We continue our offseason series taking a look back at past Calgary Flames rosters with the 2008–09 squad. Sensing time may be running out for him in Calgary, Darryl Sutter was very busy leading up to and during the 2008–09 season in an attempt to build a winner around Jarome Iginla.
For the first time in years the Flames finished comfortably in a playoff spot, sitting fifth in the Western Conference by the end of the regular season. Unfortunately in the playoffs it was the same old story as they’d once again be knocked out in the first round.
From that team, Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy are the only members still involved with the organization in a management or coaching role as general manager and special advisor to the general manager. Cory Sarich meanwhile works for the team on a recurring basis with FlamesTV during the season.
Forwards
Jarome Iginla
After his Hart trophy worthy 2007–08 season, Jarome Iginla took a tad step back in 2008–09 with 35 goals and 89 points. That said, he was by far the team’s best player and the talent around him was once again limited. Outside of Iginla, only one other forward on the team cracked 30 goals or 50 points.
Iginla was dealt a few years later in 2013 and retired from hockey in 2017. In 2020, he was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Since retiring he was not directly involved with any NHL team until of course this summer when he was hired as the special assistant to the general manager in Calgary.
Mike Cammalleri
In desperate need of scoring help, the Flames went out and acquired a 26-year-old Mike Cammalleri at the 2008 NHL Draft from the Los Angeles Kings. The move would pay off as Cammalleri posted a career best 39 goals and 82 points during his first season as a Flame in 2008–09.
Despite his success in Calgary, the Flames were unable to re-sign him following the season due to a lack of cap space and Cammalleri left as a free agent after just one season in Calgary. He’d eventually be re-acquired a couple years later in 2012, only to once again leave as a free agent in 2014. He retired a few years later in 2018.
He’s currently co-CEO at sports nutrition company BioSteel, a company he helped found in 2009 during his playing days.
Craig Conroy
After a poor 2007–08 season, Craig Conroy bounced back in 2008–09 with 48 points in 82 games and re-established himself as a strong two-way presence. His season earned him the 12th most votes for the Selke trophy at age 37.
Conroy would play two more seasons in Calgary before retiring during the 2010–11 season. He then quickly moved into a management role with the Flames that same season and has worked his way up the organization, eventually being named general manager this summer.
Daymond Langkow
Now 32 years old, Daymond Langkow’s days as a number one centre were gone. He’d see a 16-point drop off from the 2007–08 season with 49 points across 73 games in 2008–09. What he did provide that season however was some borderline elite defensive play as a strong two-way centre.
Langkow was eventually dealt to the Coyotes a couple years later in 2011 and played one more season before retiring. He’s not currently working in hockey, however his son Colton is teammates with Flames first-round pick Samuel Honzek in the WHL.
Todd Bertuzzi
As was tradition during the Sutter era, the Flames loved bringing in veteran’s past their prime to aid their scoring woes. The 2008 offseason was no different as the team made the controversial decision to sign 32-year-old Todd Bertuzzi in free agency.
Bertuzzi would at least make an impact in Calgary, registering 44 points in 66 games to post the third best point pace among Flames forwards in 2008–09. Following the season he’d leave in free agency. Bertuzzi played five more seasons in the NHL and retired in 2015. He’d coach the AAA Oakland Jr. Grizzlies from 2015 to 2017 but doesn’t currently work in hockey.
Rene Bourque
Another offseason addition to bolster the Flames offence, Sutter acquired a 26-year-old Rene Bourque in July of 2008. Bourque would take a big step in his first year in Calgary in 2008–09 as he’d finish the year with a career-high 21 goals and 40 points in 62 games to rank seventh on the Flames in scoring.
Bourque would play three more productive seasons in Calgary before being traded during the 2011–12 season to Montreal. He’d play five more seasons in the NHL and one in Sweden before eventually retiring in 2018.
Inspired by his upbringing, Bourque started the Bourque Buddies charity to help Metis children like himself have something to work towards growing up. He also started the Rene Bourque Hockey Fund to help provide hockey equipment to underprivileged children.
Curtis Glencross
A 25-year-old Curtis Glencross was brought in through free agency prior to the 2008–09 season in yet another move to add some offence to the Flames. Like Bourque, Glencross would have an immediate impact in Calgary with a career-high 13 goals and 40 points in 2008–09.
Glencross would become one of the more well known Flames of the early 2010s and spend parts of seven seasons in Calgary before being dealt at the 2014 trade deadline. Unable to find a new contract during the 2015 offseason Glencross retired at the age of 33.
Glencross has remained a huge part of the Calgary community as he has hosted a yearly Glencross Charity Camp and Poker Event and regularly takes part in Flames Alumni charity events and activities.
Matthew Lombardi
The 2008–09 season would end up being Matthew Lombardi’s last as a Flame. Despite registering the best point pace of his career with 30 points in 50 games, Lombardi would be dealt at the 2009 trade deadline in a deal that brought Olli Jokinen to Calgary.
He’d spend another four years in the NHL after the trade before going over to Switzerland in 2013. Lombardi played for Geneve Servette for three seasons, winning the Spengler Cup in 2015, and retired in 2016.
David Moss
David Moss would establish himself as a regular in the Flames lineup in 2008–09, posting 20 goals and 39 points in 81 games while playing in the team’s middle six. He’d spend another three years as a Flame and then head to Arizona as a free agent in 2012. He’d leave the NHL in 2015 and spend one year in Switzerland before retiring in 2016.
