Calgary, We Have a Problem...

Actually, the Calgary Flames have several problems at the moment. Add that to the fact that they only have eight, count 'em, eight games left to stave off the Vancouver Canucks for the Northwest division crown and somehow get their game rounded into playoff form. If they fail at those tasks and manage to be "one and done" in the playoffs (again), you can bet that irate Flames fans will make sure The Red Mile literally lives up to it's name. The road ahead will be bumpy and will need the Flames to get several things in order to become a serious playoff threat again.

Special Teams

The most disappointing aspect of the Flames' game in recent weeks. Just two months ago, Calgary had a top seven powerplay. Now it is ranked 18th and is the lowest amongst division leaders. It's as if the Flames are taking the opportunity to rest and are not working hard to get the puck in the net. David Moss has been highly effective on the PP for the Flames while in front of the net, but he has seen his time cut for whatever reason. The Flames went 0-for-12 on the PP in their last two games, including time with four minute powerplays and on the 5-on-3. There have also been rumours that the Flames almost never practice the PP, and that is no way to win in the playoffs.

The penalty kill is ranked 5th in the NHL, but the horrifying stat here is that the Flames have given up a league high 13 shorthanded goals. The communication between players on the PK is obviously a problem for the Flames. Looking at these stats, it's plain to see the Flames are missing Rene Bourque pretty badly.

Defense

When you have one of the best defensive corps in the NHL on paper, why is it that the Flames are losing games with as many as 8 goals against? For most of the season, Calgary's defense was feared throughout the league as tough, fast and smart. However, the system employed earlier has all but completely fallen apart. They are losing position on their assigned players, not skating, failing at getting pucks to the net and are giving up far too many odd man rushes. Assistant coach Jim Playfair has to reel his guys in and get them to play smart hockey again. It's really as simple as that. Until then, they're the Swiss Cheese Brigade, porous as the American-Mexican border.

Goaltending

The Flames are lucky to have one of the best goaltenders of this decade between the pipes in Miikka Kiprusoff, and he's almost always between the pipes. Chances are the Finn will play in 77 of the 82 Flames games this season. Now, I'm not saying this is a problem because Kipper is subject to being over worked or becoming tired, he's not. The coaching staff and Miikka have a terrific system in place that lets Kipper get all the rest he needs and for him to stay in game-ready shape at almost all times. While Kipper hasn't been playing his best hockey lately, he is hardly losing hockey games single-handedly. Although he's also not giving the Flames the best chance to win every night consistently. The man has won 42 games this season, and will probably tie or fall just short of Martin Brodeur's single season wins record of 48.

The real problem is in the back-up position and Curtis McElhinney or, as many affectionately (or maybe not) refer to him, Curtis McAHLinney. The kid is now 0-6-1 this season and has never won an NHL game. He is not a suitable NHL back-up and the team just can't seem to play in front of him. At the beginning of the season, Curtis wouldn't accept anything less than a one way deal, and the Flames gave it to him for a one year term. As it became clear later in the season that the position was a problem, there were cries for Darryl Sutter to try and bring in a capable back-up before the NHL trading deadline. He didn't do that and now the Flames must approach the playoffs with McElhinney the only option if Kiprusoff can't play. In that case, the Flames are surely doomed.

The only good news here is that Curtis becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and Sutter is not going to re-sign him, perhaps in favor of tracking down another UFA goaltender such as Ty Conklin, Scott Clemmensen, Craig Anderson or Wade Dubielewicz.

Coaching

Mike Keenan is an interesting subject. When his big name players are struggling, he doesn't punish them with reduced ice time, he demands they work harder, and will do almost anything to get that point across. Although Dion Phaneuf isn't playing his best hockey, Keenan still has number 3 on the ice for a team high 26:33 a game. Keenan also likes to juggle his line combinations. Usually, the players accept this as a simple fact of life under Iron Mike, but lately, it may be a harmful practice. With new additions due to trade and due to injury, the players haven't been able to establish a solid rhythm with their line mates and really begin to develop some chemistry.

