.

Is it September yet? Have the Canucks lost yet?

Newman

JERSEY FOULS!

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Welcome to Winnipeg, How Long Can You Stay?

2011-06-02T09:23:00.000-06:00

Well, there's hockey in Winnipeg again. And many hockey fans couldn't be happier. Myself, I'm neither here nor there about it. On one hand, it'll be nice to see butts in the seats, but on the other hand, when travelling, I'd rather catch a Flames game in Atlanta than Winnipeg. I suppose that's purely a selfish reason and it'd probably be better for the game with a team in Winnipeg. Having said that, I refuse to use support for this move as some sort of litmus test of one's patriotism.

So the big question facing hockey in Winnipeg, and it isn't what they'll be called, it's how long will they stay this time? I will be so bold as to say that the Polar Bears, or Falcons or Moose or whatever they decide to call themselves, will have moved from Winnipeg in five or six years. Because when I look at this situation, it just doesn't add up.

Here are some of the key facts:

Smallest market in the NHL: Winnipeg, 694,668
Smallest Arena in NHL: MTS Centre: 15,015

Now why is this important? Well, these numbers are the reason this team will struggle financially; the reason they'll lose so much money. And I fear they'll find themselves in the same position financially as they did in Atlanta, but with a sold out arena.

First of all, the arena is too small. With only 15,015 seats, the MTS Centre is considerably smaller than most NHL rinks, and will be selling a couple of thousand less seats than other teams, per game. Comparing it to the Saddledome, which holds 19,289, a Winnipeg team will be selling 175,234 fewer seats each year than the Flames. Considering the Flames' average ticket price of $59.73, that's almost $10,500,000 less in revenue each year for the Polar Bears. And that doesn't include luxury suites, which bring in the bulk of ticket monies. But it does lead to the next problem, corporate money.

In most successful NHL cities, the majority of season tickets are owned by corporations. The difference between having corporate ownership versus private, is that companies can wait out losing streaks and recessions better than Johnny Punch-Clock. When the team or the economy tanks, the average person will be giving up their tickets before, say, Imperial Oil. Corporate tickets give teams a little bit of a cushion against bad times. The problem with Winnipeg is there aren't enough corporations to buy that many tickets. Like Ottawa, and to a lesser extent Edmonton, Winnipeg is a government town. The government cannot get into buying season tickets for obvious reasons, leaving only a handful of smaller companies in the Peg to buy up the suites and lower bowl seats. While many teams can sell dozens of suites each year for hundred of thousands of dollars, Winnipeg cannot. This leaves the people of Winnipeg to do most of the buying.

While they may love hockey, and they may have supported the Moose; the NHL is a very different beast and a very expensive beast. The problem this team is going to have, is there simply aren't enough people or enough companies who can afford to buy NHL-priced tickets. With the 2nd most expensive average ticket price in the NHL (behind the Leafs), Winnipegers are being asked to make three or five year commitments to season tickets ranging from $1,755 to $5,850 in price. That's steep, and I don't think there'll be enough people in Winnipeg to make it happen.

Of course the ticket problem won't affect the team in the first few seasons as the initial euphoria over having NHL hockey again will ensure the arena is filled every night. But after that, people may start to reconsider having mortgaged their $60,000 houses to watch hockey. Especially when their team isn't very good. Let's not forget that this isn't a new team. This is the Atlanta Thrashers, who have made the post season once in the past 11 years. Because of their obvious financial struggles, it's doubtful they'll be able to spend to the cap; they're more likely to be a "closer to the cap floor" team. And there's no reason to think they will suddenly turn it around because their new fans like hockey. When this team continues to struggle, attendance will lag and the financial problems will deepen.

It's true that Canada's wealthiest man is one of the owners of this new team, and he could not doubt support this team forever without any significant losses. But even people with $20 billion don't like to lose money. After four or five seasons of losing $15 to $20 million per season, it'll be time to pull the plug on this failed experiment. Let's not forget, this city has already lost their NHL team once before. There isn't really any reason to think it'll work this time around.

I love the idea of the Flames playing the former-Thrashers six times each season and I hope it does work in Winnipeg; there could be some great rivalries. But I wouldn't get the Polar Bears' logo tattooed on your ass just yet.

Jersey Fouls

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Flames Deal Erixon to Rangers

2011-06-01T14:53:00.002-06:00

The Flames have dealt Tim Erixon and their 5th Round selection in this years draft to the new York Rangers for Roman Horak and two 2nd round picks (projected to be 43rd and 57th overall) in the 2011 draft.

Feaster and the Flames were unable to come to terms with Erixon, the Flames 1st round pick in 2009, and instead of sending him back into the draft they were able to get something in return.

First thought is that it's a shame the Flames will lose Erixon. This guy has a ton of potential and probably would have gone Top 10 if he had been put back into the draft this year. On the other hand, they do salvage something out of him and stockpile some much needed draft picks.

Apparently Feaster's hands were tied on this one and Erixon never had any intention on playing in Calgary. He wanted to play for the Rangers like his papa and nothing was going to stop him. It's tough luck for the Flames as they lose arguably their best young talented player and probably the one closest to being able to play in the NHL.

So what do you do when you are given a lemon?

You make lemonade, or some variation of it. That's what Feaster did. He managed to get draft picks and another less touted prospect back. Sure, none of them might turn out as well as Erixon, but then again you are trading potential for potential and nothing is certain. Heck, look at Alexandre Daigle or Patrick Stefan.

Ok, maybe a little extreme but the Flames lost the best player in the deal yet again, and it stings.

