Last season was tough to be a Calgary Flames player, coach, general manager, equipment manager, and most of all, it was tough to be a fan. Losing two 100-point players in the span of two weeks was the offseason’s worst blow. Retooling and looking to remain competitive was a welcomed surprise. However, on a bi-nightly basis, the Flames seemed to always outshoot their opponent and played a perimeter game.
On top of that, things just went wrong. All the time. There were all of the awkward moments with Darryl Sutter and the media. The team lost seventeen games in overtime. They missed the playoffs by mere points. Jonathan Huberdeau had the worst season-to-season point decrease in NHL history.
Fast forward, and the Flames fired Darryl Sutter on May 1. This was a big commitment, as Sutter is still owed $4.2M for this season and next. Firing Sutter signalled the change of culture that this Flames team desperately needed. And if they hadn’t fired Sutter, this Flames roster would have reportedly looked much different. Tyler Toffoli, Milan Lucic, and Trevor Lewis were the major departures in the offseason. Had Sutter stayed, that list would have been a lot longer.
Promoting Ryan Huska and Craig Conroy—who reportedly both have great relationships with the players—was key for the franchise. There was a grey cloud hanging over the Saddledome and this team last season. Now, it looks like that grey cloud has departed. There are still questions about the 2024 UFA class which will hang over the team over the season. But, the on-ice product and post-game interviews are going to be much better.
A preseason game to spark the Flames
The good vibes have continued into the preseason. On Sunday night, the Flames shunned the Vancouver Canucks with a 10–0 final score. I know I know, it was mostly the Canucks AHL team playing, but the vibes were off the charts. Jonathan Huberdeau potted two goals, one being a great toe-drag release. Nazem Kadri had a highlight reel goal. Matthew Coronato had a hat trick. The Flames have switched from man-on-man defence to zone defence. The team is playing more of an east-west game, as opposed to the north-south game they hammered in 2022–23.
Further, the power play already looks better under new assistant coach Marc Savard. Although, anything is an improvement over the power play last year if we are being honest. Again, it was just a preseason game. But, it was very nice to watch the Calgary Flames play hockey. That was a rarity last season.
The impact of young players
The Flames have committed to giving young players opportunities to make the NHL lineup. This was something that was definitely missing last season, which players have noted, worsened the vibes in the dressing room. Young players like Jakob Pelletier and Coronato are important to have in the locker room, as the grind of an 82-game season can drag on. It’s important to have that energy and charisma from younger players added.
As MacKenzie Weegar once said: “The vibes are immaculate.” It is early, but it’s great to see all the positivity so far. The good vibes should continue into this week with the reveal of the Heritage Classic jersey, the potential re-signing of Mikael Backlund, and a captaincy announcement.
Photo courtesy of @NHLFlames on Twitter.
