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Congratulations to Miikka Kiprusoff and Ollie Jokinen for being named to Team Finland earlier today, neither are a surprise on their on ice merit. It seems that Kipper has put the purported issues between him and the federation behind him.

I am sitting in the stands ready to watch the morning skate, the goalies have been announced and there are no shortage of players out on the ice but none of the Canadian Olympic hopefuls.

Having just said that Craig Conroy has headed off the ice which leads me to believe that this going to be an optional practice ahead of the game versus the Kings.

None of the Flames defensemen made Team Canada, this is very disappointing I am sure for the fans of the Flames and most importantly to the players. Calgary native Mike Green of the Capitals wasn’t named either, it should be pointed out that if there is an injury between now and the games a replacement can be named.

The big question for me is how those players who don’t get a call will respond in the near future for their club teams.

Scott Niedermayer has been named the captain of Team Canada I like the choice.

Hopefully have a much more in depth blog tomorrow, today is going to be nuts, but nuts in the good way.

Little news from Rexall Place this morning, other than it looks like Miikka Kiprusoff gets back in goal tonight not surprising the Flames did skate this morning had they won last night it would have either been cancelled or optional. Did hear later that there is a chance Langkow could be Iginla’s center tonight.
What role will Jokinen have in this game tonight? My guess is he gets lots of ice early to see how he responds if nothing happens he gets stapled back to the end of the bench.
This is the proverbial Turtle derby tonight as the Oilers have not won in their last 6 games while the Flames have 1 in their last 7, what is different about the two clubs is likely the expectations. The Oilers have a ton of injuries and are in a rebuilding mode of sorts, as they try and get bigger and rougher to play up front, 6 losses in a row are unacceptable I am sure to most Oiler fans, but they are what they are a team who will battle for the 7th or 8th playoff spot.
Calgary on the other hand has higher expectations and their recent dip in play is particular disturbing because of their relative health, you can look at two ways better to have it happen now or it really does expose the true stumbling block of this team.
Facts are facts this is coach # 4 with essentially the same trouble with the line up, there has been no shortage of tweaks to the line up yet the core remains the same, it is the core group of players it has to be.
Now for all of you in the “every team goes through a slump they will be fine” camp this is clearly not the blog for you, and conversely for those of you in “blow it up and fire everybody” camp this isn’t a blog you will agree with.
Brent Sutter made a very interesting comment last night in his post game press conference “this is not a system issue” that to me was him saying it is a dressing room cultural issue. He followed that up by saying that if something didn’t change in the dressing room in the next 24 hours it would happen again in Edmonton (a loss like the won at home against Vancouver).
As people and as players I have very little bad to say about Iginla, Regehr, Phaneuf, Kiprusoff, and Langkow (with all due respect to Jaybo he just got here), but they are the constant from year to year. In fairness it may not be right to throw a blanket over all five guys, but if the Brent Sutter is really going to make a change here in Calgary it is those guys he is going to have to get on his page, I think he has some but not all.
At the risk of being labelled the typical Flames Homer I will say this that I do believe the Flames are a much better team than they have been in December, but right now right at this moment this is a huge turning point for the Flames. Do you continue to go down the same path of getting too happy with success and to comfortable with losing or do you break the bonds of what you have been, or do you become the team with a pack mentality and a consistency from shift to shift. I really think over the next few weeks we will have the answer.
By the way I still believe it is going to take till after the Olympic break for this team to convert to being Brent Sutter’s team.

I trust that everyone had a great Christmas and are enjoying the Hockey Holiday season, there is no shortage of the greatest game to get out and watch.

There maybe some who look at Team Canada at the World Junior Championships with a little of a stink eye after they ran up the score against Latvia on Sunday. The 16-0 score does little for either squad as already we knew going in that Canada was in a different class then their Latvian counterparts. As I have mentioned to a couple of people after yesterdays game don’t blame the Canucks for scoring goals, blame the IIHF for increasing the number of teams in the tournament, this should be a 8 team tournament at best, maybe even just a 6 team tournament. I understand the need for the lesser hockey countries to have something to play for, but the fact is that there is just too much of a chasm between the top and the bottom.

The Flames have to look at the next 2 weeks as a real opportunity to send a message, they can’t start worrying about the amount of games that will be played, stay focused on the positive. Calgary begins a stretch of 5 games in 7 nights starting against the Canucks tonight at the Dome this is a chance for the Flames, who have played the fewest games in the NHL, to cash in on games in hand.

But, as the coach and his players pointed out this morning, it is imperative to get a good start versus Vancouver tonight. The Flames hold two wins at the dome already versus the Canucks this season, but they were early in October safe to say that both teams are some what changed from that last meeting.

Cory Sarich was skating today prior to the team skate, it is the first time I have seen him on the ice since November, but I can’t confirm whether it is his first time back since his injury.

Lines – a change today

Conroy Jokinen Iginla
Dawes Langkow Bourque
Glencross Nystrom Moss
Sjostrom Boyd McGratten/Prust

Regehr Phaneuf
Bouwmeester Giordano
Pardy Johnson
Kronwall

Kiprusoff

I would not be surprised to see Miikka make all 5 starts this week, if for no other reason that the Flames are stuck in a battle for a play off spot.

