NHL Hockey Betting - Calgary Flames

NHL Betting 2007-08 – Calgary Flames
Manager: Mike Keenan
Arena: Pengrowth Saddledome
Last Season: 43-29-10, 96 pts (3rd Northwest, 8th Western Conference)
2008 Prediction: 7th Western Conference

Preseason Odds to win Stanley Cup: +2000

The Flames tried to adapt to the new, finesse-first NHL and it didn’t work. They have Dion Phaneuf, easily the hardest hitter in the league and Jarome Iginla, one of the most tenacious fore-checkers the NHL has ever seen. So what did they do? They went out and got the hardest coach there is: Mike Keenan. Watch their NHL odds this year.

Iron Mike hopes to restore Calgary’s blue-collar work ethic but, as is always with Keenan, they will either blossom beautifully or be disastrously terrible. This is a key year in that Miikka Kiprusoff is entering his contract year, and if Keenan pisses him off with his stiff attitude, Kippy could walk. That would mean the end of any hopes for the teetering Flames.

Offense is not a problem for the Flames. They find ways to score, whether it’s from their depth at forward with Kristian Huselius, Daymond Langkow or Iginla. They also get some serious boom from Phaneuf who makes it rain from the blue-line.

Defense is the real question in Calgary. They lost Brad Stuart and Roman Hamrlik, and brought in the 34 year-old Adrian Aucoin and Cory Sarich. Both will add physicality to the blue-line, but they need to add some youth and speed in this department. The defense ranked 22nd in penalty killing last season.

The Flames are a tough call in the Northwest simply because of the shocking hiring of Mike Keenan. If it clicks, the Flames are going to boom offensively and march easily in to the playoffs. If it combusts, Calgary will implode on itself. There are a lot of personalities to manage here, the biggest being Keenan’s. The most important, however, is Jarome Iginla’s. Keep an eye on this seventh ranked scoring offense as it develops, but expect the Flames to muscle their way, as always, into the playoff picture.

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Official Website: www.calgaryflames.com