Calgary Flames

Don't expect this playoff-starved team to escape the bottom half of the conference

By Michael Farber

Team Page | Predicted Finish: 24

The eternal flames burn in Calgary -- eternally hopeful though absent from the playoffs for what seems an eternity. The streak of futility is at an NHL-high seven seasons, and although there is a creditable young defense and a star forward in Jarome Iginla, the Flames likely will live down to their reputation again this season. By finishing 11th or 12th in the Western Conference the past four years, the Flames have been neither good enough to build any sort of momentum nor egregious enough to land a franchise player high in the draft. But Darryl Sutter, who took over as coach for the fired Greg Gilbert last December, might be the man who inches the Flames forward.

Jarome Iginla Adrian Wyld/AP SI RANKING (1 best - 30 worst) OFFENSE 28 DEFENSE 20 GOALTENDING 24 POWER PLAY 28 PENALTY KILLING 17 G.M. AND COACH 24

After Sutter went behind the bench, Calgary played above .500 over the final 46 games; after Sutter succeeded Craig Button as general manager in April, the club traded for second-line center Steven Reinprecht, dumped some bad contracts, got all players signed before training camp and reinforced the third and fourth lines with new players who have size and abrasiveness. None of that solved the lack of goal-scoring, but quick left wing Dean McAmmond, who was reacquired from the Avalanche last March, should help. When McAmmond, Iginla and two-way center Craig Conroy played together two years ago, they combined for 100 goals.

The pressure will be on the top defensive pairs -- tough Robyn Regehr and 2002 Hobey Baker winner Jordan Leopold, and slick Toni Lydman and newcomer Rhett Warrener -- as well as goalie Roman Turek, 33. In a four-hour meeting after last season, Sutter asked Turek for a bigger commitment. The netminder, who weighed 220 pounds in '02-03, reported to camp 11 pounds lighter.

Sutter thinks getting out of the gate fast should be Calgary's priority. But no matter how quickly the eternal Flames begin -- they started 13-2-4-2 two years ago -- they seem to wind up in the same place.

Insider

The Flames will reflect blue-collar coach Darryl Sutter and outwork most teams. Unfortunately, that won't be enough to overcome a lack of talent up front and mediocre goaltending from Roman Turek.... Keep an eye on second-year F Chuck Kobasew, who showed a nose for the net when he was sent to the AHL last season.... Sutter loves the way checking C Stephane Yelle plays, so don't be surprised to see him get tons of ice time and thus more points than he has in the past.

Issue date: October 13, 2003