The Flames' counseling session: What you didn't hear

As you may have read on Calgary Puck, a counsellor was apparently summoned into the Flames' dressing room recently, presumably to mediate between certain players/coaches and get to the bottom of whatever is plaguing this team. Part of me really wants this to be true, only because of the hilarity that would surely arise from a situation involving the Sutters and various Flames players hashing out their innermost feelings with a bunch of shrinks. Adrian Dater would be all over this shit. As with most of the scuttlebutt surrounding the Flames this season, we will probably never know if this is true or not, but why not take the opportunity to elaborate on a potentially humourous event?

This is how I imagine the counseling session went:

Visitor's locker room, Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, Arizona. January 28th, 11:15 AM

Shrink: Hey guys, as you all know, I was brought in today to help you work through some of the problems you've been having as individuals and as a team. There's no sense in keeping it all bottled up inside, as it only causes stress, anger, and resentment; so who wants to start?

Langkow: I will. Dion, you're soooo selfish! It's always all about you, and you have this stupid-looking scowl on your face all the time. Go to hell.

Phaneuf: I don't give a shit, I'm dating Elisha Cuthbert. Fuck you guys. Everyone on this team is so fucking boring. Nobody ever wants to go out or sing karaoke with me. Why can't we be more like the Blackhawks?

Shrink: Mmmhhmm, and how does that make you feel, Daymond? I think we're really getting somewhere here...

Conroy: WELL, I for one---

Shrink: Craig, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to interrupt--you just spoke for twenty minutes; please, let someone else talk.

Iginla: (on the verge of tears) I'm...I'm playing on a line with an AHL call-up and a...and a...a...PUMPKIN HEAD! (sobbing). He's so CLUELESS...he hits the post like, every shift and can't pass to save his life! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!? PLEASE HELP ME!

Shrink: (comforts Jarome) There, there...Ssshhhhh. I am familiar with this. And what do you think, Jay?

Bouwmeester: Well, y'know, it's disappointing, but, we just gotta stick with it, produce a little more offensively, y'know...

Shrink: I don't see how that's relevant here...?

Bouwmeester: Sorry, what was the question? I thought we were talking about me not making Team Canada....

Giordano: (sighs) I should've stayed in Russia...

Shrink: Let's move on. What's your take on this, Eric?

Nystrom: Dude, my head still hurts.

Shrink: Ok, ok...interesting. Miikka, what about you?

Kiprusoff: Mhergfhssdshfkm (walks out).

Shrink: I see. Curtis, any thoughts?

McElhinney: Why am I even here?

Backlund/Lundmark: Umm...yeah...can we go back to Abbotsford now?

Shrink: Good point, good point. I'm sensing some tension here. What about you, Rene?

Bourque: I'm playing for a contract here. I'm the only good left-winger on this team.

Iginla: (gasping) I...m..m...miss...Alex...T..T...Tanguay...

Shrink: Right, yes. Can't argue with that. David, what's your opinion?

Moss: Everyone always talks about how I'm supposed to be "big" and "tough" and a "net presence," but I just don't feel like that's what I'm meant to be, y'know? Like, what does that even mean? They're all like: "score twenty goals, David, go to the net David!" I'm just so confused. I feel like I don't know who I am anymore.

Shrink: (nods) I think we have a real breakthrough here. Brent, do you have any ideas as to why this might be?

B. Sutter: Too casual, I don't like it.

Shrink: Mmmmkay, Darryl?

D. Sutter: I don't care what you think. I ain't making no stinkin' trades.

Shrink: Okay...(looks at watch); Look at the time! I think it's time to wrap this session up, to whom should I send the bill?

D. Sutter: (approaching Dion Phaneuf from behind with a rag doused in chloroform) I'll take care of that.

Shrink: (shakes head and mutters something, leaves the room)

(Silence)

Regehr: So...what d'we do now?

McGrattan: Rent a limo and get wasted?

Glencross: I'll drive.

Wanna get really depressed?

On the surface, a six-game losing streak and falling out of a playoff spot is extremely disheartening, but if you want to get really depressed, I suggest you take a peek at the Flames' real time stats so far this season. I dare you. I'm no stats buff, but even I know when a team's numbers are in the toilet, and the Flames are in the bottom half of the league in nearly every statistical category. Normally, I avoid Sportsnet's articles because, well, they're not all that good, but it's hard to deny the merit of these two scathing indictments written by columnists Mark Spector and Mike Brophy.

