Flames hope shakeup sparks turnaround
Last Updated: Monday, February 1, 2010 | 4:27 PM ET
By Brandon Hicks, CBC Sports
Matt Stajan, right, will now play alongside Calgary captain Jarome Iginla. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)A big day off the ice Sunday has the Calgary Flames hoping for better things on it Monday.
Calgary hosts the Philadelphia Flyers (7:30 p.m. MT) as the Flames and their fans get ready to welcome four new players into their lineup while saying goodbye to blueliner Dion Phaneuf.
In case you were too busy with your Grammy pool or were hiding under a rock that had no wireless coverage on Sunday, here's the lowdown: Phaneuf was at the centre of a seven-player deal that sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with forward Fredrik Sjostrom and defensive prospect Keith Aulie.
Heading to the Saddledome are defenceman Ian White, along with forwards Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan and Jamal Mayers. All four players are expected to suit up for Calgary Monday night against the Flyers.
"Trust me, we've got some pretty good players coming back [in the trade]," Flames head coach Brent Sutter said at a Sunday news conference.
"The Calgary Flames are excited about acquiring the players that we've got and the Toronto Maple Leafs are excited about acquiring the players they got. Like all trades, you want it to work out best for everybody."
More shakeups could be on the way in Calgary. Multiple reports late Sunday suggested that the Flames are trying to make another big deal, this time with the New York Rangers. It would reportedly send Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust to Manhattan in exchange for Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins.
The Flames (27-20-8) are hoping that Hagman and Stajan will help spark a listless and injury-prone Flames offence that is 22nd in the league in goals per game.
Consistent scoring
Hagman recently hit the 20-goal mark for the third consecutive season, while Stajan, who will likely be centring the top line with Jarome Iginla on his wing, has already tied a career-high with 16 goals.
"Well I'm excited for all of us to come to a team like Calgary who's right in the mix. You know I'm going to do everything I can ... to help this team be better and try and get Iggy the puck," Stajan said.
Hagman will be on a line with Jokinen and Jamie Lundmark, while Mayers will play with Prust and Eric Nystrom.
Calgary is missing forwards David Moss (shoulder), Nigel Dawes (leg) and Craig Conroy (knee), who are all out indefinitely, along with defenceman Ryan Parent, who is expected to be out until March after undergoing back surgery.
White, who will be paired with Robyn Regher Monday, is expected to make up for the loss of Phaneuf, 24, and the former Leaf is actually having a better season statistically. The 25-year-old has more points than Phaneuf (26 to 22) and has spent less time in the penalty box (39 to 49 minutes).
"I don't know, personally feel, I'm there to replace anyone. I have my own style of game and I play a certain style that I know how," said White.
The Flames ended a nine-game winless streak by taking apart their freefalling Alberta rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, by a score of 6-1 on Saturday. The Calgary tailspin has seen the team slip to eighth spot in the West, tied on points with Detroit.
Philadelphia (27-23-3) is coming into Monday's game as winners of five of its last six contests, including a 2-1 victory at home Saturday against the New York Islanders.
