What’s Wrong With The Calgary Flames & Vancouver Canucks? | SDP

What’s Wrong With The Calgary Flames & Vancouver Canucks? | SDP

Going around the league here, Flames are 06 and one since their opening night win against Edmonson this week. Earlier this week, uh, right after we did our last episode, Dustin Wolf said, “I can’t generate offense. Just just get one of those Alberta refs in there.” Right. I am wondering, first off, the the Calgary Flames I didn’t think were very good. Uh, now I know they’re not. Um, and you know, they were primed for a team that would regress this year. We know that. Everybody thought that it was a miracle run last year that they got that close to the playoffs. So, here’s the question. Hubardo’s out. You got Cadri who’s 34. You got a inter division rival who just lost their second line center who probably, if we’re being honest, ought to look at their long-term health. Philip Heedle. Thank you. And I was like, I’m just Who are you talking? Listen, I hate to be matchmaker here, but doesn’t codre to Vancouver make a ton of sense? Oh my god. And and Calgary warms up that seat for Gav Gavin McKenna because they got a new arena coming in like 18 months, 2027. Yeah. 18 months, baby. Let’s go. I just feel like that that just makes too much sense, doesn’t it? Cadri Evander Kane, the Vancouver fan base in media. Yeah, I’m going to need a 30 like forget the games. Sure. First of all, I want all the games nationally. Yes, they should all be national. Yeah. And I want a 30 minute HBO style breakdown, Amazon style breakdown after every game. Yeah. Every single game. Yeah. Give me that drama immediately. I’m No, no, no, no, no. Calgary needs to do the right thing and start selling at some point this season. I don’t think they should think that they should couldn’t go for this thing and like still be a playoff team like they were in the hunt last year and just barely missing out. Like they are primed to do a quick kind of retool here and reset this franchise over the next couple seasons because they’re already they’ve already sort of done some of the things that they should have done like they have their goalie of the future. They have some pieces to build around uh Perk, Scoratto, um Zaryi, like it’s a lot of teams start from nothing, right? They are screwed and they’re going to be screwed for a very long time. Um I don’t really think that’s the Flames. And the Flames in their entire history have never had a first overall pick. Damn. Never once. It’d be crazy if uh after leaving the WHL uh Gavin McKenna ends up right back right back in Alberta. It just it makes a lot of sense. You know, you got pieces too that you can get something substantial back for like Kadri’s um no trade clause was removed starting this season. It’s now a 13 team no trade list. So, you have the freedom to move him. And at $7 million, you can get something good. And even with Hubedo, I’m sure Hubo wants to be in the playoffs again. And I’m sure um uh there’s an agent who works for him that would accept a trade to somewhere else. I have to be honest though, I I feel like 10 and a half is a lot for teams to swallow for the next little bit. He would be for a team like if you can get Calgary to retain on him. Yeah, that’d be the thing. Um he listen like crazy story. Uh you know what Toronto needs it seemingly is a setup man who’s big and rangy. Even if it’s you’re not even retaining too much like it’s a two maybe $3 million retain Hubo at $8 million I think still at his age of 32 and what he can be at his peak is good value. Jess what if like you look at Hubo and and you think um the uh like what the San Jose Sharks retained to give Carlson to Pittsburgh was like wasn’t it like a million dollars? It was like nothing. Uh 1.5. Oh, okay. Yeah. Like I feel like there’s a there’s deals to be made there if they really want to do them. And and for Vancouver, the reason I bring them up is Max Sassin, which is a hell of a name. Mass is their second line center right now. He has 34 career NHL games. He is their second line center. He scored. He did. He’s got She’s got three and five actually. Well, damn. But but he is their sec. Not ideal for a team with playoff aspirations. No, you never know. No, you’re right. You don’t. He had he had as many goals in 29 games last year. I was I was just looking at the salary breakdown of Hubardo’s deal. I I hope he bought a house in Calgary. I really do. Really? Yeah. He’s He’s not going anywhere. No. No. No. There’s no bonus structure, right? Uh so he had a bonus two years ago of 7 mil. Mhm. 7 mil last year, 7 mil this year. So all that’s paid. Next year that signing bonus goes up to 9.5 for the next two years followed by seven 9.5 again and five. He is in year three of eight. He is staying put. Yeah. Yeah. That is not going anywhere. They have they have other guys man like Rasmus Anderson and um uh Cadri obviously Bland I assume is going to stay. You never know. He’s he’s on a shortish deal if I remember correct. again like I I don’t think they’re going to be screwed for a long period of time. I just think in Vancouver’s window, Cadri kind of fits that. I know he’s on the older end of what you’d ideally want, but they’re going for it now. Kane Cadri Garland just total B. Oh my god. Sherwood. Yeah. Yeah. Although if I was Calgary, I’d be wanting Sherwood, but like you’re not trying to win. Zero shot. Yeah. Zero shot. Interesting. It’s going to be a uh or it could be Yeah. De Brusk Cadri. I don’t think any of us believe that Calgary is going to turn it around, right? No. This is one of those teams where it’s you