Each year, the excitement mounts as I count down the days until the Flames season opener. However, after last night’s game, I think I am going to skip future season openers, and count down to the second game of the season.

Let’s face it, with the exception of a portion of the first period, the Flames were dominated by the Canucks last night and the final score was reflective of this. But really, should I be so surprised that the Flames lost their season opener? In the past 14 seasons, the Calgary Flames have marked a “W” in the win column only once in their first game.  In Kiprusoff’s 5 attempts in a Flames uniform he has 5 straight losses.

This team seems to be cursed when it comes to season openers:

Season            Score     Outcome     Opponent
2008-2009         6-0              L              Canucks
2007-2008         3-2              L              Flyers
2006-2007         3-1              L              Oilers
2005-2006         6-3              L              Wild
2003-2004         4-1              L              Canucks
2002-2003         3-0              L              Canucks
2001-2002        1-0              W             Oilers
2000-2001         4-3              L              Red Wings
1999-2000         5-3              L              Sharks
1998-1999         3-3              T              Sharks
1997-1998         3-1              L              Red Wings
1996-1997         3-1              L              Canucks
1995-1996         3-3              T              Lightning
1994-1995         3-3              T              Jets

Saturday, luckily, is a new day and a new game. A different Flames team must show up to the Saddledome in order to regain their confidence. In the past, Kiprusoff has been known to bounce back “big-time” after significant losses - this is one trend that I hope will continue.

Forget the sophmore jinx, Calgary is more familiar with the big contract jinx. Remember Roman Turek? It seemed his play tanked the moment he signed a big contract. I dare say that Phaneuf’s signing was a more responsible one than that of Turek, simply because the Flames have had more time to evaluate Phaneuf; Dion Phaneuf is the real deal.

Still, a $7M contract will put more pressure on Phaneuf to perform, and that pressure could affect his performance. Some guys react very positively to pressure and expectations, while others crumble under it. If he can continue doing what earned him the big contract in the first place, Phaneuf will be fine.

And what is it that got him here? Let’s take a look:

Yup, that’s what we want to see more of!

The acquisition of Mike Cammalleri was arguably [and in my opinion, certainly] the biggest off-season move that the Flames made this year. Losing Alex Tanguay leaves a play-making void that Cammalleri is expected to fill, but additionally, the Flames would like to see him add a big scoring punch.

Two seasons ago, Cammalleri put up big numbers, scoring 34 goals and adding 46 assists. After a similarly explosive start to 2007/08 he was slowed by injury and only tallied 19 goals and 28 assists. Playing with the likes of Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow, and Todd Bertuzzi could very well get him back to those numbers of two seasons ago.

The Flames and their fans have high hopes for this young talent. Should he live up to his potential, Cammalleri should help the offence become more consistent and convert more opportunities into goals.

Jarome Iginla has been one of the NHL’s most consistent players of this decade. He is the heart and soul of the Flames due in part to his class, leadership, and intensity. Both tough and a gifted goal scorer, Iginla is from the same mold as such legends as Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe. As Iginla goes, so too go the Flames.

Not since 2000/01 has Iginla scored fewer than 35 goals, and twice he has reached the 50 goal plateau. Last season, Iginla’s point total was 32 points more than his next closest teammate (98 pts vs. Kristian Huselius’ 66), and became the Flames all-time leading goal scorer (374 and counting). It really goes without saying that Iginla is a man to watch once again this season!

Can you believe these ten guys were drafted ahead of Iginla in 1995? I can’t.

• Bryan Berard (Ottawa)
• Wade Redden (NY Islanders)
• Aki Berg (Los Angeles)
• Chad Kilger (Anaheim)
• Daymond Langkow (Tampa Bay)
• Steve Kelly (Edmonton)
• Shane Doan (Winnipeg)
• Terry Ryan (Montreal)
• Kyle McLaren (Boston)
• Radek Dvorak (Florida)

I think maybe Edmonton and Montreal, in particular, would like to have that one back.

The only knock I have on Iginla is being from Edmonton, but we’ll forgive him for that.

When the Flames made their run at the Stanley Cup in 2004 they showed a surprising amount of depth on the blue line. Even as injuries mounted, the supporting cast stepped up their play to keep the Flames in the post-season. This year the defensive depth cannot be questioned. Here’s a quick rundown of who is currently on the roster:

Adrian Aucoin - a big shot and good offensive zone awareness make Aucoin a good two way player. Rumours abound that Sutter would like to deal him to Los Angeles to shed his $4M salary.

Anders Eriksson - A minus-5 last season, Eriksson was rather inconsistent in his play. At times his defensive zone play was outstanding, but other times he seemed to disappear. He is a career plus-41, though, suggesting that he gets the job done in his own end of the rink.

Mark Giordano - Giordano showed great promise with the Flames two seasons ago, but departed for Russia last year as a restricted free agent after not coming to terms with the Flames. He is another young defenceman with good skating ability who can score the odd goal; a good player to have providing depth.

