2006–07 Calgary Flames season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=2006–07
Team=Calgary Flames
Conference=Western
ConferenceRank=8th
Division=Northwest
DivisionRank=3rd
Record=43–29–10
HomeRecord=30–9–2
RoadRecord=13–20–8
GoalsFor=258 (T-6th)
GoalsAgainst=226 (11th)
GeneralManager=Darryl Sutter
Coach=Jim Playfair
Captain=Jarome Iginla
AltCaptain=Robyn Regehr
Rhett Warrener (Feb-Apr)
Stephane Yelle
Arena=Pengrowth Saddledome
Attendance=19,289 (6th)
GoalsLeader=Jarome Iginla (39)
AssistsLeader=Alex Tanguay (59)
PointsLeader=Jarome Iginla (94)
PIMLeader=Dion Phaneuf (98)
WinsLeader=Miikka Kiprusoff (40)
GAALeader=Miikka Kiprusoff (2.46)

The 2006–07 Calgary Flames season began with a great deal of promise following the acquisition of top forward Alex Tanguay from the Colorado Avalanche. A pre-season favorite to win the National Hockey League's Northwest Division, [Harrison, Doug, [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/nhlpreview-flames.html NHL Backgrounder - Calgary Flames] , cbc.ca, September 29, 2006, accessed December 2, 2006.] [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/hockey/nhl/specials/preview/2006/09/25/nhl.northwest/ SI's 2006–07 NHL preview] , sportsillustrated.com, accessed December 2, 2006.] the Flames struggled out of the gate in October before a six game winning streak, and a franchise record ten consecutive home wins in November and December [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=261226003 Canucks end Flames' 10 game home winning streak] , espn.com, December 26, 2006.] brought the Flames back into contention in the tight Northwest Division.

The Flames were unable to live up to the pre-season hype, however, struggling to an eighth place finish in the Western Conference, having to stave off a furious challenge for the final playoff spot by Colorado. The Flames entered the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a first round match-up against the Detroit Red Wings, falling in six games to the Wings after being heavily outplayed for the majority of the series. [http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/recap?gid=2007042203 Detroit 2, Calgary 1, 2OT] , yahoosports, April 23, 2007, accessed April 28, 2007.]

The lackluster season and poor playoff performance led to widespread criticism of rookie head coach Jim Playfair. [Dreger, Darren, [http://www.tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/darren_dreger/?ID=200816 http://www.tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/darren_dreger/?ID=200816] , tsn.ca, March 19, 2007, accessed April 28, 2007.] TSN analyst Bob MacKenzie even suggested replacing Playfair after game two of the Flames playoff series against Detroit. [MacFarlane, Steve, [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Playoffs/Calgary/2007/04/17/4045080-sun.html Dump the coach: McKenzie] , slam.ca, April 17, 2007, accessed April 28, 2007.] Following the season, however, several players defended their coach. [Spencer, Donna, [http://www.cbc.ca/cp/hockey/070424/h042443A.html Flames head coach Jim Playfair upbeat after disappointing season] , cbc.ca, April 24, 2007, accessed April 28, 2007.] Despite this, Playfair was relieved of his duties prior to the 2007–08 season.

Two Flames were named to the roster for the 2007 All Star Game: goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff and defenceman Dion Phaneuf. It was the first appearance for both. Jarome Iginla would have been named to the team as well, but his knee injury kept him out of the game. [ [http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=192050&hubname= Perreault, Selanne among all-stars] , tsn.ca, January 13, 2007.]

On February 3, 2007, the Flames made history by having young Cree singer Akina Shirt perform "O Canada" in Woodlands Cree, the first time the national anthem had ever been performed in an Aboriginal language at a major league sporting event. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2007/02/01/ocanada-cree.html?ref=rss Edmonton girl to sing anthem in NHL first at Saddledome ] ]

On February 6, the Flames retired Mike Vernon's #30. Vernon, who was instrumental in the Flames trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1986 and their Cup victory in 1989 became the second Flame to have his number raised to the rafters, preceded only by Lanny McDonald. [ [http://www.calgaryflames.com/cgi-bin/news/comments.cgi?type=newsroom&file_num=0000001038 Flames set to retire Mike Vernon's No. 30] , Calgary Flames Hockey Club, accessed January 31, 2007.]

The Flames entered the stretch drive by re-acquiring fan favorite, and former Flame, Craig Conroy in a deal with the Los Angeles Kings, [ [http://www.calgaryflames.com/cgi-bin/news/comments.cgi?type=newsroom&file_num=0000001140 Conroy begins second stint in Calgary following trade] , Calgary Flames, accessed February 10, 2007.] then by completing a significant trade with the Boston Bruins, acquiring defenceman Brad Stuart along with Wayne Primeau for Chuck Kobasew and Andrew Ference. [ [http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=195785&hubname= Flames grab Stuart, Primeau from Bruins] , tsn.ca, accessed February 10, 2007.]

