(Calgary) More wins and the construction of a new arena will convince more NHL players that Calgary is a good place to play, said some Flames players as they were packing up their equipment Friday.
The Flames (38-39-5) finished the season 17 points out of a playoff spot. The Canadian squad missed spring ball for the second year in a row and has won only two playoff rounds in the last 20 years.
A slow start to the campaign and trades for important players not wanting to extend with the team hurt the Flames’ progress.
The Flames had a winning record in November, January and February, cruising close to a playoff spot, but by the trade deadline the situation was no longer the same.
Of the team’s seven players with one year remaining on their contracts a year ago, only Mikael Backlund signed a contract extension. Tyler Toffoli and four other players were traded.
Flames general manager Craig Conroy also traded star center Elias Lindholm and defensemen Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin and Nikita Zadorov. The latter could not agree on a new contract.
“Our management didn’t have it easy,” said forward Blake Coleman. There was a lot of contract stuff to deal with and the guys weren’t totally sure if they were going to stay, or wanted to stay.
PHOTO SERGEI BELSKI, USA TODAY SPORTS
Blake Coleman
We had to find ways to overcome this. For the most part, we shot ourselves in the foot and the guys went about their business, but in the end we lost several very good players and teammates and friends.
Blake Coleman
Winger Dillon Dubé, a restricted free agent, was absent from the Flames indefinitely on January 21, when members of Canada’s 2018 junior hockey team were accused of sexual assault, including him . The allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Defenseman Oliver Kylington returned to action in January, after being away for a season and a half to take care of his mental health.
So it was a busy season for the team’s new general manager and head coach, Ryan Huska. Conroy and Huska acted as deputies before taking over their respective primary roles.
“I never felt like the effort wasn’t there this year,” Conroy said. The start of the season really hurt us. If it wasn’t for that, who knows? Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that we still had to trade certain players that we couldn’t find common ground for contract extensions. »
In return, the Flames acquired forwards Yegor Sharangovich and Andrei Kuzmenko, as well as defenseman Danill Miromanov. Additionally, the acquisition of four prospects and seven draft picks, including two first-round picks, indicated a personnel reorganization.
Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said winning and making the playoffs are two main assets for players.
PHOTO SERGEI BELSKI, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES
MacKenzie Weegar
“I don’t know if there’s this dark cloud over Calgary right now, but it’s finding a way to change that, to make players want to play here again,” Weegar shared. That’s what it’s like, reestablishing this winning culture. »
The city has a deal in place with the Flames to replace the 41-year-old Saddledome, which is the oldest arena in the NHL behind New York’s Madison Square Garden. However, the work has not started.
“I love playing at the Saddledome, but it’s one of the oldest,” said Backlund, who became the team’s captain in his 16th year.e year with the Flames. It’s an important factor for players, I’m sure. It’s in progress. I hope this will be done sooner rather than later. I would love to play in this arena, but they have to start that soon. I’m not getting any younger. »
Some positive elements still marked the Flames’ season.
Weegar (20) and Coleman (30) set career highs in goals. Sharangovich became the Belarusian having the most productive season in the NHL, with 31 goals and 28 assists.
Nazem Kadri scored 29 goals and 46 assists and had his second best career season with 75 points. He collected 87 points with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22.
reference: www.lapresse.ca