I know that statistics are not always indicative of a team's play/record, just look at the Avalanche this season, but it's the fact that the Flames are weak in areas where they are supposed to be strong which bothers me the most, and their losing ways of late don't do much to de-emphasize that. Sixteenth in the league in hits is not acceptable for a team that is supposed to be punishing and tough to play against at both ends of the ice. Thirteenth in team +/- , and a -3 on home ice, twenty-fourth in the league in giveaways, and fifteenth in blocked shots do not indicate the makings of a good defensive squad. Thirtieth in faceoffs is an abomination for a team whose coach is hell bent on puck possession. A six-game slide has seen the Flames fall to tenth in penalty killing. Poor stats can be masked by an overachieving team, as we saw with the Flames early in the season, but in this case, there seems to be a clear disconnect between philosophy and results.

On the offensive side of things, the numbers aren't surprising, but still appalling. The Flames are near the bottom of the league in all categories--twenty-sixth on the powerplay, twenty-eighth in shots per game, twenty-sixth in goals per game. Even during stretches when these numbers appeared to be on the upswing, it wasn't enough to vault the Flames out of the offensive basement.

As for Brophy's article, his assertions that the Flames lack firepower up front/on defence and are built like a pre-lockout club certainly have some truth to them, but it is not for lack of trying. Sutter tried to build what he thought would be a more mobile defence, and has had success with Bouwmeester and Giordano. He tried to add what he thought was skill and speed with Jokinen, Dawes, and Sjostrom, and tried to give his young drafted players like Moss, Boyd, and Nystrom a chance. Perhaps he was naive and stubborn in believing that these players would make up for the offence lost through the departure of Cammalleri, et al. in the offseason, but weren't we all? Brophy argues that Bouwmeester has not produced as much as was expected of him offensively, which is true, but as a defenceman, that is not necessarily in his job description despite past offensive success with Florida.

He points to the goal Sidney Crosby scored against the Flames earlier this month, where he split the defence and went around Bouwmeester to the front of the net, as evidence for why Jay was rightfully left off of Team Canada. I think Crosby has made nearly every NHL defenceman look silly at some point in his young career, even if Bouwmeester has been victimized by Sid on more than one occasion. One play hardly summarizes his defensive play so far this season, and it's hard to argue that he hasn't played as well as expected in his zone when he leads the team in +/- at +10, which, when you think about it, is a little sad.

Even more so is the stats comparison between the Flames' "Big Three" on defence--Regehr, Phaneuf, and Bouwmeester--to the Capitals' Mike Green. Green has fifty points so far this season, one less than these three players combined. While Green is considered an "offensive defenceman" and scoring on a regular basis is expected of him, the same thing can be said of Phaneuf, based solely on his first two seasons in the league. Regehr has and never will be counted on to score goals, while Bouwmeester is expected to contribute offensively, but not at a detriment to his well-rounded defensive game. The only top-four defenceman to escape criticism this season has, coincidentally, been the only one who has exceeded expectations thus far--Mark Giordano.

It's nearly impossible to defend Darryl Sutter's decision to trade for Jokinen, given his downward trending stats and his performance since arriving in Calgary. This is only amplified by the season that Mike Cammalleri is having in Montreal. With twenty-six goals and fourty-six points, he would be the Flames' leading scorer had Sutter opted to resign him instead of completing the ill-fated deadline deal that signaled the beginning of the end for Cammi in Calgary. As much as Sutter contends that he signed Bouwmeester over Cammalleri vs. Jokinen over Cammalleri, the absence of Jokinen's 5.5 million dollar salary would have probably allowed him room to sign both Cammalleri and Bouwmeester in the off-season.

Brophy rightfully points to Miikka Kiprusoff, who, aside from a few blips, appears to be having another MVP-calibre season, as one of, if not the only, saving graces for this year's Flames squad, but emphasizes that he is desperately in need of assistance, which has been apparent in most of this team's recent losses. With Dawes and Moss placed on Injured Reserve yesterday, the Flames are now lacking forward depth more than ever, and at a time when offensive production has all but shut down completely.

