Five Former Flames Who Should Be Booed the Most
These five players burned bridges by how they left Calgary.
There are a handful of former Flames players whose arrival in Calgary will forever incite boos.
A symphony of boos greeted Noah Hanifin on his return to Calgary as a member of the Golden Knights, bringing back memories of Flames fans feverishly tormenting Johnny Gaudreau in his first game back after absconding for Columbus.
You have to commit an act of treachery to earn the appreciable level of disdain Gaudreau still receives. But more about his ignominy later. Some players, like Chris Tanev, leave the Flames with grace and professionalism, while others aren’t given much choice (Sean Monahan).
The third type of departure, in which players betray their team in some way, infuriates fans, ensuring a complimentary lifetime supply of agitated heckling when they’re back in the Stampede City.
A few former Flames left so acrimoniously that they earned their spot on this top-five list. Feel free to boo if you disagree.
5. Sam Bennett
Many people forget that Sam Bennett wanted out of Calgary before being dealt to Florida, which he has in common with three others on the list. Bennett, a solid depth player, played in Calgary for almost six seasons.
He doesn’t get booed anymore but did when the wound was freshest. If you ask me, he got off lightly. But he’s still more worthy of consistent booing than the freshly departed Elias Lindholm.