Horak, who hails from the Czech Republic, can score as he put up 26 goals and 52 assists in 64 games with Chilliwack last season. He played with another Flames prospect LW Ryan Howse all year long, so the Flames were very familiar with young Czech. Howse put up 51 goals and 32 assists. Horak is 20 years old, while Howse will turn 20 this summer. Both should be slated to play in Abbostford next fall and hopefully inject some offence into the lowest scoring team in the AHL.
Some numbers on Horak: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=112706

Newman

Jersey Fouls!

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Stanley Cup Final Predictions

2011-05-30T00:20:00.000-06:00

Well it comes down to this: the Vancouver Canucks vs the Boston Bruins for Lord Stanley's coveted mug.

Arguably the best team in the NHL vs. the Big Bad Bruins.

I can't tell you how much I want Boston to win this series. It makes me sad to think that Vancouver could be raising the Cup in less than a couple of weeks. It makes me want to vomit to tell you the truth.

I, along with Bryan "The Rev" Wright, would like to make it clear that we are NOT cheering for the Canucks because they are simply from Canada. That argument is quite possibly the stupidest EVER created and thus we, along with what I hope to be a lot more Flames fans, will be vehemently cheering against the orca clad men from Vancouver.

ABV (Anybody but Vancouver). In this case, it's the Boston Bruins.

I am this close to going out and buying a Bruins jersey...but alas a big sign might have to suffice.

So without further ado, our predictions...with no emotion attached to them whatsoever.

NEWMAN

Bruins in 4 outscoring the Canucks 35-0 in the process forcing Roberto Luongo to call the Bruins his daddy.

Ok, to be realistic, if the Bruins can hit the Canucks and be really hard on the forecheck and get the Sedins off their game, then they might have a hope. Also, Thomas has to play the series of his life and the PP has to be better than the 8.2% clip it is currently running at. If that happens, then the Bruins might win...might.

You can understand why I am scared. Vancouver is such a well rounded team and they have Malhotra and Ehrhoff likely returning making them even stronger. If Vancouver doesn't win I will be shocked. I may also never want to come in contact with another Canucks fan for as long as I live.

What I think will happen: Canucks will win the Cup in 5...barf

THE REV

For once, Newman and I are in total agreement. The only thing that might infuriate me more than a Canucks Stanley Cup, would be the Leafs winning. That would a whole new level of anger.

But I digress. While I admit Vancouver is probably the better team, I don't think they run away with it. The key to a Bruins victory will be their ability to shut down the Vancouver offence, and the play of Tim Thomas. If Thomas can continue to play well, very well actually, then the Bruins have a chance to steal this series.

I'll take the Bruins in 7.

JERSEY FOULS!

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Flames sign Glencross and make Feaster GM

2011-05-16T13:05:00.000-06:00

The Calgary Flames signed Curtis Glencross to a four year $10.2 million deal today. Following this signing, the Flames made it official by finally stripping the “Acting” tag off of Jay Feaster’s GM role, and officially giving him the keys to the car.

This officially marks the beginning of the Jay Feaster era in Calgary.

First off: the Glencross signing. I was on record as saying that anything over $2.3 million a season for Glencross would be a bad signing for two reasons. One: I truly believed he would test he free agent market and receive well over that and I was worried the Flames would try and match some ridiculous offer to keep him and subsequently get trapped in another bad contract. And two, because I really didn’t think the Flames could actually afford anything over that number given their strenuous cap situation.

I guess I was a little off in my assumptions.

The deal also includes a no-movement clause – something the Flames give out like mini Twix bars on all hallows eve, or so it would seem.

The addition of the no-movement clause gives Glencross a level of security for his young family and guarantees (sort of) that he isn’t leaving Calgary. The Flames are “cap-strapped” as it were and giving these NMC allows the overall dollar figure of these contracts to be lower, and was most definitely a big bargaining chip in the negotiating process.

Glencross took a home town discount, which is something I didn’t think he would do given his potential to make over $3 million a year on the open market. I admire him for that and I think a lot of fans will too. He realized he had a pretty good thing going on here and unlike when Conroy left for the big lights (signing a very similar 4-year, $10.3 million deal in 05’) of Hollywood following the lockout, Glencross decided it best to keep playing in a city he loved and playing for a team that he is familiar with.

The move puts the Flames salary payroll for the upcoming season at $55.8 million, roughly $3.6 million under the cap.

With Tanguay still left to be signed and only four defencemen under contract for the upcoming season, it’s pretty obvious that there are more moves to be made.

I like the signing, but I must say I am pretty surprised that a player put his ego aside and took less money than what he probably could have gotten had he exhausted his options. It’s a fair deal and one I don’t think the Flames will be regretting like the contract of one Matthew Stajan.

In one of the worst kept secrets in recent memory the Flames also named Jay Feaster the GM of the club, finally taking away the Acting title from his name. It was a move that most everybody saw coming from a mile away, and one that probably could have been done immediately following the firing of Sutter in late December.

Feaster will now be given his chance to put a stamp on this team. His drafting record is worse than that of his predecessor and his trading history isn’t fantastic, but for some reason I feel safer knowing Feaster is in charge rather than Darryl.

Not quite the lesser of two evils, but Feaster has to show the fans that he is able to dig this team out of the giant quagmire of garbage they find themselves in at the current moment.

There is a lot of excess waste on this team (See: Kotalik, Hagman, Ivanans, etc) and some contracts that may need to be dumped to make this team more flexible (See: Sarich, Stajan or maybe Regehr). The next thing on his agenda should be trying to sign Tanguay as he was a key contributor to the Flames offence and, more importantly, provided Jarome Iginla with someone legitimate to play with.

Mr. Feaster, the floor is yours.

Newman
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