Now would obviously be the time for any potential trade to be made. It doesn't have to be a flashy, Kovalchuk-esque deal; the slightest addition could bolster this team's offensive attack, perhaps in the form of a player like Ray Whitney or Colby Armstrong, both of which have been mentioned in trade rumours involving the Flames on separate occasions this season. But we all know Darryl's MO--he has once again stubbornly overestimated the skill and depth of his team, and he will likely ride it out to the bitter end, regardless of results, regardless of obvious deficiencies.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

St. Louis tomorrow. The Blues sit just six points back of the Flames, now tied for eighth in the West with the Red Wings.

Go Flames Go.

3/6 Canadian coaches and John Tortorella are really f--ing pissed

Brent Sutter joined Pat Quinn and Ron Wilson in a trifecta of angry bench bosses North of the border in his post-game tirade after the Flames' 3-2 loss to the cellar-dwelling Blue Jackets. It wasn't quite on par with a John Tortorella-esque profanity-laced meltdown, but it ranked pretty high on the Brent Sutter Surliness Meter. Watch the video, since I can't be bothered to type it out verbatim:

Everyone wants a consistent, predictable hockey team. We want to know that they are going to come out and play a specific style of game every night, and when they don't, they'll do it the next night. Coming from New Jersey, one of the most consistent franchises of all time, this situation is obviously new to Sutter. Sure, there was an adjustment period when he took over coaching duties and the team learnt his "systems," but they still earned a 46-29-7 record, good for ninety-nine points, in 2007-08. The season after that? Even better; the Devils went 51-27-4 with 106 points in a year where Martin Brodeur missed a good chunk of the season due to injury.

The New Jersey franchise has long been the picture of success and consistency. The players within the organization know what is expected of them night in and night out: to be responsible defensively and still score enough goals to beat the opposition. This is not an uncommon philosophy, and one that the Sutter brothers clearly share. Players that have been in Calgary long enough--Iginla, Conroy, Langkow, Regehr--know that this is what is expected of them. What else can a coach or a general manager do or say to reinforce this? The onus really is on the players.

The fact of the matter is, this team simply isn't talented enough to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon it. They are not built to excel in the regular season, nevermind the playoffs. From the crease to the blueline, sure, but even then I have my doubts, namely about Robyn Regehr's health and Dion Phaneuf's career potential. Up front is where the real problems begin. Anything more than the production we are currently seeing from the forwards is simply overachievement, as we learnt at the beginning of the season. Sure, the defence could chip in a little more, but that's not what they're there for. Your top-six guys are supposed to carry the team, and the bottom six guys are meant to provide supplementary scoring when the big guns can't get it done. As of now, not a single forward on this team is fulfilling their role. The fact that the Flames don't really have much of a distinction between top-six and bottom-six on their roster outside of three, maybe four forwards is where the situation gets even more convoluted.

I am well aware that the Flames aren't the only team in the league with this problem. If they had a real first line that didn't rely on offensive production from AHL call-ups, they might be able to mask the problem a little better. While a trade for a top-six forward still seems like the most viable solution to this team's problems, there is still the matter of said forward finding chemistry with teammates and fitting into the lineup at his desired position. Sometimes, that doesn't happen (ie: Tanguay, Jokinen). The Flames seem to have bad luck in trading for the aforementioned coveted first-liner, and Cammalleri was really the only one that had success in that position, but Darryl screwed that one up royally when he acquired Jokinen at last year's trade deadline.

I don't want to perpetuate any rumours circulating out there on the web, but if there is any truth to the claims that scouts from several teams have been in attendance at some of the Flames' recent games, a deal could be more imminent than anyone in the organization is willing to let on. The Flames' well documented surplus in defencemen fuels speculation that a blueliner could be on the move, in return for some scoring help. Then again, Hockey Buzz has Olli Jokinen on the move to Nashville, which I would truly love to believe.

As for tonight's game, the Flames had some bad puck luck and the stats weren't all that bad (I think), but their effort wasn't near good enough in all zones. Too many turnovers, odd-man rushes, lax defensive coverage, not enough shots on goal, and bad decisions with the puck all added up to a Flames loss; their second in a row and second to a non-playoff team. These are invaluable points, up for grabs against a team that shouldn't be beating the Flames at all, never mind in their own building.

