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I'm honestly at a loss. This is stunning to see. Never have I witnessed such a precipitous drop from a star player, at least from what I can remember.

Yes, losing Sasha Barkov is playing a part, but the dropoff from Barkov to Lindholm/Kadri should not be THIS massive. And the shift in system and/or lack of true puckmoving defensemen on the back end cannot account for the total collapse that's taken place.

That said, the thing that really separates true stars/superstars from just complementary scorers is the ability to create space. It's fairly obvious which guys can do this, even an aging and slowed Patrick Kane is still capable of doing this. But apparently, Huberdeau CAN'T, and that's probably the main reason why he's struggling, he had elite talents around him in Florida to do that for him, not so much in Calgary. It's really the difference between being a top-tier winger like Mikko Rantanen or Brock Boeser vs. a secondary talent like Brandon Saad. Even though he put up 115 points, I guess he's closer to the latter than the former.

Either way, he never should've gotten that contract.

Wow

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

As we reach the halfway point of the season the Flames looked to get it together with 3 in a row but then lay a turd against the AHL squad Hawks dropping 2 in a row. Hey....you can't account for heart!

Anyway...I think at this point Conroy and crew should have enough of a sample size to start hitting the eject button. This is not a good team but its not the worst team either. I can understand pulling the chute too fast sniffing around a playoff spot......so maybe they wait another month.

Once Kylington is done with his conditioning stint that should pave the way for some Happy or not so happy trails.

Quite honestly I don't want any of these UFAs outside of Lindholm...I don't think they are in too bad of a position if they go all seller. Honzek looked good at the WJCs and I certainly didn't mind Solovyov. They are definitely in the drivers seat to maximize return in the 2nd half.

One of the goalies HAS to go to make way for Wolf.

The whole Huberdeau thing almost deserves its own thread at this point. Is it too early to be thinking buyout?

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Avs keep getting linked to Lindholm but I'd much rather they find a way to get Kadri back.

Lindholm is a perfect match for them. A dude that will do the dirty work for Nate the puck hog. Of course he'd also be perfect in Boston with Pasta.....quite honestly Lindholm is everything you want in a teammate....quiet soldier...does his job well. He'd be an asset anywhere he goes.....

If the Flames had 3 or more of this guy.....they wouldn't be where they are at.

Shit...if you want Kadri... by all means take him.

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Michael Kesselring is a fucking moron who should be suspended. Pushes Connor Zary into his own goalie (and people should know by now that might be my number one pet peeve about hockey), freaks out about it, sends Zary over the crossbar and THEN cross checks him in the head while he's down.

Craig! Do not be fooled by recent cohesion! You are a seller!

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hockey ... -from-past

I had forgotten about the post Iginla/Feaster era...........seems I've been on so many of these cycle swings with the Flames....even that era was not as bad as the Young Guns era though.

I think the bottom line is that this can be done gracefully......Boston.....somewhat Detroit........or like a complete shit show for years.....Edmonton.



Pretty sure that's Todd Simpson.......

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Pospisil hits the IR allowing Coronato another shot.

Kylington appears ready to draw into the lineup soon (also a UFA)......and at the same time Dillon Dube has been granted mental health leave.

Obviously, something is wrong with Dube as he has been absent all year. Hopefully he also gets the help he needs to continue his career.

Recently read an article about dealing Coleman....he has an NTC with a 10 team list...so there is that.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles ... 7_39843135

Conroy can't possibly stand pat with this team so we are down to 6 weeks to figure it out. Flames have a real possibility to kickstart a rebuild and move players. Lots of teams out there who these players would complete should allow good return.

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I root for the Flames every time they wear those stupid fucking "Blasty" jerseys. And sure enough, they did last night.

Well its time to stop feeling sorry for Dillon Dube...and equating his mental health leave plight with Kylington. It very well could be a mental health issue at this point but clearly its more than that.

CapFriendly currently has him listed as NON-ROSTER appropriately enough. There is a market for that type of deviant behaviour but you have to pay good money for it or join some type of club with a significant consensual other. You cannot pick up a drunk lady at a bar and invite your friends over.................if that's true.

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The hubris of Huberdeau works on new ways of being a detriment to the team.......takes a 5 minute boarding major towards the end of the 3rd which guaranteed the loss. Now it isn't only his fault as the Flames had allowed the GWG SH earlier in the 2nd.