Programming note, the 2 Saturday shows Hockey Calgary Magazine and Hockey Canada Frequency aren’t on this weekend but will return on January 2nd.

Merry Christmas to you and your family this Holiday Season, and all of the best in the upcoming new decade.

Lines

Boyd Jokinen Iginla
Dawes Langkow Bourque
Glencross Nystrom Moss
Sjostrom Conroy Prust/McGratten

Regehr Phaneuf
Bouwmeester Giordano
Pardy Johnson
Kronwall

Kiprusoff

Calgary have take a tumble in the standings thanks in part to two things, the first and most important just 4 wins in their past 10 games, Calgary has not won back to back since beating Columbus and Nashville late in November. The 2nd factor is that they have played a league low 35 games, that is about to change as they will play 4 games in 5 nights twice in the coming weeks.

Interesting to see what will happen to the Flames who don’t make the Canadian Olympic team when it is announced. If you believe the talk Iginla and Bouwmeester will be on the team, Regehr and Phaneuf will not, but we will see.

A couple of the Flames players really got into the World Junior spirit yesterday, both Jokinen and Kiprusoff spent time with the Finnish national team before their pre tournament game against Canada. Talking to Miikka he said that Ollie was going to be in charge of the pre game speech and he had to take care of the tickets for the team to come and watch the game against the Blues.

Flames goaltending prospect Joni Ortio looked good against Canada last night it is a long way from the NHL but the Flames look like they got a real prospect in the 6th round.

Enjoyed my time in St.Louis which as it turns out is a great hockey town, there is a sense of the Blues well beyond the arena area. The building itself was unusually quiet for most of the game, but in the 3rd they came alive. It was also the first NHL building which as a broadcaster I have been heckled in, it’s alright I developed thick skin in the SJHL, after the game some dude sat over my shoulder for 2minutes screaming at me to hit somebody. By the way I chuckled the whole time because it reminded me of the Warren Zevon song.

It looks like Calgary will get an outdoor game, just don’t call it a Winter Classic, as part of hockey day in Canada in February of’10 against Vancouver. I sure hope so anyway, but having my hopes dashed this summer makes me somewhat skeptical, I’ll take more of a wait and see attitude, it would be great though.

Just one thought about a guy I normally don’t spend a lot of time talking about, Iginla 1 gal in his last 11 games, your right, your right, it isn’t good enough, has to start moving his feet again.

How about this stat 2-4-6, that is the goal assist line on Kopitar since Ryan Smyth went down, he was first in the league in scoring on Nov 18th he is now 6th. But wait a minute the Kings are first in the west, so what have learned, not much.

Pardy back skating with the main group today, and the head coach is extremely vocal for a morning skate.

Lines
Nystrom Jokinen Iginla
Dawes Langkow Bourque
Glencross Conroy Moss
Prust Boyd McGratten/Sjostrom

Bouwmeester Giordano
Regehr Phaneuf
Kronwall Johnson
Pardy

Kiprusoff

Flames will make a fairly major change tonight in goal McElhinney makes his first start since winning in Columbus on Nov28th. Curtis will try and win his third game in a row, and 4th in his last 5 starts.
It was an optional skate this morning for the Flames with no coach, Iginla, Langkow, Bourque, and Nystrom on the ice.
Projected lines tonight for Calgary.
Nystrom Jokinen Iginla
Dawes Langkow Bourque
Glencross Conroy Moss
Sjostrom Boyd McGratten/Prust
No major line up changes for the Blues it looks like Chris Mason will get the start for Andy Murray’s team. Speaking of the coach of the Blues his coach’s scrum was weird first off rather then back up against the wall he sat down on a chair and then seven of us assembled reporters sat down in chairs it was kind of like a sharing circle. His answers were vague and quite honestly he sounded like he was rambling a little bit.
Prior to the game tonight between the Flames and the Blues they will honor Brett Hull who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame. The way they are going to do it is by introducing Brett’s All – Blues team, according to the local papers this is what it will look like.
The forwards:
Bob Bassen, Rod Brind’Amour, Guy Carbonneau, Kelly Chase, Geoff Courtnall, Nelson Emerson, Bernie Federko, Doug Gilmour, Wayne Gretzky, Sergio Momesso, Adam Oates, Brendan Shanahan and Tony Twist.
On defense:
Jeff Brown, Garth Butcher, Steve Duchesne, Phil Housley, Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger and Scott Stevens.
Goalies:
Grant Fuhr and Curtis Joseph.
Coaching staff:
Brian Sutter and Bob Berry.

The Flames get set to tangle with the Minnesota Wild for the first time this season; both teams come in with identical 7-2-1 records in their last 10 games.

For the first time this season at home Calgary held an optional pre game skate, most of the top end guys taking the option to work off ice.

Craig Conroy did take the morning skate Adam Pardy who left practice early yesterday did not take the morning twirl.

The Wild will be trying to exercise some demons in this game as they have just 1 win in their last 17 visits to Calgary and have gone 7 straight with out a win.