If this was all they could muster against the Blue Jackets, I hate to imagine what the end result of tomorrow's game in Vancouver (8PM, CBC) will be. Playing a rested Canucks team that has gone 11-1-2 in their past fourteen games, boasting the league's hottest line, on the second night of back-to-backs on the road undoubtably equals one massive failure. I'm considering taking bets on the over/under for how many goals the Sedin-Sedin-Burrows line will score in the first period alone. I'm past the point where I hope for miracles against good teams, or hope to be pleasantly surprised by this team's performance. I usually know when to expect a win, and when to expect a loss. The Flames' upcoming schedule will not be kind to them in terms of results, and as hard as I'm trying to accept that, I know I'll still be disappointed when they lose; and that's the worst part of it all.

Being a fan is not an easy job. Trying to put it into words is even harder.

Go Flames Go.

Game day musings--Stress city, etc.

Here is your collection of miscellaneous thoughts for the day:

- Theo Fleury has taken down a blog entry slagging the NHL and the Flames organization, saying it "wasn't worth the headache." Write this one off as a classic case of Theo being Theo. He's always been an emotional guy and says he didn't mean to hurt anyone, but clearly he didn't think before he blogged. It happens to the best of us.

As for Craig Conroy, the one targeted in Fleury's tirade, he says he's "disappointed" in his former teammate, but acknowledges that he has the right to express his opinion. It's no secret that Conroy is likely near the end of his career and is not producing as much as he would like, but he's accepting any role given to him--whether it be suiting up on the first line with Iginla or grinding it out on the penalty kill--and he always does it with class. There's no need to criticize a man who has done everything this organization has asked of him and more.

Fleury goes on to admit that he doesn't think his body would have held up over the duration of another eighty-two game NHL schedule, which many fans and pundits speculated during training camp. Eric Francis kind of goes the extra mile in pointing out Fleury's flaws in the article, which I don't agree with, but he certainly clears the air.

Apparently Theo is quite the thespian. Why am I not surprised?

- Darryl Sutter sounded off on the Phaneuf trade rumours yesterday in his typical gruff demeanor, referring to said rumours as "crap." Dion himself also shoots down any scuttlebutt, saying, "I've never asked for a trade and I'm very happy here."

- Is it just me or does there seem to be an unusual amount of negative energy surrounding this team so far this season, what with the whole Phaneuf saga and the tragic Dan Ryder news?

It appears I spoke too soon on the Flames' defensive brilliance, as they laid an egg the other night in Minnesota, allowing thirty-five shots on goal in a losing effort. Things weren't much better on the offensive side of things, as Olli Jokinen's early tally was all the Flames could muster on twenty-six shots directed at the Wild keeper. The Flames are now 0-2 against the Wild this season.

I spoke to the importance of overcoming fatigue during this Olympic-induced condensed schedule in my last post, and it appears that was lost on the Flames' personnel. Having also played the night before, Minnesota was able to bounce back from an early deficit and carried the play for the remainder of the game.

The ability to play with the same level of energy and determination on the second night of back-to-backs has long been a weakness of the Flames, and they're going to have to find a way to change that if they hope to remain in contention for top spot in the Northwest, with games against two teams breathing down our freaking necks for the division lead coming up on Saturday and Monday. As of now, I am not confident in the possibility of positive results in Satuday's match-up, in fact thinking about the game makes me squirm uncomfortably. So does thinking about upcoming games against Colorado, Pittsburgh, San Jose, and Chicago; or any game, for that matter.

Aright, one game at a time. Let's focus on the task at hand: the Columbus Blue Jackets (7PM, Sportsnet). Jamie Lundmark has been called up in place of the injured Craig Conroy (foot), and will skate on the first line with Langkow and Iginla. Glencross will share second line duty with Jokinen and Bourque. McGrattan, Kronwall, and Johnson will sit this one out while Curtis McElhinney will get the start in goal.

The Jackets are a basement-dweller, much like the Minnesota Wild. They are coming into Calgary on a high, having beaten the Oilers last night and earning their first road victory in two months. Not to mention Kristian Huselius and Anton Stralman, who always seem to have it in for their former mates. They could very well pose a threat to a rested and complacent Calgary team.

