Welcome to Puck Drop Preview 2014-15, where our hockey department gives you a detailed look at each team from around the NHL leading to the start of this hockey season and offers our insight and 
analysis. Makes sure to stick around until the end of the series, where we’ll offer our full predictions for the standings in each division, and eventually our collective LWOS 2014-15 Stanley Cup pick. You can check out all our articles on our Puck Drop Page. Today we bring you the Calgary Flames.
Last Season:
One year removed from the departure of their franchise cornerstones, it was no secret the Calgary Flames were in tough to start their long-awaited rebuild. Facing its first full season without 9-year captain and 16-season Flame Jarome Iginla – tops in club history in games (1,219), goals (525) and points (1,095) – Calgary had needs in both leadership and scoring. To make matters worse, Miikka Kiprusoff, franchise leader in wins (305), shutouts (41) and games played (576), and on many nights the only reason the Flames had any success, called it a career prior to the start of the season.
On September 20th, 2013; 30-year-old defenceman Mark Giordano was named the 19th captain in Flames history. Counting on veterans like Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross to fill the scoring void left by Iginla, Calgary looked to solve its goaltending problem with the duo consisting of Swiss league product Reto Berra and Finnish netminder Karri Ramo. There was now a void of uncertainty surrounding what had once been Calgary’s most secure position. Kiprusoff had more than 300 wins, a Vezina Trophy, a Jennings Trophy and an Olympic bronze medal to his name; Berra, a rookie, and Ramo had a mere 48 NHL games between them.
The Flames had a surprisingly strong start to the season, going 3-0-2 in their first five games and finishing October a respectable 5-5-2. That start was also the setting in which 2013 first-round pick Sean Monahan began making his mark; the 19-year-old center scored six goals for 10 points in the month of October, earning a spot on the Flames roster for the rest of the year in the process.
On October 21st, Giordano went down with a broken ankle, and the Flames began to sputter. The team’s best defenceman missed 18 games as injuries began to pile on in Calgary’s upper ranks.
Between Giordano’s injury and the New Year, the Flames lost Dennis Wideman to a fractured hand for 16 games, while Glencross was forced to miss 15 and then 29 games when he suffered a high ankle sprain less than two weeks after returning from an MCL injury.
As losses mounted, December saw the dismissal of general manager Jay Feaster, with president of hockey operations Brian Burke taking over the position on an interim basis. But the team’s fortunes went from bad to worse, as the Flames celebrated the turn of the year with a franchise-record seven straight regulation losses.
Despite the team’s struggles, a few Flames entered Olympic discussions as the Sochi games approached. Defenceman Ladislav Smid, acquired from the Oilers in November, was named to the Czech Republic’s team while Berra accompanied the Swiss contingent. In a move that shocked many, the Czech team did not take Jiri Hudler, who was leading the Flames in scoring with 33 points when the rosters were announced.
Following the Olympics, attention turned to the trade deadline and, more specifically, Mike Cammalleri. With the 32-year-old forward in the last months of a five-year deal, most expected Cammalleri to be shipped out for assets on or before the deadline. But 3 p.m. on March 5th came and went, and Cammalleri remained a Flame. Instead, Berra and veteran winger Lee Stempniak found new homes in Colorado and Pittsburgh, respectively.
Following the deadline, Cammalleri, who Burke now aimed to re-sign, played like a man possessed. In his final 20 games of the season, 19 of them after the deadline, he recorded 12 goals, including five game-winners, for 23 points. Meanwhile, goalie prospect Joni Ortio, excelling with the Abbotsford Heat, was called up on an emergency basis when Ramo suffered a 15-game lower body injury at the beginning of February. Splitting goaltending duties with veteran Joey MacDonald, Ortio won four of his nine appearances, allowing 21 goals and impressing in his first NHL stint.
Calgary went 12-9-0 following the deadline to finish 27th in the league, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
In spite of their final place in the standings, the Flames developed a league-wide identity as a tough opponent with a strong work ethic. They surprised many, earning sympathy in some fans’ discussions of the draft lottery with their play down the stretch. Tellingly, Calgary tied an NHL record for one-goal games in a season with 49.
