Calgary Flames ex-captain revenge games: a look back

After 949 games wearing a Calgary Flames sweater, Mark Giordano will be on the other side of the ice on Thursday night when the Flames visit the Seattle Kraken. It’ll be Giordano’s first game against the Flames after serving as their captain from 2013 through 2021 – something known commonly as a Revenge Game.

We were curious, so we took a look back at a few Revenge Games from other departed Flames captains to see what to expect. (Excluded, obviously, are players who retired right after their stints with the Flames.)

The Flames traded Iginla to Pittsburgh at the 2013 trade deadline, but his first game against the Flames was with the Bruins. Boston came to Calgary on Dec. 10, 2013 and Iginla had zero points in a 2-1 Bruins win.

Later that month, he had two assists against the Flames, but that technically wasn’t in his Revenge Game.

Conroy had stepped down as captain (in favour of Iginla) by the time he left the Flames as a free agent in 2005. He joined the Los Angeles Kings and played the Flames for the first time on Oct. 23, 2005. He didn’t hit the scoresheet in a 3-2 Kings loss .

Boughner had already stepped aside as co-captain when he left the Flames as a free agent in 2002. He joined the Carolina Hurricanes. His first game back was on Dec. 11, 2003 and he had zero points in a 1-0 loss to Calgary.

Arguably the club’s most forgettable captain, Simpson was traded to Florida prior to the beginning of the 1999-2000 season. He played the Flames on Oct. 22, 1999 and had zero points in a 3-2 overtime loss.

Sent to the Colorado Avalanche in a February 1999 trade – the Flames got a bunch of pieces, including Robyn Regehr – Fleury played the Flames for the first time a month after the swap. He had a goal and an assist on Mar. 30, 1999 in a 3-3 tie.

Traded to Dallas for Jarome Iginla and Corey Millen in December 1995, Nieuwendyk headed back to Calgary with the Stars on Jan. 26, 1996. He had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 Stars win.

After an off-season trade to Detroit, McCrimmon faced the Flames on Oct. 10, 1990. He had zero points, but Detroit won 6-5.

Russell played the Flames for the first time with the Devils on Nov. 12, 1983. He had zero points in a 4-3 Devils loss. Later that week he had a goal in another loss to Calgary.

A month into the 1981-82 season, the Flames traded Marsh to Philadelphia for Mel Bridgman. On Dec. 3, 1981 he faced his old team and had an assist in a 6-1 Flyers win.

The Flames traded Pronovost to Washington during the 1980 off-season. He faced Calgary for the first time on Nov. 20, 1980 and had zero points in a 4-2 Capitals win.

Lysiak was sent to Chicago in a eight player trade in March 1979. He played the Flames for the first time on Oct. 20, 1979, going pointless in a 2-2 tie.

All-in-all, the Flames haven’t been the victim of too many Revenge Games from their former captains. Fleury and Nieuwendyk had really solid first games back, but nobody has really broken out for a monster game against them yet.

In their Revenge Games, the teams that former Flames captains play for have gone 5-4-2.