Mike Keenan Announced as New Calgary Flames Head Coach
At 1:30PM MT the Calgary Flames officially announced the multi-year signing of new head coach Mike Keenan. Here is a summary transcript of the press conference.
Archive for Flames News
Mike Keenan Returns to Coach Calgary?
Flames GM Darryl Sutter has a knack of making moves nobody expects. TSN is reporting that Mike Keenan is going to be back behind the bench if all things go according to schedule. The team in question? None other than the Calgary Flames. It appears the lackluster road record and early playoff exit were enough to spell DOOM for outgoing coach Jim Playfair, but is this the right move for the team if it's true?
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Flames Players Dominating IIHF
Lombardi and Phaneuf Scoring Big
Team Canada advanced to the semifinals at this year's World's and will face Sweden on Saturday. What's more interesting from a Flames fan perspective is who's doing all the scoring.
Operating on the top line Matt Lombardi has five goals in his last two games, and six overall to lead all Canadian scorers.
Top Ten Changes for the Calgary Flames 2007 Off-Season
Now that everyone has had an opportunity to simmer drown and get over the early exit from this year's NHL playoffs it's time to assess the road ahead. The Calgary Flames turned in what many believed to be a poor post-season performance barely squeezing into the final eight in the West. The fact of the matter is, the club has made the post-season three seasons in a row and expectations are high (perhaps too high?) ever since the improbably run of 2006.
Nonetheless, changes are in order as improvement needs to be made and can be made. Here are the top ten changes the Calgary Flames need to make during this year's off-season.
Top Ten Off-Season Flames Changes
10. Fight club: Eric Godard stays or goes? We say stays. Some of the top teams in the league carry 1+ goons. Although the enforcer is temporarily out of the game, many teams pick up smaller guys who do the same job but sometimes run unchecked (think Hollweg, Cowan, Tootoo, Hordichuck, etc.). Resign Godard to another 1 year deal at half a million and have him play half the games. Iginla would not have hurt his knee had we had someone to police, plus the guy is a monster in fights.
9. Worthy back-up: Jamie McLennan is a character guy in the dressing room but he didn't post the number we would have liked. Chances are someone from the farm club comes up this year. Likely Krahn will back up despite Curtis M putting up stronger numbers.
8. Hamrlik or Stuart? I think for the money we'd opt for Stuart, but don't be surprised if he doesn't want to sign with Calgary in the off-season. Hamrilik has expressed interest to stay but I'm not sure the 3.5 million price tag will be low enough to warrant re-signing. For less money I'd take him for sure. Perhaps both go and we pick up a big name free-agent? Scott Hannan perhaps?
7. Offer long-term contracts to key players. Namely Iginla and Kiprusoff, however, one could slot the likes of Regher and perharps Langkow in this category. Solidifying the core will help the team build a new identity coming into 2007-08. A re-focus to the defensive game would certainly help.
6. Number one center? Conroy is not our answer to #1 center at 38. I don't mind putting Langkow as the number one guy but then we have a huge gap at number 2. Lombardi didn't pan out as the second line guy. Frankly I think at the end of next season or the 2008-09 season we'll see either Huselius or Tanguay go for a number one C. More help to Iggy may give him the edge he need to, dare I say, lead the league in points.
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Top Five Reasons Why the Flames Lost in the First Round
For most Calgary Flames fans three days is enough time to get over the early first round exit. After the shock disappears the questions start flying about what to do and why they did it. Here is the first of many articles about the Flames this season and next.
I know you're saying to yourself, 'just five?!' but we had to keep it to five or risk never ending.
Top 5 Reasons Calgary Lost Round One 2007
5. Poor defensive zone coverage. This was probably a systems thing, but all to often in the final games we found ourself hemmed into our own end on 5v5. We could not adjust to cover the points or win battles down low.
4. Speaking of battles down low, where was the grit? The huge hits? The crashing and banging and chipping and hacking? Where was the crashing the net, bowling over Hasek, borderline charging, and so on? The grit of this team went down considerably from their successful run in 2004 and didn't really change since 2006. That's cause for concern. This team is more skilled but is missing 3-4 players with significant size and speed just to crash and bang.
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Detroit Organization Rusing NHL?
This will be my last post on the whole 'conspiracy theories' but it's worth noting. The discussion lately around FlamesForum has stemmed from the dirty play of Calgary. A 'sucker punch' from Langkow, a 'butt-end' from Iginla, and the slash from Mclennan. The only one I've seen as a suspendable offence was the one that got five games. I'm willing to change my opinion after I actually see a butt end by Iginla. As for Langkow, the punch wasn't classy, (neither was the shot to his knees) but it wasn't a cold cock that would knock out a pee-wee hockey player.
Everyone SAW with the own eyes Lebda slam his feet into the board and twist awkwardly, the guy was in terrible pain right after he hit the board--before he was punched by Langkow. When he got up with the help of teammates he was favouring his LEG, not his FACE.
Detroit Organization Tries to Con NHL
But get this, despite the guy favouring his knee, the Detroit media goes on a rampage not talking about Lebda's leg but his head! Apparently from the little punch he got his leg is now healed but his HEAD is hurting! What?! Did nobody see the replays? Lebda has a LEG injury not a CONCUSSION as the Detroit organization would have you believe. The next day they reported Lebda had 'headaches'. WHAT?! HE WAS HOLDING HIS LEG!
Maybe I'm totally wrong, but the millions of viewers saw what happened and know his leg is injured not his head. Didn't the general managers decide to improve the reporting of injuries (must be next season). The Detroit organization should stop being such a headache and come clean.
Calgary Flames 2007 Playoff Round 1 Schedule
Calgary Flames 2007 Playoff Round 1 Schedule
Here is what we know regarding the Flames schedule in the first round, the games are at really bad times because of Detroit.
Game One: Thursday, April 12th, 2007
Game time will be 5PM MST.
Game Two: Sunday, April 14th, 2007
Game time is 11AM MST.
First Home Game: Game Three: Tuesday, April 17th, 2007
Game time will be 8PM MST.
Game Four: Thursday, April 19th, 2007
Game time will be 7:30PM MST.
If Necessary:
*Sat., April 21 1:00 p.m. at Detroit NBC, CBC
*Sun., April 22 TBD at Calgary CBC, VERSUS
*Tue., April 24 TBD at Detroit CBC, VERSUS
We will post more information as it becomes available and offer any late edits.