Calgary's Summer of Discontent
20.07.03
Editorial - Flurry of moves must pay off
After posting a formidable 108 point season, the Flames could be excused for thinking that they had the group that could propel them deep into Lord Stanley's tournament. But after a prompt exit from the first round, the Coach and the General Manager pulled out their scalpels and went to work.
After the drama of the draft day trade, the Flames selected Zbynek's younger brother Milan Michalek, a rangy winger with speed and scorer's touch, in the first round. Geoff Platt was drafted in the 3rd round, a pint-sized winger with speed and fearless tenacity to score. Patrick O'Sullivan, long touted as a top-line talent until a few months ago, was drafted by Calgary in the 4th round. His intangibles, an overbearing Father, hurting his stock, made it possible for Calgary to select the talented centre as low as 118th overall. It made for an interesting Draft Day in Calgary where only tea-leaves can tell us at this stage if any of these players will forge an impactful career in the Stampede City.
Gone are longtime 'young guns' Marc Savard, Cory Stillman, and Derek Morris. Prospect Blair Betts was kicked to the curb. As was starter-in-waiting Craig Anderson. Fourth line swedish army-knife Mathias Johansson was also jettisoned. In their place is young centre Tim Connolly, defender Nick Wallin, winger Juraj Kolnik and the Flames missing piece: 23yr old saviour Brad Richards.
It is a figurative heart-transplant, if not an actual one. It has been the most turbulent off season seen in Calgary in awhile, but one that the Front Office defends is more of a mild chinook than a sweeping tempest.
The team is younger, cheaper, more versatile. Stillman was renewed in January, only to be moved for young playmaker Tim Connolly, a player who closely resembles former Flame Marc Savard, but is 7 years younger than Stillman, and infinitely cheaper.
Brad Richards, is cheaper and younger too, but his potential promises to be very costly in the end. But if the centre can stitch the complicated ends of Iginla and St.Louis into a beautiful pattern, than the money would be worth it.
And there's the rub: Fyvie and Maurice and trying to make this team work better together. On paper the Flames were a good group of players, but a group that wasn't integrated on the ice as well as they could be. Enter Richards: the conductor of instruments. The on-ice general. The missing link. Is Richards the longtime Franchise centre this team has been looking for? Stay tuned.