Penton: Would McKenna spark a Flames’ revival?
By Bruce Penton
Should the Calgary Flames be gaggin’ for Gavin?
The big prize in next summer’s National Hockey League amateur draft is expected to be Gavin McKenna, the pride of Whitehorse, Yukon, a former Medicine Hat Tiger superstar and currently a high-profile winger with Penn State, a National Collegiate Athletic Association hockey power.
Next year, when he’s 18, he’s probably going to be a member of an NHL team, with McDavid- and Bedard-like expectations. Flames’ fans hope he’ll be wearing the flaming ‘C’ when he steps onto an NHL ice surface.
Thanks to the draft’s lottery system, having the league’s worst record is no guarantee of picking No 1. But it certainly enhances the opportunity, and the Flames, currently languishing near the bottom of the 32-team NHL, may as well try to manoeuvre those odds in their favour. How? By losing as much as possible.
Drafting a franchise cornerstone like McKenna could be the beginning of a Flames’ turnaround. They are not only among the worst teams in the league, but also one of the oldest. Four offensive leaders, Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, are all on the wrong side of 30. Their team logo should be a rocking chair, not a flaming ‘C’
A total rebuild is in order. A few younger pieces are already in place, such as goalies Devin Cooley and Dustin Wolf, who was a rookie-of-the-year finalist last season, Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, Morgan Frost, Joel Farrabee and recent draft picks Zayne Parekh and Sam Honzek. Adding a star like McKenna and dispatching some of the aging deadwood via trades for younger players or draft picks would go a long way to righting the Flames ship.
Tearing down and rebuilding has worked for other teams. The Oilers lucked out by getting McDavid in 2015 and they’ve been a Stanley Cup finalist two years in a row. Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks, after years in the doldrums, are now contenders after selecting Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, respectively. Anaheim Ducks are one of the big surprises of the current NHL season thanks to some astute drafting of players such as Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Jackson Lacombe. Montreal Canadiens are another example of a team that put its fans through years of suffering before building a young, solid roster through the draft. Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky all came through the draft, as did captain Nick Suzuki, who was picked in the first round by Vegas but abruptly traded to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal.
Being bad and drafting high doesn’t work for everyone. Buffalo Sabres haven't made the playoffs since 2010-11, despite twice having the No. 1 pick in the draft — Rasmus Dahlin in 2018 and Owen Power in 2021. They also got Jack Eichel at No. 2 after McDavid in 2015.
The Sabres situation proves there are no guarantees. But a rebuild has to start somewhere, so keep losing Calgary and hope those draft lottery ping pong balls bounce in your favour.
Norman Chad, with another comment overheard from a competitor at the Westminster Dog Show: “By the way, you all eat at least three times a day and feed us just twice a day — what's up with that?”
fark.com headline: “The glorious mullet returns for a 38th season of professional hockey.”
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “Best line of the week about the NBA's new convoluted, confusing ‘international’ format came from Orlando radio guru Marc Daniels: ‘I'd rather watch Chauncey Billups hosting a poker game.’”
Another one from Bianchi: “I’m not saying the NBA’s new All-Star Game format is stupid, but even the Pro Bowl is sending its thoughts and prayers!”
Cathal Kelly of the Globe and Mail, on the Maple Leafs’ woes: “On Saturday, they played a statement game in Chicago. Their statements was, ‘Is it bedtime yet?’”
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: “Miami Dolphins have won three of their past four to climb to 4-7 and are a slight betting favourite to also win the bye week.”
Greg Cote again, on a preview of the recent Seahawks-Titans game: “This is NFL version of a hungry lion vs. a limping hyena in the wild.”
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Canadian tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime, got married after the U.S. Open. His wife, Nina, was game, Felix was set, and now they're a match.”
Another one from Currie: “I won't say Riders’ QB Trevor Harris, 39, is old. But add five more years, and he'd be almost as old as the Kars4Kids commercial.”
Headline at theonion.com: “Detroit Lions Rookie Asks For Thanksgiving Off”
Another fark.com headline: “So, which one was a more painful experience for Bill Belichick? North Carolina losing to Wake Forest or attending his girlfriend’s cheerleading competition?”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca