F*ck Your Team: Why I Hate the 2024-25 Calgary Flames | NHL Season Preview

the Cavalry Flames didn't flame on but flamed out in 2023 24 missing the playoffs and Jedis sending a large portion of their talent to jump start a rebuild with the tough times ahead for the Calgary faithful what does the sea of red have to endure in the upcoming 2024 25 season before we get started I wanted to give a few thoughts on the tragedy that occurred last week with Johnny cadro and his brother Matthew losing their lives in a motor vehicle accident in New Jersey the brothers were out for a bike ride and were hit by a drunk driver dying on August 29th 201 24 there a tragedy that rocked the hockey world and the good rose family he leaves behind a wife and two young children as well as a sister whose wedding he was set to be in the very next day even though he's currently a player for the Columbus Blue Jackets their video came out before his untimely death and as he began his career in Calgary a place he played for nine Seasons I thought this was a Fitting Place to put my words with regards to his and his brother's tragic passing I know it's of little Comfort to his family and friends teammates and the community that loved him but I joined the hockey community in warning his and his brother's p pass ing G was a good young kid somebody who I actually got the privilege of getting to see play as a young man in a tournament against my younger brother his talented character stood out then and they stood out throughout his NHL career I hope his family and friends can find some comfort in the many people who have come out both of the goodro brothers in their passing rest in peace to both Johnny and Matthew I admit it last year was rough the calary flame season was basically Dead on Arrival ever since the first Puck dropped when you only win two out of your first 11 games that's basically a death Nowell for your entire season unless you go on a massive win streak and spoiler alert the Flames did not the turkey had barely gotten cold from American Thanksgiving before the Calgary Flames were already shipping off some of their players for prospects and picks Nikita zadorov to Vancouver then Alias lindol to the kuks in a trade I still maintain they absolutely flee Vancouver in and then at the deadline the big ones Chris tanv to the stars and Noah Hanahan to the golden knights a couple of tough losses that actually coincided with the flame stabilizing thr the midpoint of the season but unfortunately they were just too far behind the eight ball even though they did ride a good stretch back over 500 at the start of February it was just too little too late and they closed out the season with a stretch where they won only one of nine games thus all but assuring that they would finish the season below 500 but the dismantling didn't stop in the regular season in the off season they shipped off star goalie Jacob markstrom to the devils in exchange for a healthy return that included Prospect Kevin ball and andrean aani to the Capitals in exchange for a second round pick in 2025 even though it would be easy to lay a lot of last year's failings at the feet of head coach Ryan Huska or absolve him have said blame because of all the talent that got jettison last year but regardless Calgary finished about where I thought that they would just outside of the playoff picture but still respectable they finished around 500 and so even though they got off to a really bad start I have to say I think that Huska did a pretty damn good job considering all all the talent that they lost and I think with his past experience as a head coach in the AHL working with a lot of younger players he is the right guy to head the transition into the next era of Flames hockey around a lot of young players which is what they've done by trading away most of their star players for young prospects and picks and hey this guy put up a better record in his first year than Marty St Louie has ever done for the Canadians and they rever that guy out there so Uso's probably going to be safe for like a decade you're a star you're on top somebody bring you some hey you should kill yourself while it's tempting to pick nazam catry as the flame star player since he did lead the team in points last here I'm actually going to give it to McKenzie weager their I don't want to say Elite but certainly very good defenseman while he is an unfortunate reminder of that trade for Flames fans weager himself is still a very solid defenseman for the Flames putting up 20 goals of 52 points for Calvary last year I know that doesn't sound like a lot and honestly it isn't flame Sans it's going to be a rough go of bit oh this guy again all right let's go through the carcass of this roster starting with the other half of the infamous Matthew kachuck trade Jonathan hubero this guy probably wants to go into winess protection for how bad Calgary fans want him running out of town but that is what tends to happen when you follow up a 115 Point campaign the year before you get traded to two straight 50 point seasons in Calgary while the guy you got traded for leads them to two deep playoff runs maybe start scoring a little bit more huie he'll be centered by male Blackland a guy who's been on the Flames for I'm guessing 30 years he spent his entire career in Calgary never getting to experience the good life much like the enies and Severance that Top Line will be rounded out by Blake Coleman whose eyes say first line but Mouth body and stats say third line all three of those guys are also over the age of 30s so keep any wishful thinking that the three of them might take a jump forward this year to yourselves Flames fans on the second line you got eigor Sharon govic they're one promising young player at age 25 who just put up his first almost 