THW Calgary Flames Substack - Sept. 11, 2023
Welcome to the THW Calgary Flames Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Flames writers.
Today’s edition discusses three possible short-term replacements for Elias Lindholm, a classic goalie debate between Miika Kiprusoff and Mike Vernon, and more!
It would be great if you’d share the THW Flames Substack with your friends and family so they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
Now, on to the good stuff…
Calgary Flames’ Best Players to Ever Play at the World Juniors
September 7, 2023, by Derek Olsen
As we round into 2023 and look forward to the next half of the season for the Calgary Flames, plenty of hockey fans still have their gazes set on the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. The new year means that the knockout rounds have begun, and thus the real drama and excitement are ready to be etched into hockey history forever. Teams Sweden and Finland are still alive, with Flames prospects William Strömgren (Sweden) and Topi Rönni (Finland) set to square off as the two squads are pitted against one another in the quarterfinals.
Speaking of the Flames and World Juniors history and fortunately for Flames fans, there have been a multitude of fantastic players to suit up for both Calgary and their respective international teams in the tournament. To honour the past, let’s have a look at some of the men that fit the aforementioned description whilst standing out amongst their peers. In no particular order or ranking, here are some of the best Flames players to participate in the World Juniors.
Kiprusoff Vs. Vernon: Who was the Flames’ Better Goaltender?
September 8, 2023, by Rupert McDonald
If you were to ask fans who the best goaltender in Calgary Flames’ franchise history is, the vast majority would tell you Miikka Kiprusoff. The 46-year-old is one of the most beloved players in Flames’ history, and is rightfully getting his number lifted to the rafters this coming season. Throughout the majority of his Flames’ tenure, he was one of the best goalies in the NHL.
Since Kiprusoff’s retirement after the 2012-13 season, the Flames have been struggling to find a long-term, reliable replacement. It goes to show just how difficult it is to find great consistent goaltending in the NHL, and explains why he was, and continues to be, such a fan favourite throughout the city of Calgary.
Flames Have 3 Short-Term Replacements for Elias Lindholm
September 8, 2023, by Derek Olsen
The start of the 2023-24 NHL season is rapidly approaching with under 20 days until the start of the preseason. For the Calgary Flames, however, there is still much uncertainty. New general manager Craig Conroy made his first splash by trading leading scorer Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, the roster headlines eight pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) to go along with three restricted free agents in need of contracts at season’s end.
In a perfect world, all or most of them would re-sign with the Flames. What complicates things is last offseason’s star acquisitions Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar’s extensions kicking in this season, adding $7.6 million to the books. Currently, the team has negative-$213,000 in available cap space. Therefore, money is tight and it is more likely that not all of these players will be with the Flames after the 2023-24 season.
Revisiting the Flames’ 2017-18 Prospect Pool
September 9, 2023, by Ryan Ventura
In 2017-18, the Calgary Flames had a prospect pool that was highly regarded around the NHL. They seemed to have drafted well in previous years, and the future looked bright. Let’s take a look back at the Flames’ top five prospects from that season and how they panned out.