cross16

First - I've updated the blog with some feedback from bigchief. Thanks Flame and I will keep that in mind. I do have a blog upcoming that talks about Brent Sutter as well as a prospects blog so I will get more in depth. My goal is also to mix in some things that other people are not talking about, but I will take some of your ideas and form a blog with it as well. I appreciate all of you that read the blog and provide feedback. I've also received some PMs about them as well, and they are much appreciated.

The fans voiced their displeasure, the star goalie faced questions, and again the Flames suffered a loss in a big game. A game the Flames needed in order to remain on the 4 points in every 3 games pace the team believes will be required to make the playoffs. An ambitious goal for a team that has not been over .500 in months, but a goal that until last night the Flames were following perfectly. Coming back off an impressive road trip and some solid hockey, the Flames surprisingly look disinterested and slow. The 6 points in 4 games on the road trip suggests a positive, but are the Flames are playing well or is this another illusion the team has become famous for? There is no question the Montreal game was a resilient effort but is it fair to call it a comeback, because they fell short as they did in Carolina. While a glass half full person points to the fight in the Flames to argue that they can play good hockey, the glass half empty person asks “why are you down 4 goals in the first place?” For a team that needs every point they seem to have developed a trend of slow starts that put them behind the 8 ball. The “comeback” demonstrates resiliency but also questions the ability of the team to come all the way back to win games. Just like most of the season, the Flames continue to fall just a little short in their goals….. However, up until last night the Flames were on track to reach their goal of 4 points in ever 3 games. A goal the originated as win 2 of every 3 is now simply 4 points in ever 3 games. 3 OT/SOL points are all that is keeping this team on their pace and fans with some degree of hope. While keeping games close is a positive sign, how many teams have played solid hockey all the way to the Stanley Cup or jumped back in a playoff race? The opponent last night provides a different perspective of what a team needs to do with their backs to the walls. Back on Dec 18th/20th when the Wild took the back to back games against the Flames it marked a huge turnaround in their season. Many fans will remember that going into those games the Flames and Wild were neck and neck in the standings of the Western Conference. This morning, the Minnesota Wild are 7 points ahead of the Flames and 1 point back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. So in the same time that the Flames have gained little ground on their competition, the Wild have themselves right back into the playoffs with some great hockey. During that time have only benefited from the loser point twice, and won some of their games with their 3rd string goalie. The Wild are on pace with their goal, while the Flames remind their fans that it takes time and patience to climb back in a playoff race. Patience has long been considered a virtue, but how long until patience forms into reality and the team is seen for what it is and where it should be slotted in the NHL picture?

The axe has finally fallen, and the Flames have turned the page that fans had begun to scream for. Almost 8 years later, the tenure of General Manager Darryl Sutter has come to end and Jay Feaster takes over as the “acting” GM. I would like to start this by stating a Thank you to Darryl for all his hard work. This will look more toward his successor, not the past as I’ve written about that in the past. The attention turns to his successor, Jay Feaster who steps forward to try and deliver the Stanley cup he prevented the Flames from lifting in 2004. A cup that many people believe he did not earn, but simply lifted on behalf of the actual architect of the Lighting, now Atlanta GM Rick Dudley. One should note that throughout the entire tenure of Rick Dudley Jay Feaster was side by side as his assistant GM, but none the less Feaster is rarely given credit. Looking at the roster of the 2002 Tampa Bay Lightning, the year Feaster took over, and the cup winning roster you Can see some truth to that. Cory Stillman, Darryl Sydor, Brad Lukowich, and Chris Dingman are the only notable names that were acquire by Feaster and helped Tampa win the cup. However, Feaster deserves some credit as those are all very key players to the 2004 cup run and none were acquired at a very high price. Feaster was also instrumental in the promotion of John Tortorella and developing Vincent Lecavalier, who Feaster managed to co exist with Tortorella. Feaster’s down fall is often linked with the “big three” in Tampa and the fall of the Lightning from champions to First overall pick. The term obviously referring to Feaster’s decision to pay Richards, Lecavalier and St Louis almost half of the team’s salary cap over long term deals. What most have not done, is look at the situation that Feaster was in. One of the key changes to the CBA from pre lockout to post lockout was the huge drop in the age of unrestricted Free agency and it had a unique impact on Feaster. Feaster entered the new landscape with Lecavalier and St Louis both as restricted free agents, but both were now looking at unrestricted free agency in 2006 along with key defenceman Pavel Kubina. Kubina and Lecavalier would not have been looking at free agency for several seasons had the CBA not changed. Kubina hit UFA in the 2006 season and the money was not there so sign him and Toronto swiftly handed him a 4 year 20 million dollar deal. Under the old CBA, Kubina would not have been a UFA until 2008. With Lecavalier now only having 1 year left until UFA, the option of a short term, low money, deal was no longer available as Feaster would have been looking at losing his star for nothing. However, it was the Richards deal that really handcuffed the team. Having already signed Lecavalier and St Louis, Feaster stared down a 2006 offseason signing of his Conn Smyth winning, 90 points center in Brad Richards who only had one more year until he hit UFA. Again, due to the change in the CBA, Feaster was dealing with only one season until Richards would have been eligible for UFA status, whereas in the old CBA he would have been an RFA until 2011. Whether you agree with the decision or not, people have to recognize the unique situation Feaster found himself in and there is no doubt that the destruction of the Tampa Bay Lightning was due in large part to the changing economic structure of the NHL. Does that absolve Feaster of blame, absolutely not he deserve a fair portion of it. Tampa was unable to cope mainly due to the fact that their drafts under Feaster were awful. Under Feaster, Tampa only drafted one player who has played over 100 games in the NHL, Mike Lindin, with Dana Tyrell looking like he may be the next one in line. Over a 6 year period, that alone would get some people fired. Feaster also struggled to find any answer in net, when many teams seem to find goalies all over the world year after year. Needless to say, Feaster will be under the watch in Calgary. Some of his tenure is something to get excited about, other is not. Ken King’s suggestion that Feaster will be the acting GM until the summer seems to have perked some ears rather than name him a permanent GM. But after a systematic look, it would appear it’s simply a case that perhaps the Flames don’t have 100% confidence Feaster is their guy. While I supported the decision to name Feaster assistant GM, I agree that perhaps 100% confidence in Feaster will require some time and results. We shall watch with a microscope to see what direction Feaster takes this team, but I think his experience and his past warrant the audition.

