NHL Report: Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are a feared team in the Western Conference for obvious reasons. Backed by Vezina Trophy winner Miikka Kiprusoff, a deep defensive corps and strong forwards, the team does not have a kink in its armour and are well equipped to compete for the Stanley Cup. A veteran team for the most part, they have some very valuable young players like Dion Phaneuf, who have been instrumental in team success.

McKeen's was on hand for a recent contest featuring the high-flying Flames and files these notes.

Dion Phaneuf – D

The youngest player on the team but the most valuable defender in the organization .. simply put there is nothing that Phaneuf is not capable of .. he hits to hurt and engages often with clean open-ice body checks that leave the opposition dazed and confused .. incredible mobility for a player of his build, moving effortlessly side-to-side and often catches forwards by surprise with his quickness .. will join the rush and was especially effective in 4-on-4 situations where more ice was open to him .. blistering shot from the point scoring 20 goals last season and despite the scouting report to block his shooting lanes he is still on pace to equal that total .. his decisions with the puck are well thought out .. has a soft touch and applies just the amount of pressure on his passes or the dump-in .. surprisingly does not make the first pass out of the zone as much as he should and it may be an area to work on .. the sky is the limit for Phaneuf who has already been mentioned as a franchise player and should win a few Norris Trophies before the end of his career.

Matthew Lombardi – C

An original selection of the Edmonton Oilers back in the 2000 draft (270th overall) .. is one of the few players who improved their draft status by re-entering the draft being selected 90th overall in 2003 by the Flames .. the new NHL has opened up the game for a player of his skill set and talent which he more than proved in a successful four-year QMJHL career .. could be the most improved Flame and player in the NHL for that matter .. his blazing speed and overall hockey sense make him such an attractive player .. is easily the best skater on the team in terms of quickness, lateral mobility, reverse movement, and using edges effectively .. is everywhere on the ice, he hits and forces the opposition into many costly turnovers .. should be a vital cog in the Flames run to the Stanley Cup.

Kristian Huselius – LW

Finally starting to live up to expectations exploding in his sixth year in the league .. an accomplished scorer prior to joining the NHL leading V.Frolunda (Sweden) in all offensive categories two years straight .. needed the right environment to succeed and has been receptive to the coaching of Larry Playfair being put into good offensive situations .. his vision and savvy play making skills are highly coveted and often draws opposing players to him only to make an accurate pass springing a team mate into a healthy scoring chance .. holds onto the puck too long at times but is very successful at creating chances and that aspect of his game is often over looked because he brings so much to the table .. able to walk into the slot and has a strong release .. more a lurk-in-the-weeds type player, he is very quick and will gather up a loose puck and make a play however one has to look for him occasionally from shift-to-shift .. gives the Flames a good option on the left side joining a strong nucleus of forwards for the playoffs

David Moss – LW

Surprise story for the Flames this year has managed to beat out many returning players for the second-line spot along Conroy and Tanguay .. has excellent hockey sense that is backed by a dedicated work ethic .. refuses to take a shift off and plays with the fear of still being sent down to the minors .. dives at loose pucks and positions himself accordingly to always be involved .. has the presence of mind to drive the net and does the dirty work for his higher-profile line mates .. his hand/eye coordination in front is NHL caliber as he is able to bang away at loose rebounds and tip in shots from the point with precision .. keeps his shot hard and low .. an average skater, he is a tad choppy .. a true compliment to his game for what he has accomplished thus far, however he must showcase the same intensity every night to not get bumped out of his ice time.

Alex Tanguay – LW/C

Joined the Flames this season after spending five successful years with the Colorado Avalanche .. a natural scorer who brings instant offence to the table and is always in the right place at the right time .. works the give-and-go to perfection, he is not afraid to dish off the puck and go into danger areas displaying surprise toughness to his game .. has outstanding speed and combined with his hockey sense it is easy to understand why he has been better than a point-per-game player the last three seasons .. has remarkable accuracy in his shot but does not use it enough as he almost has to be told to shoot to avoid predictability .. defensively he has become more proficient and is buying into team concepts playing well within the systems implemented by the coaching staff .. an All-Star player in every aspect of his game, the trade has to be viewed as another coup for GM Daryl Sutter.