Team Preview: Calgary Flames

2010-2011: 94 points, 10th in Western Conference
Key additions: D Chris Butler
Key departures: D Steve Montador

Why they'll contend: The Flames benefited immensely in 2011 from the breakout season of Curtis Glencross, who notched 24 goals. With another season like this from Glencross and an expanded role from center Mikael Backlund, the Flames could quietly score some goals. Not to mention that Jarome Iginla guy who was good for 43 goals last season. Miikka Kiprusoff has been a standby for years, starting 71 games for the Flames last season and posting a respectable 2.63 GAA and .906 SVP. With the addition of Butler on defense, the Flames defense corps adds youth to an already young back end (median age of the Flames defense is 27.0) and while the Flames don't have any dynamic defenseman they have a sturdy back end in front of Kiprusoff. The Flames were quiet in the off-season and may be putting blind faith into what is essentially a carbon copy of a roster that missed the post-season by 3 points in 2011. But with Iginla, Kiprusoff, Glencross and what should be a reliable defense, the Flames could squeak in in 2012.

Iginla must be superhuman if Calgary wants a playoff berth.

Why they'll falter: Realistically speaking, it's time for a rebuild in Calgary. Iginla and Kiprusoff aren't getting any younger and have been the cornerstones in Alberta for a decade. The prospect pool is water thin and without a strong second half last season they would have missed the playoffs by an Alberta mile. Moving Iginla is hard to fathom, but if the Flames want to maximize their return on their captain it'd be best to move him early. The question is whether or not anyone will take on his $7 million cap hit for another season (his contract expires in 2013). The Flames intend to lean on Glencross, but how realistic is it that Glencross can produce at the clip he did in 2010-2011? The Flames need more contributions out of their defense and need to tighten up in tight games with the margin of error so thin in the Western Conference. The Flames were 20th in the NHL in one-goal games in 2011, something that needs to be fixed under Brent Sutter's regime. The Flames are likely closer to a top-10 pick than a Stanley Cup ring in 2012, but it's up to GM Jay Feaster to realize this and start building for the future now.

2012 prediction: 13th in Western Conference
Leading scorer: Jarome Iginla, 36 goals & 74 points
Bold prediction: Jay Bouwmeester will score 10 goals for the first time as a member of the Flames.

NEXT PREVIEW: CAROLINA HURRICANES