The Flames learnt not to take desperate teams lightly the other night, or so I hope. They have been playing relatively weak opposition recently, with the exception of the Kings and Predators, and they haven't exactly made it look easy. Every game has been close with the exception of that pseudo-rout against the Oilers back on December twenty-eighth. I can't remember the last time the Flames really dominated a game on the scoresheet; probably that 5-0 win over the Predators, one which still stands out as their best effort of the season thus far.

There are no easy games. There are no safe leads. Every game is a playoff game, competing for that all-important division title and that coveted home ice advantage.

TSN thinks that there is no way the Washington Capitals could possibly blow a fourteen-point lead in the Southeast division. We beg to differ.

Go Flames Go.

Post-game Party: Ghosts of Coyotes past

The Flames touched down in Calgary briefly last night for a game against the Phoenix Coyotes which resembled a big 'ol somewhat incestual family reunion--these two teams have exchanged players more often than Elisha Cuthbert--so naturally, certain individuals had a chip on their respective shoulders.

After a lacklustre first period in which the Flames took back-to-back penalties and were outshot 11-7, they turned it around in a hurry in the second, outshooting Phoenix 11-4. The Coyotes had been slow getting to loose pucks in their own zone all evening, and the Flames finally capitalized late in the second, as Curtis Glencross feathered a perfect pass to Daymond Langkow, uncontested in the slot, who promptly fired home his eighth goal of the season to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.

The third period was a little more back and forth, but the Flames were obviously playing it safe and trying to protect the lead, which resulted in them getting hemmed in their own zone for long stretches as Phoenix pressed for the equalizer, which they eventually got on a powerplay midway through the final frame.

A breakdown in communication between the Flames' penalty killers Nystrom and Glencross left the Coyotes' Keith Yandle with an open shooting lane from the point, and he blasted a shot past a screened Kiprusoff to square the affair at one. The Flames would respond just over four minutes later; David Moss, engaged in a battle behind the net, managed to win possession of the puck and, doing his best Gretzky impersonation, fired a slick no-look pass to a wide-open Nigel Dawes, who made no mistake on his fifth of the season and first in thirteen games.

Dawes' tally put the nail in the coffin for his former team and propelled the Flames to a 2-1 victory, finally putting a stop to the team's four-game losing streak on home ice. Daymond Langkow also chipped in against his old mates, and led all Flames forwards in ice time at 20:30. Lanks was everywhere against the 'Yotes; killing penalties, forcing turnovers, scoring, assisting, you name it, and was named the game's first star as a result. While it is not surprising that the Flames second line again fulfilled the lamp-lighting duties, it is surprising that they continued to do so without Rene Bourque. David Moss appears to be fitting in nicely with his new linemates.

Olli Jokinen's effort against his former squad was nowhere near as inspiring as that of his teammates, as he was more of a liability than anything else--I counted at least two sequences where he turned over the puck, once in the offensive zone off an ill-advised pass and once more in the neutral zone. The latter was particularly atrocious as it lead to a dangerous scoring chance by Shane Doan and forced Kiprusoff into a hard and very uncomfortable-looking save, one of his twenty-seven in the game. After what was one of his better games of the season, if not his best, against the Ducks, it appears we are back to square one with Joker.

On the defensive side of things, it was somewhat of a tough night for the Flames' blueliners. I don't know if anyone else thought that Bouwmeester struggled a bit--he wasn't terrible by any means but his positioning was slightly off and he was a little slow getting to loose pucks; I counted two giveaways on his part and one sequence where he overskated the puck, opting to take an opposing player into the end boards instead. Phaneuf's lack of effort in his own zone was again glaringly obvious last night, as I noted that he was successful in winning possession of the puck and exiting the defensive zone only once.

I know I'm a little late to the party on the Phaneuf v. Sutter v. Other Unnamed Flames Player rumour mill, but issues in the dressing room can sink a team and compromise its season, as we all saw last year with the Montreal Canadiens. While the issue will likely never be directly addressed by the organization, I certainly hope the Flames are able to sort it out sooner rather than later, if there is any truth to these rumours whatsoever.

