2009-10 Calgary Flames
After finishing the season 40-30-10 many questions abound within the Flames organization. The main subject revolves around Jerome Iginla who flamed out in the final throws of the season. Iginla, the captain of the team and face of the franchise as well as the franchise’s all time leading scorer scored only one goal in the final 16 games of the season as his team failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
To trade Iginla or not to trade Iginla will be the biggest question in the offseason. "If they don't want me here and want to move in a different direction, I would look at it. You want to play where you are wanted and have people believe in you. If they do that, we would look at it. It wouldn't be personal. My family has been treated very well. I want to be part of the solution here and I believe I can be. If that is what it came to, I wouldn't take it personally. The organization has treated me well,” the 33-year old Iginla said recently. "They are looking at everything. I haven't heard that or anything. My first meetings say they want me to be here. I believe I will be back."
Asked for the reasons to his teams demise, GM Darryl Sutter said "We have to get to the bottom of why we lost the identity of our team at home, the energy. We've averaged 25 to 30 wins the last number of years, to fall back to 20 this year, I think we have to address that more than anything else."
Previous Seasons
Head coach Mike Keenan was fired on May 22, 2010. The Flames rebuilt over the offseason and Brent Sutter was named the new Head Coach and set their sights on the draft in which they had seven picks. With their first round pick (23rd overall), they selected 18-year old Tim Erixon who is currently on loan to the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish league Hockey Allsvenskan.
In a surprising move by the 2007-08 Flames, they announced on June 14th that “Iron” Mike Keenan would be replacing coach Jim Playfair, who took on the role as assistant coach to Keenan. And they don’t call him “Iron” for Nothing – Mike Keenan is 6th all time in the NHL in wins. He was also awarded NHL coach of the year in ’85 for his work with the Philadelphia Flyers. It is apparent that the Flames remain in extremely capable hands for ’07-08.
The beloved Calgary Flames are celebrating 25 years in Calgary during the 2005-06 season. Since they migrated north from Atlanta in 1980, the Flames have become as much of a part of Calgary as hockey itself. No season had seen as much fan attention as their 2004 run to the finals. Calgary Flames hockey tickets were hard to find and fans were insanely excited due to their run for the Stanley Cup. Their popularity, not only in Canada, but across the United States, soared that year, resulted in the most media coverage the team had ever seen. Up until the 2003-2004 season, the pinnacle for Flames fans was in 1989 when they defeated the Montreal Canadians to win the Stanley Cup. While watching heroes such as Bob MacMillan, Curt Bennet and Tom Lysiak triumph in the late 70s-early 80s, fans still hungered to see their team enter the finals. And in 1989 they got their wish. Boasting a lineup of NHL all-stars, the Flames went on to take the Stanley Cup from the Montreal Canadians.
In the history-making 2004 season, the Flames returned to the Stanley Cup finals for the third time and led to the team being one win away from their second League championship. This astonishing accomplishment included triumphing over three Western Division champions (Vancouver, Detriot and San Jose) in order to enter the finals to face the Tampa Bay Lightening.
The accolades of their franchise include three season and two Smythe Division playoff championships, two Pacific Division titles two Presidents Trophies, and three Clarence Campbell Conference titles.
Over the years the Flames have become one of the NHL's most consistent teams, constantly qualifying for league playoffs with unnerving focus and determination from the mid-70s to present day. Still, no season was as impressive as the Flames 2003-04 race to the playoffs. The team began the season making history by naming Jarome Iginla as captain making him the first African-American captain in NHL history. As Miikka Kiprusoff joined the Flames from the San Jose Sharks, he teamed up with Iginla to begin stringing wins together. For the first time in nine years the Flames placed 3rd in the Northwest Division, matching them up with the Vancouver Canucks. Kipursoff proved to be magic as he sent away a staggering 44 shots on goal before leading the Flames to win 1-0 against Vancouver.
After cementing their status in the finals, the Flames began readying to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. The race for the cup ignited fans all over the U.S. and Canada, sending Flames merchandise into the number one selling spot throughout the two countries. Fans packed the Saddledome in record numbers, screaming throughout every home game, no matter what the outcome. Calgary fans even took the loss hard enough to riot throughout the city, a first in the history of the city.
With such an impressive show as the 2003-04 season's Stanley Cup Finals, NHL hockey fans are pouring into arenas in search of Flames tickets to see the team work their magic once again.
ABOUT THE CALGARY FLAMES
In 1980, the Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to become the Calgary
Flames. The team, originally founded in 1972, is the third to call Calgary home and is
one of two teams in Alberta.
During their time in Atlanta, the Flames made it to the playoffs six times but never made
it all the way to the Stanley Cup. Since the move, the Calgary Flames have made it to
the playoffs twenty times. They have five Division championships, three Conference
Championships, and one Stanley Cup win.
In 1983, Pengrowth Saddledome was built to be the new home of the Calgary Flames.
With seating for 19,289 the arena cost 97.7 million dollars to build and was also home to
the 1988 Winter Olympic figure skating and ice hockey events. The Flames’ lease ends
in 2014 and there has been talk about building a new stadium. As the old arena ages, the
Flames ability to generate revenue and draw fans is decreasing, fueling the need for a
new arena when their current lease expires.
Also calling Pengrowth home is Harvey the Hound, the mascot of the Calgary Flames.
Harvey was created in 1993 and made his NHL debut in 1994, becoming the first mascot
in the league. Harvey is also famous for the 2003 “tongue incident.” Harassing the
Houston Oilers at their bench, Harvey had his tongue ripped out by the team’s coach.
The stunt was taken with good humor, prompting many jokes including many mascots
showing up at the All Star game that year with their own tongues hanging out.
Out in the community, the Flames are busily supporting the area’s less fortunate, and
expanding their efforts to bring hockey to the public. They have opened a restaurant and
bar in downtown Calgary where fans can get together and enjoy good food, fun, and
hockey without going to a game.
The Flames are also active in community charity efforts including assisting in funding
and building a children’s hospice, improving health and education of the community, and
advocating healthy lifestyles and excellence in sports, especially hockey.
The Calgary Flames are one of two teams located in Alberta Canada, along with the
Edmonton Oilers. The close proximity has ignited a rivalry between the two teams.
Called the “Battle of Alberta,” this hostility is just one of many aspects of the rivalry
between the two cities and games between the teams are often heated.
Fans and citizens of Alberta are happy to have a team like the Calgary Flames playing in
their area. On the ice they are entertaining and fun, and off the ice they are courteous and
helpful in the community, giving back to the fans that give to them.
