The difference that just a few weeks can make. When the Calgary Flames season began at the beginning of this month, it looked like we were in for a long ride of uninspiring hockey filled with blowout losses. Turn the page to today, and the story is much different.
The Flames are surging, winning four straight games. They have been playing maybe the most fun hockey that we have seen them play in years. While this may not be sustainable, finishing lower in the standings this season would probably still benefit them much more in the long term. But seeing them play an exciting brand of hockey is so fun to see. And it is much better for the development of the young core that the Flames are building.
Leading the charge of this sudden and unexpected win streak? The young guys, a few vets, and a red-hot goalie who the media could not get enough of.
The young guns are leading the way
If you wanted this season to go one way, it would be with the new core of this team taking over and proving they belong. As of late, those guys have been doing that.
Matt Coronato
Matt Coronato has taken his game up to a new level. He has added much more speed to his game; he is getting to the dirty areas, and his playmaking ability looks so sharp, which makes him much more lethal, along with that great shot he has. He is currently on pace for 76 points, and while that may not happen, his start to this season trumps the start he had a year ago. Coronato has looked so good so far, and the hope is he can continue to make a huge impact for years to come.
Matvei Gridin
Matvei Gridin had a bit of a slow start, but he is now rolling as of late. The 20-year-old came into camp this year with a goal: to lead the Flames in points. He isn’t there yet, but with seven points in his last five games, he is slowly getting there. He breathes confidence; you see it every time he jumps on the ice. Gridin wants the puck, and he either wants to put it in the net himself or find a teammate to do it.
I was skeptical of Gridin coming into the year, not because I didn’t believe in him, but because of the talent around him. Well, he is proving all the doubters wrong. He looks faster and stronger than a season ago, and that is making him dangerous with every touch he gets. If he keeps going like this, he has top-line potential written all over him.
Zayne Parekh
The counting totals may not be there just yet for Zayne Parekh, but don’t get it twisted, we have an elite defenceman here, and he is just getting started. Parekh has come into this season bigger and stronger than he did a year ago. He is not getting pushed around easily anymore; he is skating better, and the confidence he has with the puck is what we saw from him in junior. Since being separated from Jake Middleton, Parekh has been playing much better. He looks like someone ready to explode. He has been dancing through the opposition and makes a jaw-dropping play almost every night. The biggest thing for Parekh during this stretch: he looks happy playing the game again, which was something we couldn’t say about him a year ago.
Simon Nemec
The big piece acquired in the summer, Simon Nemec, early on is showing why the Flames paid a high price for his services. He is not as flashy as Parekh, but he is a calming presence alongside Kevin Bahl. Nemec has been rock solid so far. All the underlying metrics support it; he skates well and is fantastic in transition. He is the puck mover that the Flames needed behind Parekh, and we are seeing why he went 2nd overall just four years ago. While, like Parekh, the counting stats don’t show it, he has been great. He is still so young, and if the Flames can continue to unlock whatever is in there, they have a fantastic one-two punch on the backend for a long time to come.
The vets are holding down the fort
The Flames don’t go through this stretch with just the young guys alone. They have been getting some solid input from the veterans on the team. Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost may be on the younger side, but they are still some of the more veteran presences that this team has to offer. Farabee is producing at a point-per-game clip this season, and Frost is playing at the best of his career. They are leaders in the room; they are guys that the young guys are leaning on, and both of them have been doing a great job.
Ryan Strome and Zach Whitecloud joined last season and both seem to love being in Calgary. Strome has taken the reins on a line with Gridin, and that is going well so far; Whitecloud has already become a leader on this team and is wearing a letter in his first full season as a Flame, while Mikael Backlund is still doing his thing as the team’s captain and is still an effective defensive player despite being 37 years old.
Through a rebuild, the key is having your best players be the best ones, but you need good veteran leadership to help the young guys through the hard parts of the season. They have been doing that job this year so far, and we have to hope it continues.
Devin Cooley is stealing the show
The most fascinating part about this stretch has been the play of Devin Cooley; he has been stealing the show not only on the ice but off the ice as well.
The 29-year-old journeyman with 43 NHL games under his belt has been the main factor in the Flames becoming competitive in this stretch of hockey. After a brutal start for Dustin Wolf, Cooley has taken the reins as the Flames’ #1 goalie, and he is playing like a maniac. Sporting a .955sv% in his last four starts, he has been stealing some games that the Flames probably should have no business winning.
Meanwhile, in the media, he has been a hit. His post-game interviews have taken the league by storm with his honesty and personality. I have been getting kicked out of it, and it is so great to see the guys having fun with it; you could tell that Cooley really enjoys it as well.
Now, do I think Cooley will be the #1 guy all year? Probably not. Wolf will get back into the net sooner rather than later, and there is too much raw talent there for him not to figure it out. However, having a very capable guy behind him to play like this is huge for the team. It can give Wolf a breather, and you don’t have to rely on him for 70 games a season. Cooley is playing great, and he deserves the net right now. The vibes are high, and you have to ride the hot hand. It is his net to lose right now.
The vibes are high, for now
The vibes are really high in Calgary right now after how rough a start they had. Do I believe this team is for real and will push for a playoff spot? Probably not. They still lack a lot of talent on the roster and are riding the highs of a career backup goalie. They may come back down to earth eventually, but a little win streak and some really fun hockey have never hurt anyone.
This hasn’t even taken into account the play of Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna, who have both been very solid since being recalled from the Wranglers. The Flames have some very nice talent on the roster right now, with reinforcements coming from the NCAA hopefully next season.
What I will say: enjoy this while it lasts. The games have been so much fun, and I, for one, am really enjoying the brand of hockey that they are playing right now.
