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Great story told by Jim Playfair last night after the game about Keith Aulie, who the Flames signed to entry level deal today, about how he use the same materials and concepts with Keith that he has developed for Robin Regehr. That’s not to say that he will be the next Regehr, but the kid has real taken to the material and his development in the Flames eyes has really taken off.

Talked to Andre Roy today about yesterdays 2 minute fighting majors with Semenov, no idea why the penalties were called the way they were. Mike Keenan echoed the confusion saying no explanation was given to Calgary about the call. It was a safe bet that the Flames would have much rather played the Sharks 5 on 5 as they would had the majors been called instead of the 4 on 4 hockey that they had to play against San Jose because of the minors.

Congratulations to Jarome Iginla for once again representing the Flames at the upcoming NHL All Star game in Montreal. I am happy for Jarome who really seems to relish the opportunity to represent the Flames and the NHL, but my disdain for the current set up for the All Star game likely makes me a target for chants of being a hypocrite. The fan voting for the starters is a joke they way it is set up currently, I don’t have a solution but I still wish to see the fan’s play a role. The notion that each team must be represented in the game is also a farce. I will watch the skills, I always do, and I will likely skip the game it self.

There seems to be a little bit of a reset on the Backlund story that was broken last night on Flames Warm Up, it has been described as a done deal that he will suit up for Kelowna. The Flames are cautioning that the player will first visit the Rockets then make up his mind on if he wants to play there. When I interviewed Backlund last night he told me he would go anywhere Darryl told too. He can play in the WHL, the AHL, and the NHL.

Flames GM Darryl Sutter just confirmed to the FAN960 that former 1st round pick Mikael Backlund will join the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. Sutter said that Backlund will spend a couple of days in Calgary watch the Flames play and meet with the GM before joining the team holding his CHL rights. Backlund was a star for Team Sweden at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, and was playing division 2 pro hockey in Sweden prior to the tournament!

Flames have recalled Jamie Lundmark and it looks like he is insurance incase Todd Bertuzzi can’t go. Todd may or may not go because of a back issue that has hampered him the last couple of seasons.

Let me just tip my hat to Team Canada for their remarkable come back last night it was truly one for the ages. But let me also point out again that keep watching the Russians, it wasn’t that may years ago they would have folded after giving some of those early goals, but over the last couple of seasons Russia has shown the ability to absorb and respond, case in point the World Championships last spring in our country. Just a guess here but between now and the end of the Olympics in Vancouver they will be heard from!

The Flames have a 10 game streak of picking up a least 1 point the last time they did that was November and December of 2003.

Congratulations to Craig Conroy for picking up his 500 NHL point on the game winner last night; I understand he got quite the reaction from his team mates after last nights game on the Bus to the hotel at Chicago.

Quietly Dion Phaneuf had a very good game yesterday he was a +3 player and they changed the 2nd assist on Bertuzzi’s goal to Dion from Moss, so the 8 game point drought is over.

The Blackhawks are on quite a resurgence they picked up 21 of a possible 24 points in the month of December, while I don’t think they are on the same level as the Red Wings of the Sharks the Hawks are getting close.

An injury note to watch, Patrick Kane won’t play today with what has been called a high ankle sprain. He played Thursday in the Winter Classic and the Hawks are saying it isn’t that serious, just ask Wayne Primeau about those high ankle sprains, he came back and played with one for a couple of game and hasn’t been seen in about a month.

Great test of the Flames killer instinct tonight, with both Edmonton and Vancouver losing in regulation last night the local hockey heroes have the chance to open up a bulge a top the Northwest division.

The Flames sure seem to be a loose bunch these days, having fun and joking around with each other in front of the media on the ice they are just having a good time, funny what winning does.

An optional skate for the Flames this morning, the main group was with out Iginla, Cammalleri, and Keenan.

Prust and Vandermeer both skated prior to the main group and for the record so did Iginla and Cammalleri.

Kiprusoff was back on the ice after being given the day off yesterday, a U of C goalie came out to balance out practice, Kiprusoff is out there for the morning skate.

Glencross appears to be a game time decision tonight; Brett Sutter is still here so I am not sure it is a slam dunk that that #20 is back in.

The Oilers have recalled Gilbert Brule from Springfield to replace Pouliot who appeared to suffer a concussion in the Edmonton loss to Ottawa.

Ales Hemsky appears that he will not play in this game tonight.

No Marion Gaborik for the Wild tonight as reportedly he didn’t even make the road trip as the TEAM has asked him not to play for two games to rest his injured groin. Interesting note from yesterday’s game, Gaborik was announced as a healthy scratch before the game against Chicago. Speculation is that he will be traded very soon, my question is would you take him? I would, but the bigger question is what would you pay him in a contract, that is the bigger question.

