The NHL is ringing in the New Year with a fun project, revealing a Quarter-Century Team for every franchise.
The league is leaning on a panel of voters in each market — including executives, media and retired players — to select an all-star squad among the guys who scored the big goals, doled out the big hits and delivered the big saves between 2000-2024.
The Flames Quarter-Century Team — comprised of six forwards, four defenceman and two goalies — will be announced on Jan. 11.
In the meantime, we want to know who you’d have on the roster. Iggy, Johnny, Gio and Kipper should be shoo-ins, but who else belongs on the lineup of the best Flames from the past 25 years?
Our beat reporters have whittled the list of candidates, and the rest is up to you. Please cast your votes, and be sure to check back later this week for the Flames Quarter-Century Team, as selected by Postmedia’s readers …
FORWARDS (Pick 6)
Jarome Iginla
Stating his case: Where do we even start? Iginla spent the 2000s re-writing the Flames’ franchise record books. He now reigns as Calgary’s king in most offensive categories, including career goals and points, and his No. 12 hangs from the rafters. ‘Iggy’ was a two-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading lamp-lighter and was robbed of the Hart Trophy in 2001-02. The voters got that one wrong. We trust you won’t make the same mistake.
Johnny Gaudreau
Stating his case: There’s only one Flames regular who averaged better than a point-per-game in the past quarter-century, and that was this gone-too-soon superstar. Gaudreau racked up 201 goals and 399 assists in 602 outings in Calgary’s colours. He also scored an overtime winner in a playoff Game 7. This city was devastated by news of his death in August, proving the C of Red will always consider Johnny Hockey to be one of their own.
Sean Monahan
Stating his case: Monahan is second among Flames in goals scored in the 2000s, with only Iginla tickling more twine. Even more impressive, almost a quarter of Monahan’s markers — 47 of 212 — were winners, including 11 that ended an overtime session. Among off-ice moments, it doesn’t get much better than his hallway hug with Gaudreau after that Game 7 snipe in 2022.
Matthew Tkachuk
Stating his case: After Tkachuk propelled the Panthers to a Stanley Cup parade last June, this will go down as one of the great what-ifs for this organization. What if ‘Chucky’ was willing to stick around Calgary on a long-term contract? His 104-point pop-off in 2021-22 was second-best by any Flames player in the past quarter-century and he restored the spice in the Battle of Alberta rivalry.
Mikael Backlund
Stating his case: The current captain deserves credit for both his loyalty and longevity. Earlier this season, Backlund joined Iginla as the just the second player to skate in 1,000 regular-season games in the Flaming C logo. For the 2000s, he sits fourth on the local list in goals (207), third in points (548) and has boosted many linemates with what is known as the ‘Backlund Bump.’
Elias Lindholm
Stating his case: Lindholm averaged a goal every three games during his stay at the Saddledome, pretty darn good for a guy who is arguably best-known for his defensive chops. He was sixth among Flames forwards with 148 tallies in the 2000s. He was also a plus-91 over that span, was runner-up for the Selke Trophy in 2022 and they really miss his skills at the faceoff dot.
Craig Conroy
Stating his case: Conroy loves to joke about Iginla’s quote after his acquisition — “another checker.” Well, this checker turned out to be the best centre Iginla ever had in Calgary. Conroy’s stat-sheet with the Flames included 211 assists, with close to half of those on goals by his buddy in No. 12. He buried 97 of his own, was second in Selke Trophy balloting in 2002 and is now making his mark as general manager.
Michael Cammalleri
Stating his case: Wouldn’t the Flames’ current coaches love to add an in-his-prime Cammalleri to their power-play? The diminutive winger could absolutely clobber a one-timer, which made him the sort of scoring threat that this club hasn’t had too many of in the 2000s. Across two relatively short stints in Calgary, he averaged 0.41 goals per game, second to only Iginla.
Daymond Langkow
Stating his case: Under-rated and sometimes unheralded, Langkow was one of Calgary’s top two-way types during the 2000s. On the Flames’ quarter-century charts, he ranks in the Top-10 among forwards in all the major offensive categories, including seventh in goals (123) and eighth in points (288).
Alex Tanguay
Stating his case: If you’re trying to identify the Flames’ best playmaker over the past 25 years, this name needs to be on the short-list. Tanguay’s highlight-reel from his two stints at the Saddledome is jam-packed with gorgeous passes. Through the 2000s, only Gaudreau posted a higher assists-per-game clip on behalf of the Calgary-based crew.
