The Calgary Flames have many reasons to celebrate. Miikka Kiprusoff became the fourth Calgary Flame to have their number retired by the franchise. The four names hanging from the rafters are now Lanny McDonald, Mike Vernon, Jarome Iginla, and of course the newest banner, Miikka Kiprusoff.
The legends of each of these four players will forever be a part of the fabric of the franchise. With every jersey retirement for any team for any player, it’s automatically a big-game feeling where the team wants to win for the person they’re honouring. The Calgary Flames haven’t gotten such a win since 1990 when they retired McDonald’s number.
With a huge third period comeback against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flames rallied hard for Kiprusoff and are now back in the win column on jersey retirements for the first time in 34 years.
The Calgary Flames’ record on jersey retirement nights
Here’s how every jersey retirement game has gone for Calgary
Winning for Lanny
When the Flames retired McDonald’s number on March 17, 1990, they faced the Hartford Whalers. The two teams went back and forth all game long. For the first four goals the Flames scored, the Whalers had an answer each and every time. However, Calgary’s fifth goal came from Paul Ranheim and that was the game-winner. The Flames won their game to go 38–21–14 to build on their season as the defending Cup Champions. Calgary ultimately went 42–23–15 to finish first in the Smythe Division, but lost in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Kings.
A shootout loss for Vernon
17 years after their first jersey retirement, the Flames finally raised a second jersey and it’d be Vernon’s. They retired his number on February 6, 2007 when the team faced the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flames got up ahead 2–0 with goals from Jeff Friesen and Kristian Huselius, but late in the third period the Blackhawks came back with Martin Havlat scoring two goals with under three minutes to play. The game needed a shootout to solve and unfortunately for the Flames and Vernon, the Blackhawks came away with the win.
A gutwrenching loss for Iginla
Most people immediately know exactly why this game was downright embarrassing and included what some would consider unforgivably selfish play. That’s right. I’m talking about the Mike Smith giveaway that led to the downfall of the Flames. On March 2, 2019, the Flames and Minnesota Wild were tied at one goal apiece heading into the third period. A pedestrian dump-in by the Wild led to Smith vacating his net and the rest is history. One individual singlehandedly led to the Flames losing on Iginla’s jersey retirement. (Yes, I am still bitter).
Getting the job done for Kipper
After being unsuccessful at winning the game in their last two jersey retirements, the Flames looked like they were about to lose again, being down 3–1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third period. But the 2023–24 Flames have been one of the best teams at comeback wins and the Penguins have been awful when it came to giving up leads. That’s a perfect recipe for some jersey retirement magic. Third period goals from Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, and Yegor Sharangovich completed the comeback as the Flames gave Kipper a win on his big night. I’ll say this as well: with Iginla in attendance, they avenged the loss on his night too.
Back to business for the Flames
The Flames got a big win on a big night celebrating Kiprusoff. They’re now winnings of five straight games for the first time this season, and they’ll have a bunch of work to do both on and off the ice with the trade deadline being mere days away. It’ll be a big week for the Calgary Flames, but they started it with a historic moment that no one—especially not Miikka Kiprusoff—will soon forget.
You can put it in the win column and up in the rafters.