Team Canada was in the unenviable position of having to play a far inferior opponent yesterday in Ottawa at the World Junior Championship, not only did they have to play them they had to be mindful of possible tie breakers. Please add my name to the growing list of voices calling for an over haul of the tournament, teams like Kazakhstan work so hard to make it up from the pool below but usually do it with a roster of 19 year olds who can’t come back when the team makes it to Pool A, and then the kids get killed.

No Curtis Glencross at practice today which leads me to believe there has been somewhat of a set back, he was skating with the main group on the weekend.

The story of the season 35 games in for the local hockey heroes has to be the balanced attack, on Saturday night the Flames scored 6 goals and had 13 points awarded, with none to Iginla (who was +3), none for Phaneuf, none for Conroy. By the way the next big story you will here (most likely out of eastern Canada) what’s wrong with Jarome? The correct answer is nothing, but that won’t stop the stories. Sutter has often said and I agree which would you rather have Iginla with 50 goals and no playoffs or Iggy with 35 goals and a division title. My point being is it is quite clear that the captain does not have to go out and carry this version of the Flames on his back.

Just a simple observation but Dion is gripping to hard right now, he had a couple of point shots that he whiffed on Saturday night, I think the constant scrutiny may be getting to him somewhat.

Lines
Cammalleri Conroy Iginla
Lombardi Langkow Bertuzzi
Bourque Boyd Moss
Roy Sutter Nystrom

Regehr Aucoin
Pardy Phaneuf
Giordano Sarich

Kiprusoff

Merry Christmas to everyone I hope that Santa was good to you and yours, I have no complaints (I am currently leading the AHL in scoring and playing on the top line in Quad City, those who have NHL 09 know what I am talking about).

The Flames injured guys all seem to be on the road to recovery, both Prust and Vandermeer skated prior to the main group today, while Glencross is back with the main group. Curtis did tell reporters yesterday that he isn’t ready to go, add to that Brett Sutter is still here leads me to believe Glencross may make his come back against the Wild on Monday. I just remembered that I haven’t seen hide nor tale of Wayne Primeau for what that is worth.

The Ottawa Senators may bring the least cache of any Canadian team; there really is no buzz when the Sen’s come to town.

Lines

Cammalleri Lombardi Iginla
Bertuzzi Langkow Bourque
Sutter Conroy Moss
Roy Boyd Nystrom
Glencross

Regehr Aucoin
Giordano Sarich
Pardy Phaneuf

Kiprusoff

For those who care it appears that Santa Claus brought Curtis McElhinney a new mask for Christmas, one that appears to be a little more yellow based

The Ducks played lat night and don’t appear that they are going to skate prior to this game today. Anaheim is playing in their 7th set of back to backs and is 3 and 3 in game number 2.

Flames held an optional skate this morning, not skating were Iginla, Cammalleri, Bertuzzi, and the head coach did go on the ice with the main group.

Curtis Glencross skated before the main group this morning, the team hopes that he could be ready for Ottawa on Saturday.

The Flames are an odd team, you can cut them and dice them in a number of ways, in their past 10 games they have either won just 5 games or have lost just twice in regulation.

Tough to come up with line combinations today, because everyone didn’t skate today, but watch for Sutter to play between Nystrom and Roy, and Boy to play with Bertuzzi and Langkow.

Some one will have to fully explain to me how you can have a “roster freeze” and yet a team makes 2 moves. It is actually a rhetorical question, Lundmark was likely returned to Quad City on paper prior to the Freeze on Friday, while Brett Sutter was recalled on emergency recall today.

For the record Sutter was already home enjoying his 4 day break from the AHL, so he was close by and will most likely rejoin his team mates for their first game back from the break in Milwaukee on Friday.

Sutter will play up the middle between Roy and Nystrom, which means Dustin Boyd will be elevated to 2nd or 3rd line winger which he deserves.

Don’t believe what you hear about Mikael Backlund having already agreed to join Kelowna after the World Junior Tournament in Ottawa, according to some one close to the situation the player will likely be headed back to Sweden after the tournament. It was pointed out to me that the decision is the player’s not the Flames at this point.

Former Flames defensemen Anders Eriksson had emergency appendectomy surgery and has been in Calgary to recover, he is expected to start skating on Boxing Day.

Dion Phaneuf was given the last couple of days off to recover, according to Mike Keenan it was nothing more then resting the guy who has played the most minutes of any d-man in the league.

You have probably heard our conversation with Commissioner Gary Bettmen from yesterday, if you haven’t it is available on line at FAN960.com. It’s a worth a listen for no other reason to hear the commish’s take on a number of front burner items around the league.

