Game 14 – Flames vs Wild Live Chat

Like the Flames, the Wild have been enduringly mediocre for a long time. Unlike Calgary, however, Minnesota management decided to shake some trees this past off-season, making a few big deals to acquire Setoguchi and Heatley, moving Havlat and Burns in the process. I don’t think it necessarily made them a better team, but +1 for moxy. 

As Steinberg mentions below the Wild have been getting by on top notch goaltending this year. Their underlying possession numbers are superficially decent, but only because they have spent a lot of time trailing. With the score tied they sport a putrid .437 corsi ratio. The only reason that hasn’t sunk them is the bounces – a .957 SV% (!!) and 9.5 SH%. Both are above average and due for a drop at some point.

All that said, the Flames aren’t in any position to cast aspersions on anyone, least of all the Wild who have given Calgary fits here and there over the last two seasons even the Wild have objectively sucked over that time period. Calgary hasn’t played a really good game outside of the Detroit win a couple of weeks and although Minnesota has a thin blueline and so-so depth up front, there’s just enough talent there to sink a club like Calgary if they sleep walk through a period or two.