Jiri Hudler
Stating his case: Both a gifted puck-handler and a goofy personality, as evidenced by his barefoot stroll to the stage to accept the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, Hudler was twice the leading scorer for a team in transition. His chemistry with Gaudreau and Monahan on the ‘Boys and the Huds Line’ was a key ingredient for the Find-A-Way Flames of 2014-15.
Nazem Kadri
Stating his case: Since he arrived in Calgary in the summer of 2022, nobody has produced more goals or points for the Flames than Kadri has. The way he’s currently clicking on a line with JonathanHuberdeau and Martin Pospisil, he could be in consideration for the next Quarter-Century Team, too.
DEFENCEMEN (Pick 4)
Mark Giordano
Stating his case: From undrafted free-agent signing to Quarter-Century Team lock? During the 2000s, Giordano has led all Flames’ blue-liners in games played (949), goals (143), assists (366) and points (509) and was tops among guys from any position at plus-101. The longtime captain had his name engraved on the Norris Trophy in 2019 and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2020.
TJ Brodie
Stating his case: Who ranks second to Giordano as the Flames’ most productive defencemen of the past quarter-century? That would be his longtime sidekick on the top pairing. Brodie went about his business quietly, totalling 266 points during his decade at the Saddledome.
Robyn Regehr
Stating his case: The most rugged and reliable rearguard to wear the Flaming C logo over the past 25 years, Regehr suited up for 800 games during this span and was just shy of that same number of penalty minutes. He must also own the franchise record for the most times riding an Oilers forward — Ales Hemsky, more often than not — into the stanchion or end-boards.
Dion Phaneuf
Stating his case: Thanks to his rocket of a slap-shot and his jaw-rattling hits, Dion is undoubtedly among the most entertaining Flames of the 2000s. During his stint in Calgary, he was a finalist for both the Calder Trophy (2006) and Norris Trophy (2008) and a two-time all-star selection. Some still maintain he should have been called up from junior during the playoff run in 2004.
Rasmus Andersson
Stating his case: Drafted and developed by the Flames, Andersson is now knocking on the door of 500 career games. On the quarter-century scoring charts, he is third among Calgary’s back-enders in assists (173) and fourth in points (215). Be warned, if you don’t vote for him, he may stare a hole right through you.
Chris Tanev
Stating his case: You’d be scrolling a long ways to find Tanev on any scoring lists, but have the Flames employed a better shutdown defender or a more selfless teammate? If you’re new around these parts and not quite sure what we’re referring to, you can Google ‘Chris Tanev blocks shots with face’ and you’ll be immediately up-to-speed.
Dougie Hamilton
Stating his case: During his three seasons at the Saddledome, Hamilton averaged 0.56 points per game — among blue-liners, only Phaneuf and Phil Housley have done better in the past 25 years — and also notched a dozen game-winning goals. As a bonus, the banana phone was always good for a chuckle.
MacKenzie Weegar
Stating his case: Only three Flames’ rearguards have posted 20-goal campaigns during the 2000s — Giordano, Phaneuf and Weegar. This current fan favourite made NHL history last winter, becoming the first player in league lore with 20 buries and 200 blocked shots in the same season, and some insist he deserves credit for getting the ball rolling (or re-rolling) on a new arena.
GOALTENDERS (Pick 2)
Miikka Kiprusoff
Stating his case: Kiprusoff was between the pipes for 305 victories during the 2000s, nearly three times as many as any other Flames’ goaltender. The flexible Finn also backstopped the team to the Stanley Cup final in 2004, won the Vezina Trophy in 2006 and had his No. 34 raised to the rafters at the Saddledome.
Jacob Markstrom
Stating his case: Beyond ‘Kipper,’ Markstrom was the only Flames’ puck-stopper to hit triple digits in victories over the past quarter-century. He threatened the single-season franchise record with nine shutouts in 2021-22, when he finished second in Vezina Trophy voting.
David Rittich
Stating his case: Beyond the two obvious candidates, pickings are a bit slim, but ‘Big Save Dave’ is tied for third on the wins list for this time period. This quirky netminder also represented the Flames at the NHL All-Star Game in 2020.
Roman Turek
Stating his case: Turek’s arrival in 2001 provided some stability for a squad that was still mired in an extended playoff drought. Among the stats that jump out, a dozen of his 63 wins were shutouts and he notched 10 assists in 152 games, a staggering clip for a goalie.