Take this is for what it is worth, but Gary is my favorite guest for no other reason then the man is entertaining to be around. He really loves talking about the game and real loves mixing it up with media types, I have never asked but I can help but think it has something to do with him being a lawyer. Unfortunately it doesn’t play itself out very well on the radio but man is he animated his hands are moving a mile a minute when he is talking, and the middle of the answer he will hold up a hand to keep you from interrupting him even though you have no intention of doing so. Anyway you may not like him, as a matter of fact you may hate him, but I think you would find it fun to hang around Gary for a while.

It doesn’t appear that the local hockey heroes will get any of their injured back for this game against Chicago.

Here is some Gobbly gook math for ya

Since Nov 13 the Flames are 9-3-2 with 43 goals for and 33 goals against their power play is 10/64 or 15.6% and penalty kill 47/50 or 94%. Flames have out shot the opposition 11/14 games and 13 games have 30+ shots for.

Lines for tonight

Cammalleri Lombardi Iginla
Bertuzzi Langkow Lundmark
Bourque Conroy Moss
Roy Boyd Nystrom

Regehr Aucoin
Pardy Sarich
Giordano Phaneuf

Kiprusoff

Calgary and Minnesota are meeting for just the first time this season, the Wild are stuck in a 5 game losing streak, all coming in regulation a franchise record.

Those who have listened to the show know I have for a real disdain for the San Jose Sharks game notes which add nothing to a broadcasters ability to try an inform the audience of what is going on with the Sharks. Or more to the point they spin and spin and try and re invent history to benefit their team, they are worse then any political party on either side of the boarder. With that said the following has been cut and pasted from the game notes for tonight’s game as put together by the Wild’s PR department:

Flames RW Jarome Iginla is the all-time leader against the Wild in points (47), goals (27), plus-minus (+18) and shots (142). He is tied for first with Joe Sakic with seven GWG’s against the Wild, and his 27 goals are a whopping 11 more than any other player has scored (Sakic and Milan Hejduk). Iginla ranks second with eight PPG versus Minnesota. At Xcel Energy Center, Iginla is the opponent leader in goals (12) and is tied with Sakic for the most points (19). Overall, the Flames are 17-2-1 against the Wild when Iginla scores a goal, including 7-2-1 at Xcel Energy Center. Iginla has recorded at least one point in 29 of 43 games versus the Wild, and the Flames are 20-5-4 in those instances, and just 6-5-3 when he’s held off the scoresheet. The Flames are 11-0-0 when Iginla has two or more points against Minnesota. Iginla has a point in 16 of 22 all-time games in St. Paul, and the Flames are 9-4-3 in those games but 2-4-0 when he doesn’t have a point. Iginla has a point in each of his last five games at Xcel Energy Center (4-3=7).

Flames G Miikka Kiprusoff is 19-6-3 with a 1.83 GAA, a .932 SV% and three shutouts in 28 starts against Minnesota. His 19 wins and 28 appearances are the most by any goaltender against the Wild (no other goalie has more than 12 victories versus Minnesota). Among goalies playing 10 or more games versus the Wild, Kiprusoff ranks fourth in GAA (1.83) and fourth in SV% (.932), and his three shutouts are tied with five other goalies for the most ever. Kiprusoff is 7-5-2 with a 1.89 GAA, a .933 SV% and one shutout at Xcel Energy Center. His seven victories are more than any other goalie (David Aebischer - 6), and his 1.89 GAA trails only Dominik Hasek (1.11) and Aebischer (1.85). Kiprusoff’s .933 SV% at Xcel Energy Center is second to Hasek’s .947. Kiprusoff has allowed two goals or less in 22 of 28 starts versus the Wild, including 11 of 14 at Xcel Energy Center. Kiprusoff has started all 28 games versus the Wild since his trade from San Jose in the 2003-04 season. The last goalie to start for the Flames against the Wild was Jamie McLennan on 11/7/03, a 3-0 Wild win. McLennan is currently the Flames goaltender development coach.

Once again those are taken directly from the Game Notes for the Wild versus the Flames tonight, and further then that from the home teams notes not the Flames notes. I credit Minnesota for putting information in their notes that is first and foremost not flattering to the home team, and second is this info is actually useful and not spun. The rest of the NHL and probably sports could all take a lesson from the Wild just give us the info and let us draw our own conclusion.

Sorry that is just a personal opinion and has no meaning to anyone outside the business, but in the past I have been quick to jump on the Sharks for printing fairy tales I thought the Wild deserved some credit.

Same roster for the Flames tonight against Minnesota, the Wild have been off since Sunday and get Marion Gaborik back.

I admit I had a little chuckle last night at the expense of our northern neighbors, but I should keep in mind that the Black Hawks humbled Calgary in Chicago on November 9th 6-1, and are in town with a couple of days off between now and Friday when they play the Flames.