The Flames landed in Detroit today where they'll begin a season-high six-game road trip (5:00PM, Sportsnet) with stops in Columbus, Nashville, Phoenix, San Jose, and Los Angeles. With the Flames currently one point back of first place in the Northwest, the importance of this road trip cannot be stressed enough. This team has exceeded expectations away from the Saddledome, but every team they face on this trip will present a challenge, some more than others, and games against Detroit and San Jose could be of the "measuring stick" variety.

Tomorrow's matchup with the Wings will be difficult and it may not be pretty. Let's hope for the best.

Go Flames Go.

The Tweet heard around the World

ESPN's John Buccigross has become an internet sensation in a matter of hours, all thanks to an innocent twitter update pertaining to a pending trade involving Dany Heatley (who else?) He wouldn't be the first to set blogger's tongues wagging on the topic, and certainly won't be the last. Mere hours after the news broke, the general managers of all three teams involved were in full-fledged damage control, with responses ranging from Dean Lombardi's eloquent and well-versed "complete bull," to Murray's quick-and-to-the-point "it's simply not true," to Wilson's highly dramatic "it's an absolute fabrication."

While it is unlikely this deal will actually come to fruition, the Senators later added fuel to the fire by announcing that Heatley will not be attending a team golf tournament on Friday, encouraging speculation that the much maligned winger will indeed be dealt by tomorrow. Another evening spent chasing details on a rumour that turned out to be false...such is the life of a hockey blogger. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. When will we learn not to trust ESPN's "sources" for hockey news and rumours?

Lost amidst all the Heatley trade talk, former Flame Theoren Fleury was reinstated by the NHL today after a meeting with Gary Bettman and Bill Daly. Six years after Fleury was forced into retirement due to violation of the league's substance abuse policy, the NHL has opened its doors to the fiesty 41-year-old, who has now been sober for four years. While this is a great feel-good story and certainly a welcome distraction from the Bettman vs. Balsille courtroom drama, the fragile state of the NHLPA, and Heatley's next possible trade destination, the question remains: will any GM actually take a chance on the pint-sized pest?

Fleury says he has received interest from teams, but "doesn't want to name the cities without their consent." With only a few days remaining until training camp opens for most teams, there is still a chance Fleury could receive an invitation. Who knows, he just may be the Bill Guerin to your Penguins, the Joe Nieuwendyk to your Dallas Stars or...I don't really know where I'm going with this, but what I mean to say is he could turn out to be that missing piece that pushes the team that signs him over the hump.

Unlikely, but possible. Then again, hasn't that been the story of Fleury's NHL career to this day?

Thursday's rumour roundup: Comrie returns to Oil Country, for real this time

Just over a week after Comrie's return to Edmonton seemed improbable, the Oilers appear to have had a change of heart as they announced the signing of the hometown centre to a one-year, $1.25 million deal earlier today. Darryl Katz, a good friend of the Comries, somehow managed to convince clueless GM Steve Tambellini that this signing was a good idea, after all, Edmonton had to wrap up a relatively dull summer with SOMETHING, right? Six years after Comrie's messy departure from Oil Country, he and Kevin Lowe have both matured, and admitted that they should have handled the situation differently. I suppose time really does heal all wounds.

I have nothing against giving players second chances, everyone knows Sutter Sr. is an expert at bringing in embattled NHLers like Todd Bertuzzi and Brian McGrattan (wait till he gets his hands on Theo Fleury) and giving them a shot at redemption, but shouldn't the player in question at least fill said team's needs? What, you say? McGrattan's ability to throw a mean right hook doesn't exactly translate into more pucks in the net? That may be, but his role on the team is relatively unique to him, whereas Comrie is a dime a dozen within the confines of Rexall Place.

This sentiment is echoed over at Oilers Nation and The Edmonton Journal, where it is being suggested that the addition of Comrie could mean that Robert Nilsson or Marc Pouliot may be on their way out of town. While Comrie does add veteran presence and his return has supposedly received endorsement from the likes of Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky, and Ethan Moreau, the question of where he will fit into the Oilers lineup still remains.

At least we already know Hilary Duff likes Edmonton.

Sticking with our provincial rivals, Craig MacTavish is employed. Coaching Team Canada. At the Spengler Cup.

