There is a bright side to Flames’ lost season
Individual players made progress even as team failed to live up to expectations
Just because the Calgary Flames will miss the NHL playoffs doesn’t mean it was a lost season. It was a failure, no question. But while not to sugar-coat the abject failure of a team capable of so much more, there were plenty of positive developments that should help buoy the spirits of disappointed fans through a summer that will be filled with questions.
While the long list of underachievers will continue to be documented and dissected, it’s important to point out the base on which this team is built had several significant breakthroughs this season.
None bigger than Johnny Gaudreau.
The jury is out on whether Jaromir Jagr mentored the Flames’ star winger, but Gaudreau did find a level of consistency he’d previously been unable to tap into.
From Day 1 he was not only the Flames’ best skater, but one of the top-10 offensive threats in the league. Maintaining his place among the league’s leading scorers from start to finish, Gaudreau officially elevated himself to superstar status.
Unlike past years when there were plenty of nights he was invisible, Gaudreau stayed relevant on a nightly basis, using his speed to create opportunities, excitement and offence like never before.
His play helped elevate Sean Monahan once again, lifting the top centre to match his careerbest 31 goals with games still to play.
Although injuries have clearly hampered his effectiveness the last month or so, no one can deny Monahan gives the Flames that perfect top-line centre for Gaudreau to work with.
Save for a few seasons with Craig Conroy, Jarome Iginla wasn’t afforded the luxury of a top-line centre like No. 23.
Micheal Ferland entered the season as another question mark in terms of consistency, and while he is still a work in progress, his 21 goals are a testament to how far he’s come. As GM Brad Treliving looks to bolster the team’s offensive depth this summer, you can bet he’ll seek a top-line alternative, but Ferland still demonstrated he can fill in at times.
Matthew Tkachuk, at age 20, continued to prove he’s one of the NHL’s most complete young players, racking up 24 goals before a head injury sidelined him. His ability to agitate and thrive in the game’s dirty areas saw him extend his league lead in drawing penalties over the last two seasons.
Second only to Mark Giordano as an emotional leader on the team, plenty of teammates could learn from Tkachuk’s intensity, which is always at a high level.
Mikael Backlund didn’t repeat the breakthrough season he had offensively in 2016-17, but he continues to be one of the league’s best shutdown centres. It’s a crucial element to have on a contender, which is why his six-year contract extension was one of the biggest developments this season.
Giordano continues to be the heartbeat of the club, driving the lads in so many ways with a style of play every fan can appreciate. No one cares more than the 34-year-old defenceman, which is why he was a natural to replace Iginla as captain. He does it all.
His defensive partner, Dougie Hamilton, entering Tuesday, leads the league in goals by a blue-liner and has been dangerous all season, peppering goalies with shots from every angle to create scoring chances.
Brett Kulak was a pleasant surprise to solidify his role as the team’s sixth defenceman.
Mark Jankowski arrived nine games in and immediately demonstrated he can be the third centre for many years to come. He faded as the season went on, but still has 13 goals and proved he’s an NHLer who will clearly get better, as he has at every level since being drafted 21st overall in 2012.
Jankowski highlighted a long list of AHL call-ups who came to Calgary this season, proving in various degrees there is newfound depth in the system.
While none had as significant an impact as Jankowski, management got to see players such as Garnet Hathaway, Andrew Mangiapane, Rasmus Andersson, and goalies David Rittich and Jon Gillies, who are all likely capable of making the full-time jump to the bigs eventually.
Or, they can be used as trade chips as Treliving looks to effect radical change to the team’s bottom six.
Rittich’s unexpected promotion this year was a huge development, allowing the Flames to keep winning on Mike Smith’s rare nights off.
He faltered in the month Smith missed to a groin injury, but as a raw NHL rookie, he gave the organization reason to believe he can be counted on for years. Gillies acquitted himself relatively well under tremendous pressure.
Smith’s play masked the Flames’ issues in the first half of the season, when he was the undisputed team MVP.
The veteran’s play declined in the second half, which is a concern for a 35-year-old with another year left on his deal. However, fans should be confident starting next season with Smith.
Several top prospects had solid seasons, including world junior stars Adam Fox (Harvard) and Dillon Dube (Kelowna), as well as Juuso Valimaki (when he wasn’t hurt in Tri-City), Glenn Gawdin (Swift Current), Matthew Phillips (Victoria) and Adam Ruzicka (Sarnia).
As impressive as several Flames were individually, collectively they had a disappointing, underachieving season.
It’s something management is now tasked with addressing, while being careful not to disrupt the path of those who made progress.