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Alberta advantage no more

January 26, 2010 05:28 PM | Posted by   Craig Simpson  

A trip through the province of Alberta used to be a hostile environment for visiting NHL teams. The road trip through Calgary and Edmonton was always a treacherous one and rarely produced any victories.

In 2010 however, these two provincial rivals have become the most gracious of hosts, much to the concern of their loyal fans.

It has been a disastrous year in the provincial capital where the Oilers have seen a year that began with new coach and new hope, transform into a season of despair. In Calgary, Mike Keenan was out, and Brent Sutter was brought in to take the Flames to new playoff heights. An optimistic start has fallen way to an extended slump and has left Flames fans wondering what has gone wrong.

These are tough times in Alberta. In the 31 years that the two teams have co-existed, this stretch of the season has to be the lowest of the lows.

Basement unfamiliar territory

The Oilers sit 30th in a 30-team league, a position they have never before occupied. The Flames have been a playoff team and a strong contender, and did sit atop the Northwest Division, but now suddenly find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

What is so alarming is the numbers. The Oilers have had their share of injuries to key players, but show me a team that hasn’t. With a record of 1-14-2 in their last 17, it’s hard to imagine things getting any worse. The Flames started fast, but are mired in a seven-game losing streak and have just one win in 10 games. Their offence has all but dried up. It’s hard to imagine how this team has scored just nine goals in seven games.

In 2010, Edmonton is still searching for its first win. Combined, the Flames and Oilers are 3-15-3. These two proud franchises have taken a mere nine of 42 points since New Year’s Day. On home ice, where historically they have dominated, they are 1-9-3. No longer a Death Valley for the opposition, but instead for their loyal fans.

With the trade deadline looming, look for the Oilers to try to jettison some contracts if they can. With their struggles, it is time for a change of scenery for some of the older faces and a chance to pave the way for the young prospects like Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson.

The silver lining for Oilers fans is if the team keeps up its current pace, the first pick overall in the draft - or at least a Top 3 pick - will be the reward. Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin and Cam Fowler are all impact players who would help turn the Oilers fortunes around.

Flames a pre-season division favourite

In Calgary, despite a much better record, there is arguably more cause for concern. This team is a playoff-calibre team, and should be in the hunt for the division crown. The fact that they suddenly have lost their confidence in scoring and are struggling to defend is quite shocking to watch. There is no clear-cut explanation for their struggles, and the offensive drought of their star players.

I’ve always felt teams take on some of the personality and energy of their coach. In the Flames case, it appears so as well.

In all my years around the game I have never seen a more stoic, stone-faced, non-emotional look behind an NHL bench than that of Brent Sutter. I’m sure he’s an engaging man to get to know, but I have to wonder what the cumulative effect it has on his players.

During this slump, the team has displayed the same lack of emotion and energy on the ice as their coach appears to have on the bench. The players look too uptight, are pressing too hard and panicking with the puck. The 9-1 debacle in San Jose was testament to that. This team needs to relax, re-energize and have some fun playing the game again. If not, and the losing continues and playoff hockey is in jeopardy, there is no Top 3 pick to fall back on when all is said and done.

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