HockeyTanguay re-inventing himself (again) in Calgary

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Calgary Flames' Alex Tanguay, left, celebrates a win over the Chicago Blackhawks with teammate Jarome Iginla earlier this season. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

It's fair to say Tim Thomas would be on most people's list for comeback player of the year in the NHL. With his sick stats so far this season, it's without question a one-man race.

Quietly though in Calgary, Alex Tanguay is re-establishing himself as a top player with an amazing sense for the game. Clever is a word I like to use when trying to describe his understanding of how hockey should be played.

I've long maintained only certain people can play successfully on a line with Tanguay. The reason? You always have to be prepared for a pass and usually one that's directly on the tape of your stick, not in your feet or two feet behind you.

Players who don't compute the game as quickly as Tanguay often end up getting a pass on their stick, but end up doing nothing constructive with it because they were unaware that he could find them with the puck.

Intuitive partnership

He and Jarome Iginla have terrific chemistry for that very reason, both read the play very well and always anticipate the puck coming to them when most players least expect it.

Enter into the equation a new-found mental toughness, which now makes Tanguay a valuable guy because even after he makes a serious blunder - like he did Monday night, which directly led to the Blue Jackets' first goal - he doesn't sulk.

By his expression after Antoine Vermette's goal, he was certainly disappointed but not shattered. The mark of a great athlete!

That's why it was so cool to see his diligence be rewarded later, specifically on the Iginla game-winner in overtime. Tanguay with all the poise in the world deftly slipped a backhand pass onto Iginla's stick for a one-timer that beat Mathieu Garon for the 3-2 victory.

How comforting is it as a coach knowing that when a player makes a mistake (which they all do), you don't have to fear putting him back out on the ice.

In a year of constant turmoil in Calgary, and with all the rumours swirling around, it's awfully nice to see Tanguay thriving once again. 

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