He has also tightened his grip on Kiprusoff's leash as of late, pulling him five times in the month of March. Kipper was left well enough alone during of the regular season, but now Keenan seems adamant on sending a message to Kiprusoff. The problem is, he is often pulled early or when he doesn't deserve it. Even for a cool character like Kiprusoff, that has to get under your skin and rattle your confidence a bit. It also gives McElhinney the chance to let in a soft goal or two or three or four, as is often the case. At that point, you aren't inspiring the players to play better, you're telling them that defeat is around the corner.

There have also been a couple of cases of just flat out poor decision making. I point to the Toronto game when Calgary lost to the Buds 8-6. Keenan pulled the goalie for the extra attacker with over two minutes left, and the Flames managed to make the game 7-6. It was clear Calgary had all the momentum and seemed destined to tie the game. However, Keenan pulls the goalie with over 1:30 left and a bad hop over a stick results in a Maple Leafs empty net goal when you really didn't need the extra attacker. Unless you hadn't tied it with about 30 seconds to go, the goalie shouldn't have been yanked.

Leadership and Star Players

Jarome Iginla and Robyn Regehr are the leaders of the Calgary Flames both on the ice and in the dressing room. Lately, the players seem to have become disjointed, and the identity of the team muddled. It is clear that both Jarome has had his role on the team adjusted with the new additions to the team and the emergence of role players like Curtis Glencross, Dustin Boyd, David Moss and Rene Bourque. The new guys have added a desperately needed secondary scoring punch, but for the first time in recent history, Iginla doesn't have to be the most important Flame on the ice all of the time. How this affects Iginla may be showing up in his play and his statistics. He is a minus player more often than not lately and has now not scored a point in 28 of the 74 games played so far. You used to be able to count on Iginla to get that big goal, but he is slowly shrinking from that duty.

With the additions of Olli Jokinen and Michael Cammalleri, along with Iginla, the Flames now have three star players who love to shoot the puck, and it's beginning to hurt the statistics of all three players. Cammalleri is leading the team with 36 goals, but has been very streaky in his last few games. Iginla is usually paired with Jokinen, and has seen his shot count go down, but his missed shot total go up. Jokinen scored 8 goals in his first 6 games with his new club, but has failed to produce since then. Dion Phaneuf is having an off year, he is a minus 13 and has struggled producing goals with only 11. Your best players have to be your best players, and right now, the Flames aren't getting that.

The Little Things

Watching the Flames lately can be like watching a circus. They have strayed so far from structured hockey at times that you wish somebody would get out the ruler and start slapping wrists. Short, ineffective passes that end up in the recipient's skates, lead feet that has them being beaten to almost every loose puck, the dreaded blue line turnover, weak play on the boards resulting in loss of possession, players being too aggressive and losing position in order to try and make the big hit, high numbers of missed shots that result in the puck clearing the offensive zone or a turnover, horrible face-off percentages. The list goes on and on, and the little things become big things when you're stumbling this badly.

The Bottom Line

The Flames are good. Scary good. They have an offense capable of burying chance after chance, a defense that can physically dominate the opposition and effectively quarterback the offensive zone and a goaltender that is capable of throwing up the brick wall and making the big save when it's called for. They have also been decimated by injury, effectively having their entire second line wiped out at the same time. Daymond Langkow is back from a hand injury, but is playing at around 40%. The man can't even shoot the puck. Bertuzzi has drawn back into the line-up after having arthoscopic knee surgery just three weeks ago and is probably operating at about 75%. Rene Bourque is back skating and should be back for the playoffs, but his high ankle sprain has a reputation of being one of the most stubborn injuries in sports.

If the Flames can finally get healthy and revert back to the team they once were, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the post-season. The goal now is just to make it there, and the Flames are limping toward the light at the end of the tunnel. Winning the division would be nice, but post-season results will speak for themselves, and the focus of the Calgary Flames should be to gain some momentum before game one of the chase for the Stanley Cup. Everyone needs to buckle down and hold themselves accountable if they wish to be sipping from Lord Stanley's chalice in June.

BONUS:

The Good News

The Flames take on the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night at the Pengrowth Saddledome. The Flames have had the number of the Wild all season, winning all four meetings between the division rivals.

The last time the Flames were shut out in back-to-back games was in November 2003, losing 3-0 to both the Red Wings and the Wild. We all know what the Flames did in the playoffs that year. OK, now I'm really reaching for positives...

mitch.hart@gmail.com

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