There and Back Again
Fleury scores shoot-out winner
In a game where Dion Phaneuf laid a signature open ice hit that nearly knocked Kyle Okposo unconscious and led to a full line scrum, where Olli Jokinen responded to persistent questions of character by delivering a Gordie Howe Hat-trick, it was Theo Fleury’s return and game winning shoot-out goal that was the story. The Saddledome reverberated with the crowd’s welcome of “Theo Theo Theo…” when he hit the ice for his first shift in a Flames Jersey since the ’99 trade that sent him to Colorado.
He will likely spend time with the Abbotsford Heat (what will that do for ticket sales for the first-year team?) but it would be great to see him contribute in a meaningful game in Calgary.
attoboy | 5:31 am, September 18th, 2009
Categories: Hockey. Tags: General, Hockey.
Awards trophy to Penguins for photo-ops
Sidney Crosby was handed his first Stanley Cup on Friday and can now be considered the Hayley Wickenheiser of the NHL. Congratulations, Sid!
attoboy | 3:06 am, June 15th, 2009
Categories: Hockey. Tags: Hockey.
Let the hand-wringing begin
Flames dropped in six to the Blackhawks. I think they had a good season, but there will be the usual wailing from the usual quarters. Some will call for Mike Keenan’s head. I wonder if he will be cycled up to an assistant manager/executive head coach role with the remaining coaching staff taking on more responsibility. In the cap era, the trend of coaching staffs getting larger and more specialized will continue.
Predictions for this summer:
- Bertuzzi will sign cheap if Jokinen is still with the team.
- Bourque will get an early extension.
- Aucoin will sign short and cheap or move on.
- Pardy might get an offer sheet from someone trying to torpedo the Flames’ cap number. Probably Mike Gillis or Brian Burke.
- If Cammalleri moves on, he will be joining Marc Savard and Martin St.Louis as small fast elite players let go for nothing
- Leopold will sign cheap and short or be allowed to go.
- Warrener will move on.
- Dave Lowry will receive an assistant coaching offer.
- Some of the other staff may not get an offer.
Predictions for next season:
- Backlund will make the team.
- McElhinney will get more games.
- Iginla will break 40 goals.
- Phaneuf will improve mentally.
- Giordano will have the best year of his career to date.
- Reported US viewership will be initially down and rise again toward the playoffs
The Flames will do well in a season interrupted by the Olympics. This is a good group that should have a shot to go deep.
attoboy | 11:24 am, April 29th, 2009
Categories: Hockey. Tags: Hockey.