got off to a slow start and we kind of believe that that’s who they are. I think in order for them to make the playoffs, they need to have a perfect season. No one can get hurt. No one can go cold. And I that’s already not it’s already their perfect season’s already out the window. And you know what’s going to give them the most value? And I know this is probably an unpopular conversation in Calgary, but you have a right shot defenseman who’s awesome in Mackenzie Wager. Yep. Making 6.25 mil. That will get you a monster hall. Yeah, but somebody who’s signed when the arena opens. Like if you’re retooling for 27, like he’s fantastic value. I don’t think there’s any reason to trade Weaguer. I don’t think they need to strip and cheap and talented and he can be around for a long time when you’re trying to be competitive. I guess my thing is is that if Ra cuz CJ was saying that if if Calgary stepped up with a an eight-year deal for Rasmus Anderson, he might consider staying. Mhm. In in which case it’d be like, well man, Anderson’s 28, Wiger’s 31. We’re not going to win much in Weaguer’s window. I know he’s got a no trade, but like people can wave those. Weer plays both sides. Yeah. I don’t know. Just a thought. It’s I again it falls off a lot after after we ball and Anderson. It’s like I think you hang on to they’re not trying to tear it down like the Sharks or Blackhawks, right? Your takeaway should be no matter how they finish this year, the organization is not in bad shape. Yeah, I think I think trading weaguer is too much. Like you’re digging your whole weight. What about What about a guy like Blake Coleman? Almost 5 mil. That’s fine. Yeah. Yeah. I’m not gonna spend any time saying no, keep Blake Coleman. If there’s a deal to be had for Blake Coleman, that is prime overpay for this guy. A Lamborghini there 2 mill or something a UFA. Don’t need to spend any time. If you want to trade Lamborghini for something, do it. But consider he rules. He man that guy rocks. I want him back. 60. Yo, attitude per 60. Rockstar per 60. Yeah. shirt off every time a camera is present per 60 through the roof. Yeah. Now, a lot is being made in Vancouver. Sorry, Calgary, but the segment really is about the Canucks. Um, a lot is being made in Vancouver about Elias Patterson, and the statline sucks. Eight games, one goal, three assists. That sucks. That’s roughly the points per game that he had all of last year. And before you tell me, but Adam, it’s only eight games. That’s 10% of the season. I am. I I’m sorry, but we need to start looking at things in chunks. Some people get to say that. Some people get to say that. Some people don’t. He does not. He doesn’t gets to say that. He’s Conor McDavid. Yes. McDavid had how many points last year? He’s cold to start the year. It’s Conor McDavid. He’ll be fine. Cold a couple years ago. No evidence that he’ll be fine. Hasn’t been good for a year and a half. Yeah. He’s like enter like him and Matthews like when are you when are either of you going to have an elite game again? Man, straight up. We’ve already had that conversation. No, straight up. They haven’t played since. But yeah. Yeah. I I think it could start tonight in Buffalo for the Leafs. Your best players, your highest paid players, uh they have to be your best. Now, uh I’m going to This clip’s a little bit long, but the press does ask Adam Foot about Person’s five on five time, which was quite low. Uh, have a listen. Adamas Peterson had the lowest ice time at five on five among your center group in Pittsburgh the other night. Why was that? Why did he have the lowest ice time five on five? Yes, among your center group. Do you Can you give me his ice time on the special teams? Do you remember it? Not off hand. No, you don’t remember it. He was four on power play and two on the PK. Oh, he was 8 minutes special teams. Mhm. and two probably two shifts in the last eight minutes because we’re down 5-1 or the last probably six or seven minutes. I don’t know exactly. So when you’re playing 8 minutes on special teams, you know, mainly because of our injuries and uh those are harder minutes, you know, killing penalties, things like that. Um and then you take the three games in three and a half days where you look at Washington physical hockey and three three hard row games and he played really good. Um, so you you try to manage, you know, hard penalty kill minutes, hard PK, minute 20 shifts when, you know, you’re getting 8 minutes compared to previous the previous year he’s probably, my guess is he’s averaging four to 5 minute special teams. So when you’re up an 8 minute mark and you’re down 5-1 and you had a three three games in three and a half days, you’re trying to manage a guy physically, not putting him in a place to get injured either. you know, you’re playing those hard minutes in a game and you’re you’re you know, you want to win till the end and we’re we’re always in striking distance even at 5-1. We’re thinking about it like we gave a couple more offensive draws or things like that to see if we can get a quick one. But I would say when you look at the overall statistics, it’s harder to play. Harder minutes are um in my opinion are going to be special team minutes, which his are up from last year. So, if we really want to dig in it, and we can, he’s probably a minute on average less, five on five of the year, but probably two minutes if we really focus on the PK of the last three or four games compared to the first three where he’s more of a PK guy. We wanted to get him in gradually so he wouldn’t get caught where you have to go learn it when you