The Flames are expected to start David Rittich Saturday night in Colorado, which would get their backup goaltender into action in the Flames’ fifth game. It’s an important decision, mostly because it shows the team is serious about managing Mike Smith’s workload. Who knows if the team will stick with that commitment over 82 games,…
Flames general manager Brad Treliving made a concerted effort heading into this season to improve his team’s depth, specifically at forward. At least on paper, it’s safe to say he’s accomplished that goal. Not only does Calgary look like a deeper group up front, they also boast a number of interchangeable parts. It’s that potential…
With 10 preseason games behind us and a Tuesday afternoon roster deadline looming, the Flames have some decisions to make. Based on what we’ve seen thus far, I don’t know if those decisions should be overly difficult, though. All three of Dillon Dube, Juuso Valimaki, and Rasmus Andersson have played well enough to start the…
David Rittich is thought by many to be the favourite for Calgary’s backup goaltender job. Now in his second season with the Flames, Rittich had some really strong moments last year playing behind Mike Smith. Unfortunately, Rittich and Jon Gillies both faltered when Smith went down in February. Even knowing that, there’s a reason Rittich…
The Dillon Dube hype train is picking up speed, and for good reason. From prospects camp and a pair of rookie games to the start of main camp at the Saddledome, Dube has been Calgary’s biggest standout on this side of the world. Dube has looked dynamic, dangerous, and responsible and he’s the early favourite…
To say the Flames have overhauled their group of forwards this summer would be an understatement. Calgary has added James Neal, Elias Lindholm, Derek Ryan, and Austin Czarnik to the mix while simultaneously saying goodbye to Micheal Ferland, Troy Brouwer, Matt Stajan, and Kris Versteeg. On paper, this looks like an improved bunch, but it…
For the last few years, many have considered Calgary’s group of NHL defencemen an area of strength. That remains a fair observation heading into the 2018-19 season and, thanks to some savvy drafting, the team’s organizational depth at the position is also strong. As a result, when you take ages and contracts into account, the…
With so many significant changes made this summer, the Calgary Flames should have a few forward spots open to start the season. For the first time in quite a while, there’s a realistic chance we could see multiple young, fresh faces crack the roster out of training camp. Just as interesting is the number of…
Brad Treliving has been a busy man this offseason. Starting in April, the Flames’ general manager has gone to work reshaping his team in one of the busiest summers in recent memory. With August underway, Treliving’s work isn’t done. A few important tasks remain with two of them still looming large for the long-term outlook…
One word comes to mind when looking at Calgary’s revamped group of forwards: depth. The Flames have transformed their forward unit over the last month and, at least on paper, it looks like the team’s biggest strength entering the season. While Calgary has upgraded their top end, the most significant improvement comes further down the…
Juuso Valimaki is knocking on the door. Calgary’s 2017 first round pick has generated a lot of buzz over the last few months, stoked most recently by his performance at development camp. Entering his 20-year-old season, it’s almost certain Valimaki will play professionally, whether it be in the NHL, AHL, or both. Where he plays,…
The signing of Elias Lindholm to a six-year, $29.1 million contract earlier this week continued an impressive theme for Flames’ general manager Brad Treliving. Since taking the reins in April 2014, Treliving has forged a reputation of being a tough negotiator and it’s yielded impressive results, particularly in one area: internal contract negotiations. When it…