On February 24, Jarome Iginla scored his 315th career goal, moving him past Joe Nieuwendyk into second on the Flames all-time goal scoring list. Theoren Fleury is the Flames all-time leading scorer at 364 goals. [ [http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=197625&hubname=nhl http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=197625&hubname=nhl] , tsn.ca, February 25, 2007.] Miikka Kiprusoff broke Dan Bouchard's franchise record for career shutouts as a Flame when he recorded his 21st in a 1–0 shootout victory against the Minnesota Wild on March 27.Board, Mike, [http://www.calgaryflames.com/cgi-bin/news/comments.cgi?type=newsroom&file_num=0000001230 Kiprusoff sets shutout record but goal is Stanley Cup] , Calgary Flames press release, accessed March 30, 2007.]

Regular season

eason standings

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Playoffs

The Flames qualified for the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Calgary entered the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference and started on the road against the top ranked Detroit Red Wings. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270407003 Flames fall, but make playoff cutoff with Avalanche loss] , espn.com, April 7, 2007.] The Flames were unable to defend against the Wings' ferocious attack, with goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff facing an average of 42 shots per game during the series as Calgary fell to Detroit in six games.

Game five, in Detroit, ended with a series of nasty incidents as the Flames' frustration got the better of them. Upset with Detroit's constant bumping of Miikka Kiprusoff throughout the series, and angry with what they believed was an illegal, low-bridge hit by Brett Lebda on Daymond Lankow late in the 5–1 loss, the Flames lashed out. First Langkow delivered a quick punch to the face of Lebda following that hit, and later backup goaltender Jamie McLennan delivered a two-handed slash to Wings forward Johan Franzen after only being in goal for eighteen seconds. McLennan received a match penalty for the slash, and was suspended five games by the NHL. Head coach Jim Playfair was fined $25,000, and the Flames organization $100,000. [Duhatchek, Eric, [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070422.wmclennan0422/BNStory/GlobeSportsHockey/?query= Five-game suspension for McLennan] , Globe and Mail, April 22, 2007, accessed April 28, 2007.] Franzen would exact a measure of revenge for the hit in game six by scoring the winning goal in double overtime that eliminated the Flames.

Player stats

katers

"Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes"

Free agents

Draft picks

Calgary's picks at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver, British Columbia. [2006 NHL Entry Draft Results [http://www.nhl.com/futures/2006draft/ nhl.com] - accessed November 20, 2006] The Flames picked 26th overall for the second consecutive draft.

Farm teams

Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights

The 2006–07 AHL season was the second for the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights. The Knights finished a top the Western Conference standings, winning the West Division with a 49–25–5–1 record, earning their first playoff appearance. [ [http://stats.theahl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=standings&subType=0&season_id=8&league_id=4&lastActive= 2006–07 AHL standings] , theahl.com, accessed May 24, 2007.] Omaha was upset in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs by the Iowa Stars, however, losing four games to two.

Following the season, rumours swirled around the future of the team, which ranked at or near the bottom of league attendance in its first two seasons, and lost us$4 million over two years. [Sportak, Randy, [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/AHL/2007/05/16/4184538-sun.html Flames farm team could move] , slam.ca, May 16, 2007, accessed May 24, 2007.] The rumour would quickly be confirmed as the Flames announced that the team was leaving Nebraska for the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois to become the Quad City Flames for the 2007–08 season. [ [http://www.calgaryflames.com/cgi-bin/news/comments.cgi?type=press_rel&file_num=0000001251 FLAMES ANNOUNCE RELOCATION OF AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE FRANCHISE TO THE QUAD CITIES (MOLINE, IL)] , Calgary Flames press release, May 24, 2007.]

Las Vegas Wranglers

The Las Vegas Wranglers finished the 2006–07 ECHL season as the league's top club with a 46–12–1–8 record. Their 106 points narrowly edged out the 105 point total of the Alaska Aces. [ [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/echl19892007.html 2006–07 ECHL standings] , hockeydb.com, accessed May 24, 2007.] The Wranglers swept the Phoenix RoadRunners in their first round, but were upset by the Idaho Steelheads in the second, falling four games to two.

ee also

*2006–07 NHL season

References

*Player stats: [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/stats?team=cgy Calgary Flames player stats] on espn.com
*Game log: [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/schedule?team=cgy Calgary Flames game log] on espn.com
*Team standings: [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/standings NHL standings] on espn.com

Goaltenders:

hockey team player|no=29|name=McLennan•

Defensemen

hockey team player|no=3|name=Phaneuf•hockey team player|no=4|name=Hamrlik•hockey team player|no=5|name=Giordano•hockey team player|no=6|name=Stuart•hockey team player|no=7|name=Zyuzin•hockey team player|no=21|name=Hale•hockey team player|no=28|name=Ro. Regehr•hockey team player|no=44|name=Warrener•

Forwards

hockey team player|no=10|name=Amonte•hockey team player|no=11|name=Yelle•hockey team player|no=12|name=Iginla•hockey team player|no=15|name=Ritchie•hockey team player|no=16|name=Friesen•hockey team player|no=17|name=Godard•hockey team player|no=18|name=Lombardi•hockey team player|no=19|name=Primeau•hockey team player|no=20|name=Huselius•hockey team player|no=22|name=Langkow•hockey team player|no=24|name=Conroy•hockey team player|no=25|name=McCarty•hockey team player|no=26|name=Nilson•hockey team player|no=40|name=Tanguay•