60o season he'll be flanked by a zygote in 22-year-old Conor Zer who got called into 64 games of NHL action and only scored 34 points and Anthony mantha the third line gets started with a Marty party as Martin pops Vil good energy and punch but not a lot of scoring but that'll be balc out easily by veterans naum Kadri and Andre kuseno cadri of course led the team in points last year and is having a bit of a Resurgence after moving out west following his cup run in Colorado well kbco took a little bit of a step back last year but still scored 25 points in 29 games for the Flames he's a guy I would expect to also get moved by Calgary this year and probably for a better return than your bre in BC got for him finally on the fourth line you've got Ryan lomberg who I assume you brought over just to ask if Matthew kachuck ever talks about you in the Florida Panthers locker room along with Kevin Rooney and Walker Durer I hardly knew her that back end though an absolute train wreck yeah you got Mackenzie weager back there but he's paired with denil miranov who in his three-year NHL career has played in only 49 games it's literally a defensive pairing of hydrogen bomb and coughing baby behind them though a second pairing with some promise but not a whole lot of productivity Rasmus Anderson is the elder Statesman of the two at 27 who gets a lot of ozone starts for a guy who doesn't score a whole lot and he's paired with 24-year-old Kevin Ball acquired from New Jersey in the markstrom trade of course ball has a lot of promise and potential and he was excess goods in New Jersey so maybe he's not completely terrible the third pairing features Jake B newly brought in from Columbus and at 2015 might also have some upside but unlike ball there's a ton of bad habits you're going to have to beat out of him after spending 3 years with the dumpster fire known as the Blue Jackets and finally 25-year-old Braden pahal will be rounding out the defense looking to get his first full season of NHL experience under his belt he's the one with the least games out of the other young players so he has the most questions to answer going into this season in net Jacob markstrom is gone sent off to New Jersey as part of the jettisoning of everything in Calgary that might have value they'll now have to trust young Dustin wolf and career backup Dan Vadar in net for them this year wolf probably figures to have the inside track at the starting job giving that he's 23 and hasn't proven that he's completely terrible yet like Dan Vadar has but that the two of them hold the distinction of being the worst and second worst in terms of goal saved about expected per 60 last year let's just say Calgary Flames players are going to get used to their opponent's go siren real quick this year [Music] Chas oh Brit is in this new players think the Calgary Flames after trading away everything that has value are going out and spending money in the offseason to get new players no that that is not happening the only big additions in Calgary this offseason came through the draft where admittedly they did a pretty good job Zay per at pick number nine in the first round is a great selection in my opinion a for sure top 10 Talent who just needs a few more years to mature they also managed to snipe Andrew Bas at pick 41 in the second round which is a really good value cuz I had him going in the 20s in my pre-draft Mock and then they got Henry Muse at Pi 74 after he slipped another guy who was a fringe first rounder getting him in the third round is incredible value now but between those picks they did take mad B Garen at pick 28 in the first round and Jacob bagle at pick 62 in the second both of those are kind of reaches in my opinion they're not like obscenely bad picks and they weren't bad enough to take away from what was otherwise a fantastic set of days for the Calgary Flames organization that's not bad I already sang Mackenzie weer Praises so I'm going to renew my subscription as the number one Andre kuseno fan I still cannot believe that you got him for next to nothing from Vancouver and he promptly came into Calgary and resumed his almost point a game Pace that he had been in in his first year in Vancouver putting up 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games he's a free agent at the end of this year so he might not be around for the longterm in Calgary but he's a great trade chip at the deadline I love his game even though he makes a few Bon hitting mistakes that explosiveness offensively more than outweighs it in my opinion the gamble Tron 2000 says the winner is Cincinnati by 200 points why you worthless hunk of junk Flames fans would you like me to lie and tell you that it's all going to be okay this year yeah the Flames are going to be one of the worst teams in the NHL this year and their only saving grace is that they're also in a division that includes the Ducks and the sharks who I think they're actually better than but honestly that's just going to kind of screw you because you really need to bottom out and get a top five pick like the Sharks did with celebrini can't kick them right now but if there's anything to criticize it's handing Jonathan hubero a 10x8 deal without another scoring forward next to him they were sore losers when my Predators beat them last season because we were a better team and they decided to fight the team I didn't hate until they did that I support every single Canadian team because they haven't won a cup in 34 years that should say it all I loved the game when Gretzky played when lefur and Robinson played I really don't like the league now I am ready to permanently give up on the game never watch another game again at the stadium or on TV what's the point in wasting your time we only have so much time in life wasting it is like a crime