A notorious slow starter, Finnish goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff has found his form early this season for the Flames. (Tom Gannam/Associated Press)

The Olympic spirit has been evident with the successful NHL teams this season.

In San Jose, Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle and Dany Heatley have the Western Conference-leading Sharks off to a good start. In New Jersey, goalie Martin Brodeur shook off a shaky start and has the Devils out in front in the East.

Ryan Miller has soared stopping pucks for the Buffalo Sabres. The Detroit Red Wings started slowly, but came alive with five wins in their first six games in November and the Calgary Flames have been piling up victories at a similar pace.

The possibility of having Jarome Iginla, Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr and Jay Bouwmeester on the Canadian Olympic team, and goalie Miikka Kiprusoff and Olli Jokinen representing Finland has helped the Flames swiftly skate out of the gate.

"I think for sure it is," said Flames defenceman Regehr, when asked if having so many Olympic team candidates has contributed to the Flames hot start.

"When guys are looking at building teams, they are looking at individuals who can fill certain roles and they also look at certain teams [that] are playing well and that have success."

If one player has stood out over the others, it has been Kiprusoff. He's a notorious slow starter, but the Finn found his form early this season. His .923 save percentage (sixth), 11 wins (fourth) and 2.36 (14th) has him among the league leaders.

"He's been outstanding for us and has allowed us to go on a run here," Iginla said.

With so many players auditioning for Olympic roster spots, there may be a tendency for players to stray from the team game and become too concerned about their individual play. But that hasn't been the case with the Flames.

"Not right now, they haven't," Calgary coach Brent Sutter said. "If anything, management teams for the Olympics are looking for players that can play a real solid team game.

"It shouldn't be a hindrance if they're playing up to their potential. They're Olympic candidates because they're elite players. They need to be playing well to be considered."

Jokinen has struggled with only two goals in 18 games, but still will be named to Finland's roster because the Scandinavian country doesn't have the same depth as Canada.

With Iginla scoring and a stingy Phaneuf-Regehr partnership on the blue-line and Kiprusoff playing so well, there is plenty of debate about which Flames should dot the Olympic landscape. But Iginla said, for now anyways, the focus remains with the Flames' plight in the NHL.

"We talk about the Olympics at dinners on the road and that stuff," Iginla said. "I'm sure once we get closer there will be more talk about it. We all want to be there to play for Canada at home and experience the Olympics at home."