Dion Phaneuf - Calgary’s premier defenceman begins the first year of his new contract this season. Phaneuf has quickly become the cornerstone of Calgary’s blueline, quarterbacking the powerplay, scoring goals with his big shot and strong skating, and using his size to throw huge hits.

Robyn Regehr - This guy is the reason the Theo Fleury trade was totally worthwhile. Consistently in the 20 point vicinity and in double-digit plus-minus, Regehr is a solid two way player who can play in any situation.

Cory Sarich - If you don’t hear about Cory Sarich, he’s doing his job. I hear a lot of negative about Sarich, but I think it has mostly to do with him not putting up offensive numbers. We’ve got Aucoin, Phaneuf, and Regehr doing that, folks; Cory Sarich is a defence-first player who serves well in penalty killing roles or in a tight game. Oh, and he can throw a hit now and then as well.

Jim Vandermeer - Or as we call him: “Vandeneuf”. Vendermeer is another former Red Deer Rebel who has a physical presence on the ice. This guy won’t put up scoring numbers, but he will make life miserable for the opponent in Calgary’s zone.

Rhett Warrener - Warrener has the dubious track-record of losing in the Stanley Cup Final with three different “Cinderella” teams (Florida, Buffalo, and Calgary). A veteran presence comes with him, but he has averaged 25 games missed per season in his time with the Flames. Given Calgary’s depth and Warrener’s injury frequency, buy-out talks were rampant this summer. Evidently, the team still sees him as a valuable member of the team, and you can bet he’ll be out to prove them right.

Obviously, even beyond the star defencemen (Phaneuf and Regehr) the Flames are carrying a bevy of talent on defence. If these guys can stay healthy, Calgary’s defence should be among the best in the league. Remember too that TJ Brodie, John Negrin, Adam Pardy, and Matt Pelech are among the promising prospects that are currently developing in the CHL or AHL.

With today being the second pre-season edition of the Battle of Alberta, let’s take a look at the NHL’s second greatest rivalry (save only the Habs/Leafs).

Last year’s Battle of Alberta was dead-even with both the Flames and Oilers winning four games, each taking two at home and two on the road, and both sides scoring 18 goals in the season series.

In 2007/08 the Oilers took exception to Robyn Regehr’s rough handling of Ales Hemsky and have now enlisted the help of veteran tough guy Steve MacIntyre to provide some protection. One would think this will be an improvement on the type of “enforcement” the Oilers carried last season [Exhibit A, Nolan vs Stortini]. The Flames, despite losing Owen Nolan and Eric Godard, still have some toughness of their own. Stars Regehr, Jarome Iginla, and Dion Phaneuf aren’t the type to shy away from the rough stuff, and the addition of Andre Roy and Todd Bertuzzi makes the squad a little more intimidating.

It’s been said that the Oilers are a team built to compete in the Eastern Conference, while the Sutter era Flames are the quintessential Western team. The contrast in styles, combined with the enduring rivalry should keep this series intriguing this year, as the Flames’ tough style meets the Oilers’ speed. The Battle of Alberta can often set the tone for these teams, which makes these head-to-head match-ups something to watch in 2008/09. And what’s better is that all six games will be televised for viewers in Western Canada, so even if you can’t get a ticket, you can still watch the live action:

• October 17 in Calgary (Sportsnet West)
• October 18 in Edmonton (CBC)
• December 31 in Calgary (TSN)
• February 21 in Edmonton (CBC)
• April 10 in Edmonton (Sportsnet West)
• April 11 in Calgary (CBC)

In the past few seasons the team has struggled to find consistency over the 82-game schedule. Should the Flames want to earn home ice advantage at any point in the playoffs, a more consistent regular season performance will be required in 2008/09.

Two seasons ago was the hallmark of inconsistency for the Flames, earning 30 wins at home (better than even the President’s Trophy champion Detroit Red Wings) while only mustering 13 on the road. The result was an eighth place conference finish. Last season was a better split of home/road performances (21 wins each), but streaky performances earned the Flames only a 7th place seed in the playoffs. On both occasions the fate was a first round playoff exit.

A more consistent regular season performance this year could give the team a higher playoff seed, home-ice advantage, and a better start to the playoffs.

Let’s continue our preview of the 2008/09 season by taking a look at a guy who has the potential to put up some big points: Matthew Lombardi. As it happens, the Flames official site has pre-empted me with their recent article on Lombardi’s chances at a breakout season. Just see if that stops me.

Trevor and I talked about Lombardi over the summer, and I said that I hoped #18 was spending the summer with a tennis ball to work on his stick handling and breakaway moves. No question, Lombardi is among the most explosive skaters in the NHL; however, time and again last season he wasted breakaway opportunities simply by being unable to finish off scoring opportunities.

Given that Lombardi scored 57 goals in his final season of junior, we know he’s got a nose for the net, and based on his first goal of the preseason, we know he’s still got the hands. If Lombardi stays healthy and can start converting on his chances, I can see him scoring 40 goals this season. This is one guy that could be hugely entertaining to watch this year.