Puck Drop Preview: 2014-15 Calgary Flames
Off-Season Changes:
While most of the attention was centered on shake-ups in places like Toronto and Pittsburgh, Calgary quietly but extensively remodeled over the summer, both on and off the ice.
After Burke elected to captain the ship until the end of the season, Brad Treliving became the Flames new general manager. Formerly an assistant general manager with the Arizona Coyotes and the general manager of their AHL affiliate, Burke said Treliving was the only man interviewed for the job.
Craig Conroy and Brad Pascall were named to the assistant general managers’ positions. Conroy was promoted from the position of special assistant to the general manager and Pascall is a former executive with Hockey Canada.
The Flames made one of their biggest off-season acquisitions on draft day, selecting 18-year-old center Sam Bennett with the fourth overall pick. Ranked number one in NHL central scouting’s final rankings, Bennett was the Flames’ highest pick since moving to Calgary. Though he may not play in the NHL immediately, he should play a key role in the rebuild.
With millions in cap space to play with, Calgary was busy on July 1st. Though Ramo finished the season with a .911 save percentage and 2.65 goals-against average, respectable numbers for a goalie in his situation, the Flames needed an improvement in net. They made one by signing former Anaheim Duck Jonas Hiller to a two-year deal worth $9 million. The former All-Star led the Ducks to a conference semifinal in 2009 and a first-round exit in 2013 before losing the starter’s job to Frederik Andersen last season. He, Ramo and Ortio will compete for Calgary’s starting and back-up jobs.
As Hiller came in, Cammalleri signed on with the New Jersey Devils, leaving the Flames in need of goal-scoring. Calgary turned to an old foe by signing speedy winger Mason Raymond to a 3-year, $9.45 million contract. Raymond, a former Canuck, enjoyed a renaissance on a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, recording his highest totals in goals (18), assists (26) and points (45) since posting career numbers in 2009-2010.
Adding more muscle to their lineup, the Flames signed 32-year-old defenceman Deryk Engelland to a three-year deal worth $8.75 million, a price tag that surprised many around the league. Engelland, a rare right-handed shot on Calgary’s blue line, has 308 penalty minutes in 243 career games. He and fellow heavyweights Brian McGrattan and Brandon Bollig, who was acquired from Chicago at the draft, will make opposition think twice about going after Calgary’s youngsters.
The Flames also agreed to one-year deals with defenceman Corey Potter and winger Devin Setoguchi. Potter, another right-hander, adds depth to a defensive core that was perpetually riddled with injuries last season. Setoguchi can bring speed and scoring to a forward core that will be searching for offensive leaders.
Line-Up Projection:
Curtis Glencross – Matt Stajan – Jiri Hudler
Mason Raymond – Sean Monahan – Paul Byron
Johnny Gaudreau/ Joe Colborne – Mikael Backlund/Joe Colborne – Devin Setoguchi
Brandon Bollig – Lance Bouma – Brian McGrattan
Mark Giordano – TJ Brodie
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Ladislav Smid – Deryk Engelland
Jonas Hiller
Karri Ramo/Joni Ortio
Bob Hartley has already stated that the line-up is still undecided, and it likely will be until shortly before the season commences. Even after that, line combinations will probably change drastically over the course of the season. This projection is based on last year’s lines as well as predictions regarding players fitting certain roles within the team.
The top six could see a good deal of change, especially between Monahan and Matt Stajan in the number one center’s role. Glencross, Hudler and Raymond may circulate around them, and Paul Byron could spend time in the bottom six.
With Mikael Backlund’s status for the start of the season questionable due to an abdominal injury, Joe Colborne could center the third line. When Backlund returns, Colborne may shift to the wing. How the line-up changes when Backlund returns will probably be shaped by the performances of newcomers like Johnny Gaudreau and Setoguchi.
The Flames have relative stability on the blue line, with prospects like Mark Cundari and Tyler Wotherspoon waiting to jump in if injury or opportunity strikes.
