FIVE HOT STORYLINES TO FOLLOW AS FLAMES HEAD INTO TRAINING CAMP
The Calgary Flames gather at Winsport’s facilities on Thursday for fitness testing and medicals, which is the official start to the 2019-20 training camp.
Here’s how this year’s camp is set up, along with five storylines to watch as we dive into the upcoming NHL season.
1. Will Matthew Tkachuk sign on time?
Depends on your interpretation of “on time.” If that means before the start of training camp, likely not. If that means before the start of the 2019-20 NHL season, potentially.
The Flames and the 21-yearold winger are still in contract negotiations and while some dominoes are falling around the league, they don’t seem to have had an impact on Tkachuk’s camp.
Players want to play, we all know that. And as it gets closer to go-time, you’d think the pressure would be on both sides to come to a deal. Right now, however, they’re playing a game of chicken.
2. What do the Flames do for an encore in 2019-20?
This question won’t be answered in training camp, of course, but the theme will largely hang over Scotiabank Saddledome for the coming months.
The last time this group was together, they were at a loss for words after the Colorado Avalanche stunned them with a five-game dismantling in the first round of the post-season. They had one of the best seasons in franchise history with 50 wins
and 107 points, but none of it mattered at the end of the 201819 campaign.
The bar has been set, expectations have been raised. Now what happens?
3. Did the Flames improve enough in the off-season?
Some have criticized Flames general manager Brad Treliving for not doing enough to add to the Flames’ potential. That’s only natural after a disappointing exit from the 2019 NHL playoffs.
Yet the boss has stayed the course, adamant the team must find internal growth. Fair enough. He made a few subtle moves (added Cam Talbot to support goalie David Rittich and also added Milan Lucic by trading James Neal), invited players on professional tryout offers, and hopes to see some competition in training camp (and, of course, Treliving still needs to ink one of their most important assets in Matthew Tkachuk).
Nothing can replace the experience the core group of players received in the spring. But there is a reason there is 82 regular
season games. Time will tell.
4. How does their goaltending stack up?
That depends on whether Rittich takes a step in 2019-20 and Talbot has left the woes of 2018-19 behind him.
The men are in different stages in their careers. Rittich, 27, re-signed with the Flames for two more years in the off-season, inking a deal worth US$2.75 million per year, which is a testament to the team’s belief in the good-natured Czech netminder who has improved on his game every year he’s been in North America.
As for Talbot, 32, his numbers took a hit last season with the Edmonton Oilers as he posted a 10-15-3 record, a 3.36 goalsagainst
average and .893 save percentage before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. But after signing with the Flames on July 1, he took it back to basics.
This tandem could take the pressure off each other and create a 1A, 1B tandem. 5.
Who will fill the sixth and seventh defenceman spots?
The Flames are in a predicament. With Juuso Valimaki’s off-season knee injury — which has put him on the shelf for six to nine months — they are suddenly short one bonafide blueliner they thought was destined for an entire season at the NHL level.
When one door closes, another opens. Hence Wednesday’s signing of Michael Stone, who was bought out earlier this summer for some cap space relief. With Rasmus Andersson’s expected full-time role with the Flames, it’s between Stone, Oliver Kylington, and Brandon Davidson to round out the back end. Don’t forget about Andrew Macdonald, here on a tryout, either.