Chief, I definetly would have agreed with you 3 months ago, and thought jbow should be moved if at all possible. however, with how he has played now I would suggest he's worth about 5 to 5.5 million so I'll eat the 1 mill of dead cap space to retain his services. Especially if they are going to deal Iggy/Kipper/Regehr and others in a rebuild.

In the wake of yet another disappointing and listless effort from the Flames, positives are as rare to find as a Sutter supporter. I felt it was time to take a look at two positives the Flames have going for them, not only for this current team, but also for a rebuild should that be required. Perhaps no player has felt more heat, from this writer included, than Jay Bouwmeester. Bouwmeester represents the vision and direction of Darryl Sutter that so many have come to hate. He can be viewed as the piece that replaced Mike Cammalleri, and his 39 goals, on a team that is now starving for goals. He represents a move from being one of the top offensive teams to the bottom in just one season, all at a 6.6 million dollar per year price tag. The relationship has not always been positive, up until now. Bouwmeester currently sits at 11 points, with 3 goals, 8 assists and a plus 5, all while being right near the top of the league in time on ice. People will look at those stats and likely not be blown away or really at that impressed. At the end of the day, Bouwmeester is on pace for 7 goals and 26 points and all for over 6 million dollars. However, what if one were to take away the first 6 games of the year where there was no question that Bouwmeester struggled. Through the first 6 games of the year he recorded no goals, no points and was a minus 1. Since then, through 27 games, he has recorded 3 goals 11 assists and is a plus 6. Over an 82 game season that pace would result in 9 goals and just over 30 points which is far more impressive and much closer to the pace fans would expect, and would indicate an improvement over last season. At the beginning of the year he was averaging about 2.6 shots/ game, and after that 6 games mark it has fallen to 1.7/game. Last year, Bouwmeester’s average was 1.5 shots/game and during that time he was ridiculed constantly. Many would look at those stats and suggest that he needs to shoot more. However, his shooting percentage has also gone from 2.3 last year up to 5.1% this season and much closer to the 6-9% range he typically recorded in his Florida days. I would suggest that this shows a comfort level he has reached finally as a Flame. He is taking more shots, but also is successful at a higher ratio which would suggest he is more comfortable picking his spots and his opportunities. All while remaining very solid in his defensive game. Is his level at the 6.6 range? That is an arbitrary debate that everyone will fall on different sides of. For now, it provides a much better return on investment, and a player that flames fans should feel very comfortable with long term. While not his direct partner, Mark Giordano is another defensemen that should have Flames fan very confidence in their future. There has been no “sophomore” slump or any fall in his place especially after his contract. With the improved play of these two dmen, the Flames have two building blocks for now and for the future that are both below the age of 28. Whether it be a rebuild, retool, or stay the course, it’s very clear that defence will not be an issue.