In net, Hiller will almost certainly win the starting job. Ramo will likely be named the back-up, with Ortio returning to the AHL to develop further. It would not be surprising to see Ortio make periodic appearances for the Flames over the course of the season.
Players on the Rise:
Mikael Backlund – Center (76 GP: 18 G, 21 A, 39 P)
Backlund has been trending upwards for a couple of seasons, and last year fans got to see what they’d long hoped and waited for from the former first-round pick. The 25-year-old was fourth in team scoring with 39 points and third in goals scored with 18. Aside from setting new career highs in both of those categories, Backlund also developed into a proficient defensive forward; he lead his team in takeaways, while trailing only Lance Bouma for blocked shots and shorthanded ice-time amongst forwards. Backlund’s four short-handed goals were also good enough for third in the league. Though his current injury makes it difficult to predict when he’ll play, Backlund looks poised to build off an incredibly strong campaign. In the second year of a two-year deal, Backlund will be a restricted free agent after this season. No doubt he’ll be working to carve himself a spot in Calgary’s plans for the future.
Johnny Gaudreau – Left Wing (1 GP: 1 G, 0 A, 1 P)
“Johnny Hockey” already made his NHL debut, and he didn’t disappoint, scoring in the only professional game of his career so far. But the 21-year-old will be looking to raise both those numbers this year as he tries to crack the Flames lineup straight out of the NCAA. This year’s winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA’s top male hockey player, Gaudreau scored 36 goals for 80 points in 40 games with Boston College. Gaudreau won gold with the U.S in the World Juniors in 2013, where he scored seven goals in as many games, and appeared in this past year’s World Championships, collecting two goals for 10 points over seven outings.
Gaudreau is one of Calgary’s most promising offensive threats for the future. A proven goal-scorer on a team without much in that regard, Gaudreau may be able to score his way into the Flames lineup and have a big impact. That depends, though, on whether or not he can overcome the biggest obstacle to his future in the NHL: his 5’9, 150-pound frame.
Player on the Decline:
Curtis Glencross – Left Wing (38 GP: 12 G, 12 A, 24 P)
Glencross has been one of Calgary’s most relied-upon forwards over the past few seasons, but last year may have shown that age is beginning to take its toll on the 31-year-old. Glencross missed 44 games due to injuries, a trend that has followed him throughout his career; in 10 NHL seasons, Glencross has never played more than 79 games and has only played 60 or more four times. His 12 goals and 24 points were his lowest totals since his days in the AHL. Entering the last year of a four-year contract that pays him $2.55 million per season, Glencross will have to improve his numbers if he wants to be a part of Calgary’s future or earn a raise with another team next July.
Player to Watch:
Devin Setoguchi – Right Wing (75 GP: 11 G, 16 A, 27 P)
The Flames gave Setoguchi a chance after no other teams offered to replace his expired contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Setoguchi has struggled with inconsistency over his career, with his work ethic sometimes called into question. But he’s also a former 30-goal scorer, and still only 27 years old to boot. Though he hasn’t cracked the 20-goal plateau in three seasons, Setoguchi has speed and scoring ability that could make him a huge part of the Flames lineup. His work ethic, meanwhile, will most likely receive a remodelling at the hands of old-school Hartley, and new levels of discipline may revive Setoguchi to the success he achieved in San Jose. At $750,000 for just one year, Setoguchi is a low-risk, high-reward signing who could have a profound impact on Calgary’s roster, and the team’s fortunes as a whole.
Season Expectations:
Despite Calgary’s progress last season and the changes made since then, the Flames are still in the early stages of their rebuild and far from being serious contenders. Though the club’s management have expressed their objective of reaching the post-season, one must remember that this is the objective of every sports executive in every league at the start of every season. Making the playoffs, while a good standard by which to measure the organization’s progression, is an unrealistic expectation of this team.
With that said, the Flames have begun to build a new identity of hard work and discipline, and will be looking to continue forging that image. Though they may not challenge for a post-season berth, a carry-over of last season’s tenacity and determination might make the team far more relevant than most will be expecting.
The Flames may not have what it takes to claim the Cup this year, but with so many young players and developing storylines, they will be one of the season’s most intriguing teams to watch.
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