Lots to throw against the wall in this post.
Let's get the rumor-mongering out of the way. According to this guy, the Flames have extended Daymond Langkow with a 4 year, $20M contract that includes the dreaded NTC.
Assuming this is true (pretty big assumption at this point - I mean, why is the Edmonton journal breaking this story?), my gut reaction is: too much and the NTC is a bad idea. With the added 5M, the Flames climb to about 50M in cap space committed to next year...with Huselius, Nolan, Conroy, Yelle and Hale all needing the re-signed or replaced. Sutter either has some grandly cheap, good-value players under his sleeve (doubtful) or he's planning to trim a lot of the fat in the off-season if this report proves accurate.
Anyways, on to tonight. Flames face the Wild in Minnesota in what is the first actual must win game since the final match against Detroit last April. If you've been following any of the Flames links on the right, you'd know it's possible for the boys to place anywhere from 3rd to 9th in the conference and that their most likely first round opponent right now is the San Jose Sharks (ugh). A victory tonight makes winning the NW a bit more probable, thereby making a meeting with the formidable Sharks in the first round a little less so.
On the flip side, a loss this evening would not only cement the Flames into "7th or worse" territory and ensure them a visit to either San Jose or Detroit to start the post-season, it would also bring them one step closer to falling out of the play-off picture entirely. The prospect of playing the Canucks for the 8th and final position on Saturday is...unpleasant to say the least, particularly in light of the recent 6-2 debacle.
So yeah...the "must win!" cliche isn't hyperbolic in this instance (how big is that terrible loss to the Atlanta Thrashers a few weeks back looking right now?).
I guess the good news is: the Flames and Jarome Iginla pwn! the Wild this year. There probably isn't a better adversary for Calgary to be facing in these circumstances this season. Minnesota is the only team in the NW the Flames have a winning record against and Iggy's best career numbers come against the unfortunate Minnesotans. So, you know...there's that.
Line-up notes: nothing deifnitive so far. I assume Conroy is still injured and Godard will be in to face Boogaard and Eriksson will again be fouling things up beside Phaneuf (double ugh).
Less certain is where Lombardi lands tonight. The Juice-Lombo-Nolan trio was the best forward unit last game in my not-so-humble opinion, so Im hoping Keenan keeps them intact. As a quick aside, has anyone else noticed the apparent chemistry between Lombardi and Nolan whenever they've played together this year? Is that just me?
Im considering liveblogging the game this evening. Partially because of it's enormous importance and partially because the first/last liveblog (also versus the Wild) went so well (in terms of the game's outcome). Seems ripe territory for either vainglorious celebrating or bitter, expletive-filled lamentations. Entertaining either way I figure.
Prediction - Flames lose just to make this end of the road an even bigger shitstorm than it is already (also, Jarome gets his 50th).
Prove me wrong Calgary! Prove me wrong.
