As October creeps closer, another NHL season creeps with it.
In the 17th of a series of team-by-team summer reviews and season previews, here's a glimpse at the ...
Calgary Flames
The Flames returned to the postseason in 2016-17 after a year off, overcoming a so-so first two months to string together a record 10 straight wins, go 19-6-1 in February and March and secure a matchup with the Anaheim Ducks in the opening round of the playoffs. Calgary (45-33-4) had a middle-of-the-road offense (226 goals scored) to go along with a middle-of-the-road defense (221 goals allowed), and that was exposed in a 4-0 opening-series elimination, but the Flames still pieced together quite the finish a season ago, showcasing young talent like 60-point scorer Johnny Gaudreau in the process.
If anything was clear about the Flames' subsequent offseason, it's that general manager Brad Treliving didn't hold back in trying to prepare this team for a return trip to the postseason in 2017-18.
The moves
Key additions: D Travis Hamonic (trade with Islanders), G Mike Smith (trade with Coyotes), G Eddie Lack (trade with Hurricanes)
Key losses: G Brian Elliott (Flyers), G Chad Johnson (trade with Coyotes), D Deryk Engelland (Golden Knights), F Lance Bouma (Blackhawks)
That Treliving was able to bring back forwards Micheal Ferland and Kris Versteeg, who had 15 goals apiece in 2016-17, for a combined $5.25 million was enough of an accomplishment for Flames brass this summer. But pulling in a defensive pillar like Hamonic, who will be an active presence alongside the re-signed Michael Stone, gives Calgary an instantly upgraded blue line even if acquiring the ex-Islanders veteran wasn't cheap. Swapping out Elliott and Johnson, who went to free agency and signed with the Sabres, for Arizona's Mike Smith was an admirable move as well, if only because Smith should fare far better now that he has a change of scenery in the net.
Elliott had flashes of brilliance for Calgary, but just as the Flyers aren't entirely sure what they're getting in him, the Flames would've been playing with a little bit of fire (pun intended) by relying on him as the No. 1 moving forward. That's not to say Smith is a guaranteed upgrade there, but the improvements across the board on defense sure make the entire package look promising.
The verdict
Here's a team that got quite a bit better, especially on defense, since last season's collection of some magical stretches and a fizzling finish. Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund make for an explosive trio on the top two lines, and throwing Hamonic into the mix on defense alongside Stone, who will have had a full offseason to prepare with the team, and the rest of the bunch gives the team the type of blue-line power it sought near the trade deadline in March.
The trouble comes mainly in the question marks surrounding goalie, because while Smith could very well have a resurgence, he's coming off a track record of struggles in Arizona; and whether the Flames truly have the wherewithal to outlast their Pacific Division foes. The Edmonton Oilers should be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, and the Anaheim Ducks shouldn't be too far behind them, so if the Coyotes find a way to improve and the San Jose Sharks are still in the playoff picture, Calgary will have to put its dolled-up, new-look defense on display from the get-go.
There are a lot of things to like about this Flames team, and if Smith's motivation to show out for a contender brings results, Treliving is probably looking at another surprise Stanley Cup candidate, even if Calgary would again be an underdog opening the playoffs. More than likely, however, this is a club with simply enough juice to get back to the playoffs and challenge -- more so than in 2016-17 -- before bowing to a supreme Pacific powerhouse like the Oilers.
