EDMONTON — It’s been ages since Alberta swaggered into a hockey season the way it did back in September, when the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers dominated the prediction pieces written by hockey “experts” from coast to coast.
The Flames had finally ousted the Big, Bad Wolf, Darryl Sutter, and with the fun shackles removed, the theory went, Calgary players would be free to enjoy a Thursday win, have some laughs on the Friday, and beat the heck out of their next victim on Saturday night.
Remember, the Flames had piled up 93 points last season — one more than the Stanley Cup finalists from Florida. With a player-friendly coach in Ryan Huska and a rejuvenated Jonathan Huberdeau, the Flames were everyone’s bounce-back team — a punter’s darling in every sense.
Of course, they barely noticed up in Edmonton, as they stocked the fridge with champagne and filed their parade permits.
The regular season didn’t matter at all in Northern Alberta, in a self-proclaimed “Cup or bust” campaign. The pesky 82 games were simply a stretch to say healthy through until the games that really mattered were played in April, May and, yes, even June.
The Oilers had not been a Stanley Cup darling like this since Mess and Gretz roamed the Prairies, and now it was Connor and Leon’s turn. The Oilers had “paid their dues” by losing out to the eventual Stanley Cup champs for two years running. It was their time.
It all left Sunday’s Heritage Classic as a celebratory cruise through Commonwealth Stadium on their way to what might even be a season-long battle for the Pacific Division pennant. Because Vegas wasn’t really going to be that good this season, right? Not with that goaltending.
Well, here we are.
The 30th-place Flames will drop the puck against the 31st-place Oilers on Sunday, two teams that share eight points through a collective 15 games this season.
Whose season has been more disastrous thus far?
Eric and Spec discuss:
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SEPTEMBER ARRIVALS
Spector: Man, were these guys committed!
McDavid had everyone — the entire team — in the Big E for captain’s skates starting on Sept. 5, the first day after the Labour Day long weekend. They were going hard right through until the opening of training camp on the 13th, eight pre-season games, and by the time the season opened on Oct. 11, at least two regulars were already nursing injuries.
Mattias Ekholm and Ryan McLeod missed the entire pre-season, and they have one assist between them through seven regular season games.
But, boy, they were sure awesome in September …
Francis: The smiles at the Flames charity golf tourney were wider than the fairways, as players returned to a town relieved, refreshed and reinvigorated as a new era was about to be ushered in.
With Sutter gone, several key players who had one foot out the door in the spring were suddenly interested in re-upping with the team, as it veered back toward being a squad with a solid core that was ready to prove last season was an anomaly.
The heaviness that made coming to the rink had been lifted, and the players knew it was now on them to return to form.
THE PRE-SEASON GLIDE
Francis: They opened the pre-season with chants of “We want 10!” ringing through the Dome, as the hosts posted a 10-0 win over the Canucks that seemed to indicate Huska’s gentler approach was just what was needed.
Rookie Matt Coronato finished among pre-season scoring leaders, and prognosticators tabbed the Flames first-rounder as a can’t-miss 20- to 25-goal scorer.
Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri were lighting the lamp, as the team tinkered with lines with the hope the right combinations would be found to get the team’s two highest paid players back on track following nightmarish seasons. Most importantly, goaltender Jacob Markstrom showed signs of having his mojo back.
Perhaps it was a sign the road ahead would be a little rockier than expected when Jakob Pelletier was hit awkwardly into the boards during a pre-season game and was writhing on the ice with a shoulder injury that would require surgery.
Out for several months, the team was suddenly without the popular kid who was counted on to bring youthful energy to a veteran room that required reminders of how lucky they were to be NHLers.
Spector: Pffft … Why are we even wasting our time talking about the pre-season?
The only jobs open in Edmonton were on the fourth line and third defensive pairing. Call us when the season starts. No, wait.
Call us in January.
THE FIRST SLAP (SHOT)
Spector: The Oilers arrived in Vancouver for the formality that would be a season-opening, home-and-home with the Canucks.
