Santa, please don’t miss that letter from the Scotiabank Saddledome.
While the Calgary Flames should be certainly proud of their work up to the holidays, with a 16-11-7 record that had them in a wildcard spot as they hustled home to some merry-and-bright, we do have a few wish list ideas that could be beneficial for the second half of the season and beyond.
So, Jolly ol’ Saint Nick, here are some gift requests for the Flames …
Rest and recuperation for Rasmus Andersson
It sort of feels like the filming of that yule log video, featuring a cozy fire and an ice-cold stare, might be the only time that Andersson has kicked up his feet over the past few months. As the Flames split for their festive warm-and-fuzzies, there were only a half-dozen NHLers who had logged more ice time so far this season. And when you rank second in the league in blocked shots, trailing only Chris Tanev, it goes without saying that these are not easy minutes. The 28-year-old Andersson needs to recharge those batteries now because at the next break in the schedule, he’ll be busy representing Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Road wins for Dustin Wolf
Having morphed from goaltender-of-the-future to already-a-fan-fave, Wolf has some of the best home-ice stats of any NHL netminder — a 9-1-1 record with a stingy 2.06 goals-against average, a .935 save percentage and countless howls from the Saddledome faithful. In enemy territory, it has been a much different story. The 23-year-old has celebrated only one win in six starts in away barns. That’s not on all on Wolf — there have been a couple of stinky performances in front of him — but more success in his white sweater would be a big boost to both the Flames’ playoff hopes and to his Calder Trophy candidacy.
A trade partner for Craig Conroy
Conroy hasn’t made a swap since June and while patience is one of his best assets as a general manager, we’re guessing that the Flames’ shot-caller is itching to do a deal. He likely called about Kaapo Kakko, who was ultimately moved from Manhattan to Seattle. He has undoubtedly called about Dylan Cozens, although we’re not convinced the Sabres will ship him out. It’s no secret that Conroy covets a young and talented centre and the 23-year-old Cozens fits that bill. Even better, he is a right shot. We wonder if the Flames GM is getting any calls about struggling right-winger Andrei Kuzmenko, scratched again Saturday. With a US$5.5-million cap hit and just one goal this season, we doubt it.
Continued consideration for MacKenzie Weegar
Listen Santa, we would never wish for an injury. That’s certainly not the case here. We’d just ask that if Team Canada suddenly needs a replacement rearguard for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Weegar’s name would be at the top of the list. Of those who didn’t crack the roster, the Canadian brass reportedly called about a dozen dudes to tell them they were tough trims. Weegar, 30, was one of those. “They just said, ‘Stay positive, stay with it and who knows?’ ” he revealed to Postmedia. With his versatility, perhaps that next call from Team Canada will bring better news.
A call-up for Rory Kerins
This seems like just a matter of time, doesn’t it? The 22-year-old Kerins has been a top story and top scorer in the AHL this season, racking up 19 goals and 31 points in 29 loggings with the Wranglers. His sudden breakthrough is a big deal for an organization that is thin on centre depth. While Kerins needs to sharpen his faceoff skills, also an issue for the guys at the big-league level, he has emerged as the most promising pivot prospect in the pipeline. If he continues to produce at this clip, we’ll soon be seeing a solo lap, the customary welcome prior to any NHL debut.
A nickname for the new-look top line
This doesn’t necessarily need to come from the North Pole. Flames fans are a witty bunch, so surely they can come up with something. We’re just thinking, with the way that Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil are clicking of late, it might be time for a catchy nickname for Calgary’s top forward trio. In the nines-games-plus-a-period since Ryan Huska cooked up this combo, Huberdeau and Kadri have combined for a dozen goals and 22 points and Pospisil has been credited with 49 hits, including a heavy thump on rookie Frank Nazar in Saturday’s victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The only thing missing is a moniker.
A long-term extension for Connor Zary
This is a gift that would put a smile on a lot of faces. The Flames would be thrilled to lock up one of their core pieces on a long-term deal. Fans would be delighted to know that Zary, who is already as a sophomore blending the confidence and dangles required to dance around a defenceman in a one-on-one situation, will still be bringing ’em out of their seats after the move to Scotia Place. And this 23-year-old forward would, of course, have multi-millions of reasons to be excited about putting pen to paper. As a pending restricted free agent, a bridge deal is an option. But let’s get greedy — how about going the max eight years? (Also on the wish list for new contracts are Kevin Bahl, Matt Coronato and Zary’s former roommate and current linemate Jakob Pelletier. All will be RFAs this summer.)
Another opportunity for Justin Kirkland
Kirkland, a feel-good story and an easy guy to root for, had his fairytale fall halted by a knee injury. He’s finished for this season after surgery on his ACL. So what’s the wish? We’d like to see ‘Costco’ in the Flaming C again. This guy had been grinding for almost a decade in the minors and also had to recover from a serious car crash, so there’s no doubt the 28-year-old centre will do the work required to be ready for his next NHL training camp. As he promised in an Instagram post, “I will be back.” Since he’s on a one-year pact, there’s no guarantee that will be in Calgary. Santa, maybe you could help with that?
A medal for Axel Hurtig
Hurtig, who will be patrolling the blue-line for Team Sweden, will be the Flames’ lone prospect at the world junior tournament in Ottawa. The 19-year-old is actually doing this city doubly proud, since he is also a workhorse for Hitmen. Hurtig was selected as a seventh-round long-shot in the 2023 NHL Draft, but there are some intriguing tools here. He’s smart and simple with his outlet passes, fearless in his shot-blocking, truly embraces his role as a shutdown sort and will only be a more imposing presence as he adds muscle to a 6-foot-5 frame. If he can bring back a medal from the world juniors, it would bolster his confidence.
Happy holidays for the C of Red
Flames fans, from beat reporters Wes Gilbertson and Danny Austin and all of us at Postmedia, thanks for following our coverage of your favourite team. We wish you the happiest of holidays.