Markstrom wasn't very good but neither were the Flames D. A scary moment when the heart of the team this year, Blake Coleman, takes one off the hand.

The Saddledome crowd turned their Boos from Johnny to the whole Flames team at the end of last nights game.....rightfully so.

Otherwise it was nice to see Kylington back on the ice. Not sure the state of the team is a positive place for him now but....still good to see him on the ice.

All the Flames talking heads have been going on and on about how this stretch before the All Star break should point the direction forward. Well they are knocking it out of the park losing 4 in a row with a recent loss to the well Booed Johnny Blue Jackets. If they lose to the Hawks on Saturday night to make it 5 in a row Craig should have the dynamite packed and ready to go.

He probably already should have anyway considering the opportunity out there.

Adam Ruzicka (claimed by Phoenix) and Nick DeSimone (claimed by NJ) were put on waivers as was Walker Duehr (who cleared).

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I root against the Flambés every single time they break out those stupid Blasty jerseys.

LOL....one post says I root for and one says I root against the Flames every time they wear the horse head . I hate that jersey...reminds me of the crappy years....in fact I even own one.

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I'll admit I DID like the Reverse Retro black jerseys the Flames came out with last season but then they even started wearing those way too often. That's the thing, you put a black jersey in front of a hockey player they just want to wear them all the damn time, it's why so many black jerseys become the regular home uniform like it has in Carolina and did for a time in Philly and other NHL cities.

I think I said good things about the Blasty sweater when it first came back but now it's stuck around way too fucking long and needs to go away again.

Anyway, glad to see Oliver Kylington back.

Some bit of ugliness in this game. Jack Roslovic laid a dirty AF cross check to the back of Mackenzie Weegar while racing for a loose puck and I'm not sure what Weegar's status is, but he was very slow to get up. That's the kind of bullshit the league said they'd try to clean up and then just...forgot about it. But then later Jonathan Huberdeau laid a big hit right in the numbers to Roslovic and got tossed. It's obvious that wasn't Hubie's intention but even knowing what Roslovic did to Weegar, can't do that bro. The result could've been worse--the visor cut his face and bloodied it up but good but it appears that he didn't cause any serious damage.

Yeah the result was instead a 5 minute major that ultimately insured the loss.

Seriously, Huberdeau is just playing dreadful hockey.

Anyway, the Flames go into the break winning a game that they had to have against Chicago. While all these guys are on vacation enjoying family time hopefully Craig is working the phones.

Flames get back to work on the 6th in Boston.

A very difficult stretch is coming the month of February for this team....so I guess Craig still has time to play while the ship sinks.

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No Vacation for Craig...he is working the phones!...that's a fairly large haul for Lindholm....Kuzmenko, Hunter BRZFAFKFKAFAKwicz, Joni Jurmo, 2024 1st Rd pick and conditional 4th rd pick. Good Job Craig!

Lindholm is bound to be serviceable anywhere he goes and I am sure the Nucks will get good use out of him.

It pains me to see the hard on these two teams have for each other but whatever......we both love Gelinas.

One down!

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Habs GM Kent Hughes thanks you for raising the price on Sean Monahan at the trade deadline.

Calgary once again staves off a full rebuild here by hoping Kuz can offer some immediate offence. But they got the pick and that's what matters, even if it'll be late first.

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The pick is just icing. The main piece is Hunter Brzustewicz. He'd be a top 15 pick if there was redraft today. He's putting up numbers in the OHL that compare to some of the best dmen to ever play in the OHL.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Gelinas, wish you didn't bring that up. My heart breaks thinking how badly the Nucks muffed up losing him. I still haven't forgiven Geroge McPhee for that.


And the rumours have it that the Nucks wanted Tanev back. However Calgary wanted their 2025 1st round pick and that was too steep. I think 2nd rounder would have got it done. Maybe later if Calgary can't get the price they want.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Calgary's lone representative at the All Star Game....Tate McRae.....does better than any of those gents could have done this season. Lindholm gets left off the all Canuck team........Kucherov trying skills after 10 beers.....that's about all I watched.

Calgary kicks off the rest of their "retool" season against Boston in Boston on Tuesday.

Assuming this Brzustewicz acquisition spells the end for Hannafin/Tanev.



The hero worship in the comments is a bit weird....but I guess that's how young people validate nowadays.....

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