CALGARY — The Calgary Flames are on the cusp of what nearly actually seems like a misplaced season.
And the newest staff to assist put them there’s a good instance of how the Flames ought to proceed from right here.
A 2-1 additional time loss to the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday prolonged the Flames dropping skid to seven, giving them simply three factors of their opening eight video games.
Solely 10 groups within the final 40 years have began that poorly and made the playoffs.
It’s time to start out what a correct rebuild can appear like, and there’s no higher instance proper now than Montreal.
The distinction in Wednesday’s extremely entertaining affair was a world-class play by Ivan Demidov that arrange Mike Matheson’s winner.
Two nights earlier one other gritty outing by the Flames was doused by a Mark Scheifele end that served as a reminder of the distinction between the Flames and playoff contenders — high-end ability.
The Flames don’t have these kind of gamers.
“I imply, I can not generate offence,” stated Wolf, the Flames’ franchise participant, annoyed by his membership’s lack of ability to transform greater than one of many 37 photographs directed at Jakub Dobes.
“I do my job, I attempt to maintain the puck out of our internet, and hope that our guys can generate a pair. I am glad we bought one there. We bought a degree, however we’ve bought to maintain working to seek out extra offence.”
They couldn’t discover it final season, and there’s no motive to consider they’ll uncover it in time to save lots of this season.
The loss to Montreal, by which the one Flames scorer was fourth-liner Adam Klapka, hammered that time dwelling as soon as once more.
That is 12 months 4 of the re-imagined Habs, who’re off to a 6-2 begin, good for a first-place tie atop the NHL standings.
Look waaaay down, and there lies the Flames with simply 12 objectives, a minus-16 differential and a staff capturing proportion that appears nearer to the GST than to the league’s norm.
It places them on monitor to be the highest lottery draft contenders for the first-overall choose, Gavin McKenna — a rallying cry that has already been adopted by a Flames fan base annoyed by three many years of mid-round draft picks.
It’s time to get critical about bottoming out just like the Habs did in 2022, only one 12 months after a shock run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Last.
That was the 12 months they drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first general, adopted by Lane Hutson within the second spherical as a part of two straight seasons of ache, endurance, and pruning.
-
32 Ideas: The Podcast
Hockey followers already know the identify, however this isn’t the weblog. From Sportsnet, 32 Ideas: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the most important information and interviews from the hockey world.
And now? Regardless of being the youngest staff within the league, they’re on the cusp of one thing actual. One thing sustainable. One thing the Flames desperately must emulate.
Montreal’s rebuild started in earnest in 2022, when Kent Hughes took over as basic supervisor and Martin St. Louis stepped behind the bench. What adopted was a masterclass in trendy roster development: a mix of savvy drafting, daring trades, and strategic free-agent signings which have reworked the Habs from a floundering franchise into one of many league’s most promising younger cores in comparatively brief order.
Let’s begin with the draft.
Juraj Slafkovsky’s growth curve has been gradual, however he’s now anchoring the highest line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, two gamers who symbolize the center of Montreal’s rebuild. Each pressured Wolf to make a number of enormous stops to maintain the sport inside attain early Wednesday.
Second rounder Oliver Kapanen, 22, is centring the second line alongside 19-year-old Demidov, who appears destined for stardom after being taken fifth general in 2024.
Suzuki was acquired within the Max Pacioretty commerce again in 2018, whereas Caufield was a 2019 first-rounder. Collectively, they’ve grown into leaders and offensive stars.
On the blue line, Montreal has stockpiled expertise via the draft and trades. Hutson, who received the Calder final 12 months, headlines a blue line bolstered closely by the acquisition of Noah Dobson this low season. It added a confirmed top-four defenceman, signalling the Canadiens are able to shift from rebuilding to competing.
These near the staff say the important thing to the staff’s linear ascension has been a tradition fostered by veterans like Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, Mike Matheson and Sean Monahan, who the staff cashed in on.
The Flames have constructed a equally spectacular tradition, however don’t have sufficient difference-makers of their midst.
Montreal certified for the playoffs final season for the primary time in 4 years, and whereas they bowed out early, the expertise was invaluable.
The Flames have lengthy been caught in hockey purgatory — not dangerous sufficient to backside out, not adequate to contend.
It wants to finish, that means this early faceplant might be a blessing.
It’s time for Calgary to cease chasing the ultimate playoff spot and begin constructing one thing significant. Meaning embracing a misplaced season or two main as much as the brand new constructing.
The blueprint is true there in Montreal. Draft properly. Develop patiently. Make good trades. Don’t be afraid to lose within the brief time period.
The Canadiens didn’t panic when the losses piled up, they stayed the course. And now they’re reaping the rewards.
Calgary has a number of items to construct round, like Wolf, Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin and Cole Reschny.
However they want extra, which is why utilizing a fruitful draft as a springboard is essential.
It is a star-driven league, and people groups with out them get left behind, as Flames followers know all too properly.