*Yawn*...rumours of another three-way deal involving Dany Heatley surfaced again today, this time between the Senators, Sharks, and the L.A. Kings. This proposed deal would see Heatley land in San Jose, Stoll and Frolov headed to the Nation's capital, and Marleau, if he chooses to waive his no-trade, end up in L.A. Other sources say that Heatley could be a Shark as soon as tonight.

Could it be? Tanguay finally chooses a team and Saturday's rumour roundup

Is summer over yet? You know I'm getting desperate when I start posting pictures of Mats Sundin's wedding, courtesy of the Toronto Sun:

Tie Domi and Peter Forsberg. I'm guessing that's not Belinda Stronach 

Daniel Sedin with his wife and agent. Henrik wasn't invited. 

Mats and bride Josephine Johansson. Good to see he's finally settling down with a nice Swedish gal

Hallelujah! After fielding offers from what seemed like all 30 NHL teams, Alex Tanguay has finally decided on a destination (and you thought Heatley was picky). After almost two months of toiling on the free-agent market, RDS is reporting that Tanguay has signed a 1-year deal with the Lightning which will see him earn around $2 million, pending a physical. 

Fellow Quebecers Martin St-Louis and Vincent Lecavalier helped lure the velvet-handed winger to the Sunshine State, where he accepted a significant pay cut after two seasons marred by injuries and decreased production. If Tampa gets consistent goaltending from Mike Smith and its squabbling owners agree to an amicable separation, they may be able to pull one over on a few Eastern squads this season. 

Now that that's over and done with, we can all turn our attention to Heatley and his possible trade to the LA Kings, the ongoing Coyotes debacle, and Peter Forsberg's pending comeback. 

NHL Countdown: 33 days 

Who will tickle the twine in 2009/10 for the Flames?

First of all, allow me to apologize for that hideous alliteration. It's late. 

Earlier tonight I was looking at the astonishing depth of forwards Team Canada's management have at their disposal for the 2010 Olympics and I started thinking about the Flames roster (naturally). I'm beginning to get a little anxious about their top-six predicament. I know some players might exceed expectations and have career years, Iginla, Jokinen, and Langkow could all return to form and so on, but is it too much to expect for Boyd, Moss, Bourque, and Dawes to put up 20+ goals each? I have been staunchly against putting hypothetical lines together until well into training camp, but I just couldn't help myself. So here is what my forward lineup would look like, assuming there is no more movement:

Bourque-Jokinen-Iginla

Glencross-Langkow-Moss

Dawes-Conroy-Boyd

Nystrom-Lundmark-Sjostrom 

Extras: Jaffray, Greentree, Prust, McGrattan

Moss's play last season proved that he deserves a promotion to the second line and more powerplay time, although he still needs to improve defensively. If anyone other than Bourque is worthy of first line duty on this team, it's probably Moss. Crash The Crease makes a case for Glencross to skate on the first line due to his speed and defensive capability. Comparing stats from last season, I would give Glencross a shot on the second line before Dawes. Jokinen and Langkow are interchangeable, in my opinion, until Olli consistently proves otherwise. Now, there's also the possibility that Backlund makes the team out of camp, which could alter the roster as so: 

Bourque-Jokinen-Iginla

Glencross-Backlund-Moss

Dawes-Langkow-Boyd 

Nystrom-Conroy-Sjostrom 

If Backlund makes the team, as Sutter has said before, it will be top-six or bust, which would then demote Langkow to the third line, unless he can play wing. 

An ideal setup would probably look a little something like this: 

?-Jokinen-Iginla

Bourque-Langkow-Moss

Glencross-Backlund- Boyd

Dawes-Conroy-Nystrom/Sjostrom 

Seeing Bourque as our first line LW after one exceptional season, especially with a bum ankle, makes me uneasy. Of course there is a chance he could repeat or even improve, as he's still in his prime, but ankle injuries are nothing to take lightly (see: Sidney Crosby). I'm not about to suggest we trade Sarich or Langkow or rattle off a list of possible first-line calibre, play-making LWs the Flames could potentially trade for and their asking prices because a) that would be a lot of work and b) we really don't know how much of an issue scoring or lack-thereof will be. 

