This doesn’t feel right.
An enemy is in our midst and you are feeling that itchy scratchy feeling all over.
I get that. We all get that. But Darryl Sutter could care less. And good for him.
This writer will never forgive the Vancouver Canucks, Marc Crawford, Brad May or Todd Bertuzzi for the most heinous over reaction in modern NHL history. Their captain, Marcus Naslund was lit up after dishing the puck in Denver. The hit was over the top, it was fierce, and it was was vicious but it was within current NHL rules. Steve Moore fought Matt Cooke early in the game in Vancouver and that should have been enough.
There … I’ve said it now let it buck. It’s ancient history.
The Flames are now a better hockey club. In their top six they’ve retained Daymond Langkow and Jarome Iginla, they’ve reportedly promoted Matthew Lombardi yet kept his place holder Craig Conroy at a significant discount.
They’ve replaced skilled wingers Alex Tanguay and Kristian Huselius with Mike Cammelleri and Todd Bertuzzi – essentially equaling production while saving a boat load of cash, and managed the budget space to upgrade the third line with addition of Rene Bourque and Curtis Glencross.
It would take a fool to not see this roster as it stands as a pretty significant upgrade all in a year that I saw the team taking a flier due to their lack of budget space because of signing their principal players.
Darryl Sutter is not a bumper sticker. You may trust him, but he will make mistakes. Players like Tony Amonte and Jeff Friesen have not found their mark in Calgary silks, and the same may be true of Todd Bertuzzi.
But you have to hand it to him, he finds options, he has an angle and he consistently works to push this roster forward.
The season of 2008-09 has gone from an exercise in gap filling to one of high drama.
Hats off.
Can’t wait.