Wild are missing 4 players due to concussions, Ebbett, Burns, Sykora, and Bouchard.

Watch for Minnesota D-men to join the rush tonight, new coach Todd Richards is preaching a high tempo game, even though the scores of late have looked an awful lot like the old regimes low goal total games.

Thanks to everyone who came out and participated in the 1st annual Centre Ice Challenge for Big Brothers Big Sisters on Sunday afternoon. The money is still being counted but I believe we are going to be close to raising $10,000 to help benefit the youth of Calgary.

The Flames come home from a good road trip with the leagues best road record and will now try and improve on the leagues 23rd best home mark. One place to start will be on improving the PK at home it is currently just a hair over 70% and is 30th in the league.

The Flames play 9 of their next 12 at the dome.

The Thrashers are playing their best hockey in franchise history thanks in part to balanced scoring the Thrashers have 5 players with 20+ points through 27 games, the Flames have 3.

Neither the Flames nor the Thrashers have ever won a game on the road against one another.

Both Robyn Regehr and Craig Conroy are out for the morning skate, Regehr didn’t play in LA and Conroy didn’t finish the 3rd period.

Just a small programming note Mark Messier will be joining us this afternoon around 2:45 to talk about his new job as GM of Team Canada at the World Championships.

Lines

Dawes Jokinen Iginla
Moss Langkow Bourque
Glencross Conroy Nystrom
Sjostrom Boyd Prust/McGrattan

Regehr Phaneuf
Bouwmeester Giordano
Pardy Johnson

Kiprusoff

One last plug for our charity game for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary Sunday afternoon 2:30pm at Max Bell arena as my team of All Stars takes on the cast and crew of CBC’s Heartland it is free by the way. A ton of special guests including Harvey the Hound, Cassie Campbell, among others will be on hand for this family event. There will be a live auction for BBBS, and one of the items up for bid will be “an hour with the Calgary Flames Adam Pardy” Adam will come to your kids hockey practice or school for one hour. For more information check out our website: www.centreicechallenge.com

Well everybody here in Calgary fought through one of the worst storms in recent memory, I was stranded in Phoenix as US Airways cancelled all of their flights into the city. While there is no possible scenario which I can drum up sympathy for spending Friday finishing my Christmas shopping in Scottsdale, I am glad to get back home. I’ll say this havening only ever to deal with minor travel delays this was a learning experience. Airlines love your money, but they sure don’t seem too organized after they have taken it. Trying to get home after your flight has been cancelled is one of the most frustrating experiences I have witnessed.

A few thoughts on the Arizona hockey market:

Having scene it up close I understand why so many people say the team would likely have done better in Scottsdale then Glendale. It is simple math more people equal more possible fans. Would you want to travel 45 minutes in at times heavy traffic to watch a losing team (not now but historically).

In Glendale you see signs of the Coyotes, stores with merchandise that sort of thing, elsewhere nothing. The Airport had a store selling local team merchandise, but no visible NHL presence.

Unlike my visit to Nashville last season I come away with little appreciation for the local fan base. While there is likely a die hard fan base of a couple of thousand they are no where near as passionate as Predator fans.

The arena is surrounded by bar’s and restaurants that were full of Flames fans, but some of the establishments closed with in an hour of the game, and 90 minutes after the buzzer went only one had food service.

Having watched everything play itself this past summer with the bankruptcy mess, and now having visited the place I’m even more sure now then before that it isn’t going to make it in the long term.

Flames lost their first game of this road trip Thursday night against the Coyotes, I didn’t think they played bad, but boy they weren’t happy with their effort afterwards. As I have said before I am in many ways representative of what ails or has ailed this team, I wasn’t too bent out of shape over their effort.

I spent some time talking to some players prior to the game talking about what has transpired after the 7-1 loss to Chicago. I was surprised to learn that the improved play has more to do with both the players and coaches having a better understanding of each others needs. I was sure that it was far more one sided that, but I was told that Brent Sutter and his staff have changed their approach as much as the players have.

Jamie Lundmark was sent down yesterday as Rene Bourque comes back in the line up; Bourque is going to take Lundmark’s spot on the left side of the top line.

Lines for tonight

Bourque Jokinen Iginla
Dawes Langkow Moss
Glencross Conroy Moss
Sjostrom Boyd Prust/McGratten

Regehr Phaneuf
Giordano Bouwmeester
Johnson Pardy

Kiprusoff

Flames will try and add to their record setting road string of points in 10 games so far.

Some random observations of Glendale:

In many ways the location of their arena is very much like Kanata and the Senators, there is some great new development but it is away from the population.

Jobing.com arena is all Coyotes it is their colors, their logos, they are the show in this building.

The commercial development around the arena is awesome, but absolutely dead on none game nights.

Talked to Dave King today what a great ambassador for the game, I think Boom is going to play my conversation with him this afternoon.

Take it for what it is worth the sports stores down here carry Coyotes stuff, not as much as the Cardinals or the college teams, but you don’t have to hunt for it.

My guess is this will feel like a home game for Calgary, a ton of Flames fans in the building.

Ed Jovanovski is a game time decision tonight for the Coyotes.