play it. Then he’s probably off a minute on PK or sorry, five on five overall, but he’s getting into Scott Steiner territory. Yeah, we can we can watch this. We got it. He’s he’s he’s answered the question three times. But first off, here’s the first here’s the first problem with that. He didn’t do his math right. I not math guy can am calling him out. He did four minutes on the power play, two on two on pen. That is not eight minutes. That’s six. Joe, they say all men are created equal. But I know that also I want to say it’s the Scott Steiner match. I I also want to say so he did four minutes on the power play, two on PK. Those are good hard minutes as he said. Um, I’m sorry, but are we are we trying to claim that power play minutes are harder than five on five minutes? Is that what we’re doing? Interesting. Is that is that is that really an argument we’re going to make here? Because here’s what I hear, and this is what I see, and you guys tell me what you think. What I see is a player that’s making 11.5 million, has been struggling for 18 months since he signed the contract, and Adam Foot is brilliantly Oh, yeah. That was a great answer. Very good answer. talking them out actually. Well, you don’t see it the way we see it. Here’s how we see it internally and and full respect to him because it takes the spotlight off P. There’s a very very very good answer. But for me, that’s an organization covering for a player that they hope rebounds. Yeah. And that’s part of the job. Yeah. That’s that’s part of the job. And I thought he did a great job. What the reporter is asking, not a a legitimate question, which I’ve seen out there. That’s a great question. It’s a question I still have. everyone involved in I had nothing wrong with anything in that interaction. I think I think the question was good and the answer was good. I think they I What am I supposed to be upset about? I think Vancouver is concerned about Elias Patterson as they should be. And and at a certain point he’s not going to be able to cover anymore. Like we’re four or five games away from people going, “Okay, yeah, I don’t really care about how many minutes he played. Why isn’t he scoring?” Uh I think it might have been four or five games ago. No, but it’s that’s too early in the season. Steve, you’re not allowed to ask that early enough. Here, wait. Here’s how he could have answered that better here. So, so can you can you ask me the question? So, Elias Patterson Mhm. Elias Patterson played the least amount of minutes five on five of any of your centermen on Tuesday night, whatever it was. Uh, can you explain why that might be? Can you explain why they might be? I think we should have done that. Let me tell you who. That would have been better. Hey, okay, here you go. Here’s a good one. Jesse. Yeah. Jesse, Steve, don’t look at the roster. Name two of the three Vancouver center currently playing and I gave you one. Oh, Max Sass Army. Yeah. And Chota Splooers. No. Nils Aman. Nils Aman. Damn. Who’s the other one? Is it? It’s another great name. It’s not Splooers. No. At least not last game. I think Blueer’s out. It’s another great name. That’s right. At ratty. Ah. So, so when they’re asking that question, the context is your other three centermen played more five on five and their names are Sassin, Ratty, and Aman. I believe it’s Ratu. Oh, Ratu because Finns like to be like Atu Ratu. That’s how you say it. Um, so that Wow. And yikes. So, yeah, that’s why that question really matters, right? That’s a That’s a In that context, again, Adam Foot does a brilliant job going, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Guys, this really [ __ ] matters. And that’s why I bring up Cadrey. I think if Vancouver really wants to do some damage this year, and everybody agrees they’ve got a talented roster, they can’t be stuck with the Nashville, we don’t have anybody up center thing. We They can’t. They’re going to have to do something in Vancouver. If Vancouver made the playoffs with him on the roster, with Kane, with Sherwood, with the Brusk, with Oh, what a pain in the ass. Garland. I forgot who’s playing so good. I love Garland. Oh, man. That’s no fun at all. Ew. Ew. And yuck. Mhm. Ew. And yuck. Times 10mm, buddy. I I don’t know. I I I see. Here’s the thing with with Vancouver. The reason I bring this up, guys, is because I look at Vancouver’s roster. I’m like, that’s a really good team. And I know HeedLed’s out and we don’t know for how long, but there is real talent there. They’re It’s just a lot less talented than they were a couple years ago when they were super dysfunctional. They’re a bit of a better version of the Preds who part of the reason we thought they were going to be good last year is their strength on the wing and but then we sort of looked up the middle and we went, “Oh.” And so the PR solution to that was to trade two centers for nothing. Yeah. Novak and Thomasino. Yeah. So, they don’t know what they’re doing. Um, I think Vancouver does. Um, and also they have, you know, they have good goalending and they have freaking I almost said Roman Yosi, they have Quinn Hughes. Yeah. Um, they’ve greatly improved their decor. There’s a lot to like in Vancouver, but if there was I may maybe the better comparable is Montreal actually because we’re like, hey, this is a good team. There’s lots of things to be excited about. Who’s your second line center?

Steve Dangle, Adam Wylde and Jesse Blake discuss the struggles of both the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks early in the 2025 Season.

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