Experts call for Flames management to clean house
Posted Apr 9, 2012 7:35 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Forget about the Flames line-up you once knew, experts say that could be gone by next season.
They’re calling on management to start shopping after Calgary failed to make the playoffs for a third straight season.
Jack FM morning show co-host and Calgary Sun sports columnist Eric Francis tells 660News, the time for Flames General Manager Jay Feaster to make a move is now.
“The opportunity is there due to the contract situation,” he says. “A lot of free agents, a lot of them will be let go. It’s time for them to start a new.”
He says the big question will be whether they target Flames vets Miikka Kiprusoff and Captain Jarome Iginla.
“And speculation is more than ever, Jarome Iginla will be targeted as potentially moving,” Francis says.
“You’re going to get the most return for Kiprusoff or Iginla,” says Sportsnet960 the Fan’s Dean Molberg. “Both of these guys are 35 years of age, do they have to go? No! Would you like to keep them around? Certainly, But in terms of trying to expedite the process, you get the most for those two guys so those are the two that have to go.”
Both Molberg and Francis say if it were up to them, they would cut strings with this year’s free agents.
Those who could be packing their bags include Olli Jokinen, Lee Stempniak, David Moss, Tom Kostopoulos, Cory Sarich, Scott Hannan, Blake Comeau, Mikael Backlund, Blair Jones and Leland Irving.
“I think the big question marks are the three C’s,” says Francis. “The captain, the coach and the top centreman, Olli Jokinen.”
“A couple of the young restricted guys I might entertain,” says Molberg. “I think Blair Jones has been really good since he came over in the trade, but to me it’s time for a fresh start.”
Both experts also agree Jay Feaster will stay on as General Manager but they add head coach Brent Sutter’s fate isn’t so concrete.
“He’s now without a contract,” says Molberg. “He’s been here for three years and didn’t make the playoffs for any of the three. They’ve gone through a lot of coaches.”
Francis says there’s a lot of work that has to be done and we shouldn’t be surprised to see maybe half of the guys return for next season.
“This was a bad, bad hockey team,” he says. “Made to look semi decent by the fact they had maybe the best goalie in the league this year, without Miikka Kiprusoff this was a 30th place squad.”
The two believe Calgary is at least a couple years away from being Stanley Cup contenders but they add anything is possible in the NHL.