Vancouver led 2-0 after a period and 4-0 just 7:30 into the second period, when Draisaitl scored for Edmonton. This game was still well within reach.
Final score: 8-1 for Vancouver. “We laid an egg,” said head coach Jay Woodcroft.
“Hold my beer,” said the Hockey Gods, as Vancouver won the return match in Edmonton by a 4-3 score.
Francis: Those in attendance at the season opener saw something they hadn’t seen in a long time when Markstrom stole the game.
With all eyes on the towering Swede to show he was capable of returning to the form of a Vezina finalist, he stood on his head through a first period the Flames should have trailed by a handful.
By night’s end, the police considered getting involved as he’d robbed the Jets, securing a 5-3 win in Calgary’s opener.
THE ROADIE
Francis: One of the most well-worn cliches in sport revolves around the notion an early-season road trip can do wonders to bring a team together.
After Markstrom stole that win over the Jets, Calgary headed east for a five-game jaunt through towns the playoffs had forgotten last season.
Surely this would be a chance to rack up points and bolster confidence, right?
Well, outside of a win in Buffalo and a loser point in Washington, all the Flames racked up were Bonvoy points. The new defensive system implemented by Huska wasn’t being grasped and the coach constantly tinkered with lines with no sign of chemistry.
They limped home with two straight losses.
Spector: Edmonton rolled into Nashville at 0-2 and beat the Preds for fun, 6-1. Back on track, it was on to Philadelphia, where the lowly Flyers would be victim No. 2 for a team that had found its mojo.
The Oilers tossed their gloves and sticks over the Wells Fargo Center boards, then sat back and watched the Flyers win 4-1. “We simply just got outworked. They wanted it more than us,” admitted Oilers winger Warren Foegele.
WHO, ME? NERVOUS?
Spector: At which point did it set in that the Oilers were in trouble? Likely after a 7-4 loss in Minnesota, where Edmonton blew a 3-2 lead after two periods.
The Oilers had played well, yet been dominated in the third. These guys were trying now, trying hard. And the opponent wasn’t just better — it was waaaay better.
The goal at the start of the season was to improve their goals against. Today, Edmonton has the worst GAA in the NHL, at 4.29.
By the time the New York Rangers rolled through town on Thursday, Edmonton was attentive, on point and dedicated to turning this thing around. The Oilers lost 3-0, and it should have been worse.
New York had dominated them, and after the game you could see it in the eyes of the players. They’re worried, and they can’t wait for Connor McDavid’s return.
Francis: Today, Kadri has one assist and is minus-10, worst among all NHL forwards. Huberdeau has four points and sits at minus-9.
The coach can’t ignite either of them, and has constantly juggled line combinations — to the point where he installed Kadri on the wing opposite Huberdeau.
Misery loves company.
The Flames have gone five straight games without a power-play goal and have been outscored 15-4 in their four-game losing skid.
Bring on the Oilers!
GULP
Francis: Two nights after being blanked at home by the Rangers, the Flames were booed off the ice after two periods against a struggling St. Louis Blues bunch that should have been the free spot on the bingo card.
By night’s end, the listless Flames had gone almost six periods without a goal, giving the unfortunate witnesses every reason to let the lads have it as they streamed out of the Dome.
Nikita Zadorov apologized to the fans after the game: “We’re playing like s— right now.” Elias Lindholm said he would have booed too, MacKenzie Weegar said they lost their will in the third period and Huska insisted they’d lost it long before then.
“We sucked,” he added.
Oof.
Pretty exciting way to set up the ol’ outdoor tussle.
Those in attendance may want to ensure there’s plenty of Bailey’s in those coffees.
Spector: As we bundle up for the battle, the game has become an opportunity for a launching point in Edmonton. An Oilers team that has played as if the points would be handed to them, is now even money to win a showcase game at home against the two-win Flames.
American Thanksgiving is coming down the tracks like a freight train, and the only thing the Oilers and Flames have going for them is that the Pacific is by far the roadkill of NHL divisions.
Welcome to the Rattled of Alberta, folks.
The struggle, it’s real.