Trading for a first line LW,  just for kicks let's say Patrick Marleau, could be considered preemptive action by Sutter, but considering the he is only 29 and still puts up good numbers playing with Thornton (38-33-71, +16), the price would no doubt be steep and include some high draft picks, which seem to have little value to Sutter. To be fair, he did quite a good job of stacking the proverbial shelves over in Abbotsford this off-season. The Sharks also have almost no salary cap space to work with, so they couldn't afford take on any hefty contracts in return. The deal would most likely involve one major piece (Sharks fans seem to be enamored with Regehr, and rightfully so) and a few depth players/draft picks. 

I found this nice little comparison over at Open Ice:

Calgary Flames Players NOT RETURNING Total Points: 198

Calgary Flames Players NEW ADDITIONS Total Points: 101

(Totals in NHL points only)

This is based on last season's production from players leaving the Flames this off-season and those joining the organization. Like I said before, there is no accurate way of predicting what a player's total point production at the end of the season will be other than by looking at previous seasons' patterns. 

A difference of 97 total points throughout the lineup could easily translate into less wins, less points, and a lower seed in the conference. However, Burning Down The House brings up a good point about how these points could be replaced. I am very pleased with the moves the Flames have made during the off-season; it seems as though Sutter has finally clued in on what it takes to succeed in the new(ish) NHL, and his commitment to building a winning franchise continues to amaze me. The question is, will these building blocks be enough to reach the top?  

NHL Countdown: 42 days  

Because it's a rainy August afternoon

Dear Dany Heatley,

Please stay out of the Northwest Division. If you could avoid the Western conference altogether, that would be great too. I know you're supposedly head-over-heels for some girl out here, but if she feels the same I'm sure she'll make the trip to Ottawa or New York or wherever you end up. 

Yours truly,

Hayley xoxo

The Canucks have reportedly rescinded their interest in Heatley because the asking price was too high. Now, in a bizzare twist of fate, the Minnesota Wild are supposedly preparing to take a stab at landing the star winger. The only Northwest Division teams that haven't been in on the Heatley bidding wars are the Flames and Avs. 

Now onto the daily Tanguay Report: he has apparently narrowed his list down to the Lightning and the Coyotes. Excellent choices, Alex. The decision making process must be taking so long because he is unable to determine which franchise is losing less money.  I can't imagine what is more attractive to a player--bankruptcy or internal squabbling? Looks like Mr. Tanguay likes a little drama with his hockey. 

Reading The Hockey News' Ultimate Fantasy Pool Guide has got me motivated to do much better in my playoff pool this season. The Ultimate Guide to Skaters has projected both Phaneuf and Bouwmeester to enjoy bounce-back seasons with 61 and 51 points respectively.  Interestingly enough, their goalie projections have McBackup earning 7 wins this season; not sure if this will be due to improved defensive play, improved coaching, or more opportunity (unlikely). 

NHL Countdown: 48 days 

Canucks interested in Heatley?

Being in the Northwest Division, it's hard not to pay attention to the off-season happenings of our rivals. After a relatively quiet summer, the Canucks seem to be saving their best for last as rumblings of the team's interest in disgruntled winger Dany Heatley arise. As of now, there are no details of just what the package to acquire Heatley would include, but Bryan Murray will no doubt ensure that he gets fair market value for his 50-goal scorer. Would the Canucks be willing to part with WJHC darling Cody Hodgson and/or 2009 1st round selection Jordan Schroeder? Vancouver will have to be confident that Heatley won't come down with a sudden onset of Sundin syndrome if they are to pull the trigger, because he definitely won't come cheap.

 The three-way deal between Ottawa, Montreal, and San Jose rumoured earlier this month included big name Sharks Marleau and Cheechoo, and the Senators will surely want at least one proven roster player in return to fill the hole left by Heatley. Now that Edmonton is out of the running in the Heatley Sweepstakes and he supposedly wants to play out West, San Jose and Vancouver seem like the most likely destinations, but both will need to clear cap space to accommodate his super-sized contract, especially if the Canucks are to get a long-term deal with Luongo done sometime this season. Regardless of who ends up acquiring the talented Calgarian, overpaying for Heatley could have dire long-term consequences. Just ask the Ottawa Senators. 

NHL Countdown: 49 days