The 2021-2022 kicks off and for as long as we can remember, the Calgary Flames enter this season with a team identity under Daryl Sutter. Goals are likely going to be hard to come by for the Flames, but they're going to be a hard team to play against. This week we discuss what the Calgary Flames will look like this season, if Darryl Sutter can get more out of this roster than they appear to have on paper and what their playoff potential is. As well, we do our annual season predictions as we look ahead to what this season might hold for the team in various areas.

Podcasts – Fireside Chat

Episode 269: Finally A Team Identity

The Calgary Flames are in the middle of their 8 game exhibition schedule prior to the 2021-2022 season kicking off. The team has a new look this year with the departure of Mark Giordano and the additions of Blake Coleman, Nikita Zadorov and others but the team still feels like it's missing a piece or two. We give our thoughts on all the new additions and where they fit into the lineup as well as try to predict who will and won't be in the lineup on opening day. We have questions about the roster and how good this team is and if they'll be a good team this year, or a good team only in a weaker Pacific Division?

Episode 268: Good? Or Good For The Pacific Division?

This is week of additions and subtractions from the team as we look at Mark Giordano leaving for Seattle in the Expansion Draft, Matthew Coronato being drafted in the Entry Draft and which current Flames UFA and RFA players we'd bring back. Then we look ahead to the free agent period starting on July 28 and what holes the Flames need to fill, and if those can be filled via the 2021 free agent class or if trades need to be made.

Episode 267: Farewell Giordano

The Stanley Cup has been awarded which means it is time for two of the biggest events of the off-season - the Entry Draft and Expansion Draft, both within 72 hours of each other. This week we talk about the most likely scenario for the expansion in leaving Mark Giordano unprotected, and what other options the team has to try and keep their captain. We also discuss what the Flames need in this year's Entry Draft overall, what the prospect pool looks like and profile 12 players as possible draft selections for the Flames with their #12 pick.

Episode 266: Two Drafts In Three Days

The Flames season is over, and we recap the player's exit interviews and comments made by hockey media about the team's current status. We also look back at our season predictions to see how well we did predicting this odd season for the Flames.

Episode 265: Blame It On Blasty!

The Calgary Flames are down to the last three games of their season, and Dan and Matt spend this discussing what they think the team needs to do in the off-season including looking at if the #1 and #2 Right Wingers the team needs can be filled internally, what UFA candidates exist this summer, or if we'll need to trade for that position - and how each of those would impact the roster. The guys also discuss if it is time for the Flames to change their leadership as part of a culture shift, and why Milan Lucic is the right guy to be the next Captain.

Episode 264: Milan Lucic For Captain!

We're joined this week by Mike Gould of The Heat Beat to talk about all things Stockton Heat. Mike recaps the Heat's up-and-down season and what players have taken a step forward in their development, and who has taken a step back. Then we discuss the Flames development pipeline and how the team's future looks in terms of young player development and what the team's strengths and weaknesses are for the foreseeable future.

Episode 263: The Stockton Heat (In Celsius)

This week the guys discuss some big questions including if Elias Lindholm is the Flames best trade chip, and if they'll be able to fix their issues via free agency, or trade roster players for what is needed - and is it time to really rebuild this team for next year or not? As well we look at each of the Flames unsigned prospects and where we expect each one to be next season.

Episode 262: Examining The Unsigned Prospects

Of the three "must-win" games this week against the Habs, the Flames only managed to win two wins. There is still mathematically a change the team can make the post-season, but realistically they're out. So we start to discuss what roster changes might happen in the off-season and what the team's weaknesses are what can be filled internally, versus bringing in free agents. The guys also discuss Hanifin's season-ending injury and what defencemen need to step up to fill that spot, and how Michael Stone has been a surprise this season.

Episode 261: Hanging On By A Thread

The Flames took to the ice with new look lines against Edmonton which started an unexpected three-game win streak where the team looked a lot better and brought them closer to the final playoff spot. Is there still a realistic hope the Flames can make the post-season? The guys try to answer that question and preview what lies ahead for the remaining 12 games of the season.

Episode 260: A Glimmer Of Playoff Hope?

The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and the Calgary Flames moved two of their three most valuable assets - Sam Bennett and David Rittich. The guys discuss the Flames' return on these deals and how successful they think the deadline was, as well as some of the young guys we may see filling NHL roster spots for the remainder of the season and what comes next for the Flames after their big 5-0 win, the line shakeups and today's trades.

Episode 259: A Successful Trade Deadline

As the Flames season continues to slowly slip away from them, we look at what went wrong this year and what the best moves are going forward, which brings more questions than answers. Should Milan Lucic be our next captain? Is Sean Monahan a viable #1 or #2 Centre moving forward? Where will the scoring come from next year if Gaudreau is traded? And is it time to re-tool or re-build? And of course, we preview the Trade Deadline and the Flames in a very different position than usual being sellers come April 12. What players have value? What can we get? How can we start the re-tooling at this deadline? The guys answer all these questions.

Episode 258: It’s Official…We’re Trade Deadline Sellers

Sitting 2 points out of the final playoff spot in the Scotia North division but having played 5 more games than Montreal, the Flames are running out of time to make the playoffs. The good news? Almost half of Calgary’s remaining schedule is against the two teams they’ve had the most success against: Montreal (3-1-0) and Vancouver (4-2-0). The bad news? The Flames have just nine wins combined against the other four teams in the North who they play for the 11 other games on the schedule.

Episode 257: The Good And Bad Of Our Remaining Schedule

The Flames started the "second era of Darryl Sutter" on a high but this week seem to have slipped back into hold habits, and with that brought the same old results. We once again try to figure out what's going on with the Flames and why this team just can't put things together. Johnny Gaudreau trade talk is a big part of this week's discussion as we also ponder why Matthew Tkachuk hasn't excelled under Sutter and just how many games the Flames will need to win to make the postseason. If they do make the playoffs, how far can they really be expected to go?

Episode 256: Old Habits, Same Results

The Flames have played two games with Darryl Sutter and have a 2-0 record thus far. We look at what changes we've seen in the Flames play already, and what we can expect to see going into the second half of the season. We also look at our 2021 season predictions now that we're at the halfway point, and see how things are looking and debate the question on everyone's mind - can the Calgary Flames still make the playoffs?

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Podcasts – Fireside Chat

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