A fun fact about Moss is that he married Survivor season 18 contestant Erinn Lobdell in 2014, who he now has four children with.
Dustin Boyd
In his second full season in the NHL, Dustin Boyd registered a career-high 22 points in 71 games in 2008–09. Boyd would last just one more season in Calgary and was dealt during the 2009–10 season. Soon after in 2011 he’d leave the NHL for the KHL where he had a successful career until his retirement in 2020.
Jamie Lundmark
After being traded for Craig Conroy in 2007, the Flames brought back Jamie Lundmark during 2008 free agency. Lundmark suited up in 27 games for the Flames in 2008–09, posting 16 points. He’d start the following 2009–10 season in Calgary but would eventually be claimed off waivers by Toronto during the season.
The 2009–10 season would be his last in the NHL as he’d go on to play eight successful seasons split between Sweden, Russia, and Austria before retiring in 2018. This coming season Lundmark is slated to work as an assistant coach and director of player development for the Princeton University women’s hockey team. He’s also the owner and founder of Method Hockey, a hockey training centre.
Eric Nystrom
After a disappointing rookie season for Eric Nystrom the year prior, it didn’t get much better for the Flames’ 2002 10th overall pick in 2008–09. Nystrom managed just 10 points in 76 games playing in the team’s bottom-six. He’d never live up to his draft hype and played just one more year in Calgary before leaving as a free agent in 2010.
Nystrom stuck around in the NHL for six more seasons before going over to Norway in 2016–17. He’d retire after one season in Norway in 2017 after winning a Norwegian Championship with the Stavanger Oilers. He currently works as a Cybersecurity Concierge in Florida.
Defencemen
Dion Phaneuf
After a career year in 2007–08, Dion Phaneuf took a sizeable step back in 2008–09 with just 11 goals and 47 points in 80 games. Due to his poor season, trade rumours began to pop up about the then 24-year-old. At the time Flames management defended Phaneuf, stating he was dealing with injuries all season.
This season was the beginning of the end for Phaneuf in Calgary as he’d be dealt to Toronto a year later in 2010. Phaneuf would spend another 11 years in the NHL and retired in 2021. In 2022 he joined CBD and vitamin supplement company CaniBrands as the company’s strategic advisor.
Robyn Regehr
Mr. Reliable Robyn Regehr would continue to plug away on the Flames blueline in 2008–09, averaging 21 minutes a night in the team’s top-four. A couple years later in 2011 Regehr was dealt to Buffalo for Chris Butler and Paul Byron. He’d spend five more seasons in the NHL, winning a Stanley Cup with Sutter and the L.A. Kings in 2014.
After retiring in 2015, Regehr—who is an avid outdoorsman—has spent his time snowmobiling, and wakeboarding in Calgary and teaches kids outdoor safety.
Adrian Aucoin
Veteran Adrian Aucoin would post 34 points in 81 games in 2008–09 in what would be his final year as a Flame. He’d also add on two playoff goals in just six games. The 34-year-old would leave as a free agent following the season. Aucoin spent four more years in the NHL before retiring in 2013.
Immediately after retiring Aucoin became a development coach with the Blackhawks in 2013 and would remain in the role until 2015. He’d then move into an assistant coach role with the AAA Chicago Mission which is where he has worked for the past eight years.
Cory Sarich
It’s pretty wild just how many veteran shutdown defenceman the Flames employed during the 2008–09 season. Credit where it’s due Cory Sarich would post some very strong underlying defensive numbers and tag on 20 points in 2008–09.
Sarich would spend another five seasons in Calgary and one more in Colorado after being traded by the Flames in 2013. He’d retire in 2014. Sarich suffered a scary biking accident soon after retiring in 2014 but made a full recovery and currently works with FlamesTV during the season.
Mark Giordano
After heading over to the KHL for the 2007–08 season, Mark Giordano returned to the Flames in 2008–09 and the rest of course, is history. Giordano would post 19 points in 58 games in 2008–09, but would of course go on to become one of the best Flames of all time in the 2010s. His run as one of the league’s top defenders of his era is something the franchise may not see again for a very long time.
Giordano would play the second most games of any Flame ever and served as the second longest running team captain in history before being claimed in the 2021 expansion draft. He’s spent the last two seasons playing for his hometown Maple Leafs. Here’s hoping he signs a one day contract to retire as a Flame one day.
Adam Pardy
A sixth-round pick by the Flames in 2004, Adam Pardy made his rookie debut during the 2008–09 season, suiting up for 60 games while posting 10 points. Yet another hulking defensive defenceman on the Flames blueline, Pardy would stick around for three years in Calgary before leaving as a free agent in 2011.
Pardy played six more seasons in the NHL after leaving, one in the SHL and one in the ECHL before retiring in 2019 after winning the Kelly Cup. This past season Pardy served as an assistant coach for the AAA East Coast Blizzards and also works as a Sales Manager at KaiCo Energy Inc, providing businesses the tools to become energy efficient.
Goaltenders
Miikka Kiprusoff
The 2008–09 season was an interesting one for Miikka Kiprusoff’s as he’d post the worst save percentage of his career as the Flames starter at .903. Despite this he’d still lead the league in wins with 45 which is currently the Flames franchise record for wins by a goaltender in a season. His 76 games played also led the league and is a Flames franchise best.
Kiprusoff would of course finish his career in Calgary following the 2013–14 season. He’s since returned to Finland and has lived a notoriously quiet life away from the spotlight, until of course this past week when it was announced his number would be retired in March.