On April 11,2003, the Calgary Flames added the title of General Manager to Darryl Sutter. Coach since Dec 28th of that season, Sutter became the main powerbroker in the Flames organization and in complete control of the hockey operations. At the time, he took over a down and out franchise, with no playoffs in 7 years, and no playoff series win since their cup win of 1989. He inherited a superstar in Jarome Iginla, a budding star in young defencemen Robyn Regehr, and a slew of solid depth players such as Jordan Leopold. However, he also took over a team with a bloated payroll, an anchor of a goalie situation, and a prospect cupboard that was so bare mice wouldn’t be able to find any crumbs. At the time, Eric Nystrom, career 3rd/4th liner, was considered one of the Flames top prospects and a young Brian McConnell was a top prospect as well. Case in point for the Flames system at the time, McConnell has played a grand total of zero games in the NHL and even zero games in the AHL. Within one year of having the dual job, “In Sutter we Trust” was one of the most common signs at the Dome. Darryl Sutter had the Midas touch as it just appeared like every trade he did he won. Miikaa Kipprusoff was an afterthought in San Jose and acquired for a 2nd round pick, he went on to win the Vezina. Even trading the very popular Jamie McLennan netted a very valuable Chris Simon, drafted Dion Phaneuf, signed Regehr, Kipper, and Iginla all to very fair long term deals and the rest is history. There were some ups and downs along the way, and Sutter did lose some trades (Brad Stuart anyone?), but at the end of the day it has always been “In Sutter we trust”. Up until now that is……. While I do not wish to take away anything that Darryl Sutter as done for the Calgary Flames organization, a GM is often going to be measured by where the franchise is when they are nearing an end or leave, versus where it was when they came on board. So it begs the question, is the 2010 Calgary Flames organization better than the 2003 version Darryl Sutter inherited? The Flames sit today a fair distance outside of a playoff spot in the West, 3 games under .500. In 2003, they were 7 games under .500 and finished out of the playoffs. In 2002, they had a too many players making contracts their budget at the time couldn’t afford which hurt their depth, namely Chris Drury and Roman Turek. 7 years later they have a team with too many players not playing to their contract value, Jokinen, Stajan, Iginla, and their team suffers as a result. In 2003 the Flames were considered one of the worst in the league in terms of prospects. In 2010, while most will acknowledge the depth is solid, they are considered to have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL. Are there more similarities or are their more differences? A very key different is that when Sutter first took over he was sitting on a superstar and some potential top players. Right now, he sits with no future star player and no future franchise leader. The more things change… the more they stay the same…..

Absolutly. I just thought it was good food for thought for people to look outside of just firing Darryl Sutter and dig deeper into the job Brent Sutter has done as the coach.

As the Flames woes continue, and the slide in the standings more evident everday, the fan’s anger typically falls on the desk of Flames GM Darryl Sutter. The once popular slogan of “In Sutter we trust” has been replaced with a “Fire Sutter” watch. However, are fans fixated on firing the right Sutter? Brent Sutter came to Calgary with great fan fare and great expectations. Having set records in a very successful New Jersey system, his hire was seen as the final Championship piece for the Flames after the then deemed unsuccessful tenure of Mike Keenan. Fast forward to today, and Brent Sutter sits at a combined record of 48 wins and 43 losses with a winning percentage of less than .500 (wins versus games played). Yet a .54 winning percentage couldn’t save Mike Keenan’s job, nor was a .524 enough to give Jim Playfair one more year. Clearly, the Sutter regime has failed to meet expectations, so it begs the question does Brent Sutter have control of this team? Perhaps there is no more telling sign than the game against the New Jersey Devils. The first return for Brent Sutter to a home that he left with a degree of animosity, and to some disparaging comments was met with a flat effort. A game that was called a “must win” by more than one Flame player, saw the Flames play a generally uninspired game. I recall a game in December of 2007, where Mike Keenan was still the leader of the troops. Searching for his 600th win, the Flames won a 5-3 road game in St. Louis, and Captain Jarome Iginla presented Keenan with the game puck. Back in his old stomping grounds of Florida, the Flames rallied for a 2-1 win for Keenan, with reports the players took the coach out for dinner afterword. People can, and always have, questioned the methods of “Iron Mike” Keenan, but little question remains that he had the control of the team. Brent Sutter was brought in, not because Keenan failed in that area, but because he failed in the defensive area. Perhaps too much focus was given to the on ice versus the off ice? So the question is presented, how much longer should Brent Sutter remain Head coach of the Calgary Flames if he doesn’t have control of the room? Jim Playfair was thought of to be too inexperienced to handle a veteran laden NHL team like the Flames. Perhaps the time is now to see if Playfair has learned enough to be Head coach of the Calgary Flames for the longer term. It brings us back to the original question: Do Fans want to Fire the Right Sutter? Both is probably the right answer, but it would appear Brent should be first to go.