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Randy |
You may send your questions in advance by clicking on the "Ask A Question" button at the bottom of the page. |
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Wayne Radlin
in Chatham, ON
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will there be Slam Hockey Pool for the Playoffs
wradlin@cogeco.ca
Thanks |
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Randy |
Yeah. I'm told it'll be up by tomorrow. |
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I was just wondering what you think is going to be the single most important thing the Flames need in order to win the Stanley Cup? |
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Randy |
Great goaltending from Miikka Kiprusoff. Obviously they'll need goals - something that's been in short supply all season - and other players to step up their game, but if Kiprusoff is at his best, they at least have a chance to win every game. |
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Wayne
in Grande Prairie
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Hey Randy, who do you see stepping it up in the playoffs and making an impact with the Flames? |
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Randy |
We've been asked this a lot lately. It's kind of a fun guessing game to see who'll be the Martin Gelinas of a couple of years ago. I'm thinking Jamie Lundmark and Chuck Kobasew. They both are quick and talented with scoring touch. And somewhat unheralded, too. Randy |
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Rob
in Winnipeg
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What are Calgary's chances of going back to the cup final? |
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Randy |
I'd say about as good as any other teams. It's gonna sound wishy-washy, but they could be knocked out in the first round, too. The Western Conference is, in my opinion, a lot stronger through its top eight than the East. Imagine this, a team that gets to the final will likely have to beat two of Detroit, Dallas, Calgary and San Jose. It's formidable. |
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Don
in New York
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How would you assess Calgary's chances to win the Stanley Cup compared to Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton? |
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Randy |
I'd say better than Montreal and Edmonton but less likely than Ottawa. The Habs are in tough against an under-rated Carolina team, and Edmonton would have to take out the top remaining seed to get through. Ottawa should have no problem with Tampa and has the firepower, and outstanding defence corps, to make up for any perceived weakness in goal. |
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Dave
in Newmarket
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Who should be my top picks in a draft style skaters-only playoff pool? How about sleepers? |
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Randy |
The big guns on Ottawa, on New Jersey, Dallas and I'd say San Jose. For sleepers, San Jose's Steve Bernier, Ottawa's Peter Schaefer, Dallas' Jussi Jokinen racked up a lot of points, not just shootout goals. Looking at the Flames, if you think they'll go far, consider players like Matthew Lombardi, Chuck Kobasew, Jamie Lundmark, and even Shean Donovan - who goes on streaks. |
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Will Kiprusoff repeat what he did 2 years ago? |
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Randy |
No reason to think he can't. Having watched him then and now, I'd say he's actually a better goalie now than he was in 2004. He'll be tough to beat four times in two weeks. |
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Chris
in Toronto
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Understanding Miikka can hold the fort against the Ducks .. but with second rounds potentials of the Stars and third round with the Wings. The Flames are going to have to find their trigger and start lighting the lamp. What players do you see as having to elevate their game to deliver the flood of goals needed. Even with a league leading 10 shutouts, we can't expect Miikka to keep them all out. |
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Randy |
Even Jarome Iginla has to be more productive. Tony Amonte had a dreadful scoring drought - 31 games - and Shean Donovan went more than a month without scoring. There are about eight players who should have scored more goals than they did, and the heat will be on to score more. That said, this team has no problem trying to win 2-1 every night. |
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chris
in grand rapids, m
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In the past the flames have always had a hard time getting past the first round. The ducks have been pretty hot at the end of the year. Why or why no will the first round not go the normal 7 games for the flames
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Randy |
I see what you mean, but those first rounds were a decade ago. The reason I can see the Flames dispatching Anaheim in five or six games is their physical play. The Ducks have very skilled forwards - Teemu Selanne, Andy McDonald - and other than Scott Niedermayer, aren't the fleetest of foot on the defence, so Calgary will try to hit everything that moves and proved they can wear teams down. |
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Marlon
in Trenton, ON
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The defence has been banged up a lot lately. Do you think they'll hold up through the playoffs? |
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Randy |
Other than Cale Hulse - who'd be seventh or eighth on the depth chart - they're all back. The Flames only played 19 games with Regehr, Leopold, Hamrlik, Phaneuf, Warrener and Ference in the lineup and won 14 of them. That's a big boost. |
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neil
in vermont
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Wasn't one of the reasons the lockout happened was so that teams like the Calgary Flames wouldn't be successful? Are the Flames dead if the rules really are enforced? |
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Randy |
I don't think the lockout happened so teams like the Flames wouldn't be successful. It happened so teams like the Flames would survive. I know what you mean about the crackdown on hooking and holding but they're not as much of a clutch and grab team as people say. They do it but not more than most teams. It's that perception they'll have to overcome but they have plenty of fast players and it's hammered into them from the coaches to not take hooking and interference penalties in the neutral zone and offensive zone. |
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Jason
in Waterloo, ONT
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Do you believe with the goaltending issues that Ottawa is having that Calgary may be our last hope for a Canadian team to attain the best playoff season? |
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Randy |
Maybe, but I'm not going to discount Emery yet. That's an amazing defence corps in front of him and they can pump in a ton of goals. |
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What about Iginla? do you think he needs to be a big factor in the playoffs? |
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Randy |
For sure. He's the most important player other than Kiprusoff, being their one true gamebreaker. He's changed his game a bit, more defensively aware, but didn't have as good of a season as he's capable of even in their system. Down the stretch, when the games were most important, he was outstanding. No reason to think he can't be again. |
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Bob
in Calgary
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Do you think J.S. Giguere is back to his 2003 playoff form and could stone the Flames? Can the Ducks withstand the physical play of the Flames for long? |
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Randy |
I don't know if anyone can get back to that form. He was amazing. He's playing very well and is capable of leading them to a win but it's hard to imagine him being that good again. Personally, I don't think the Ducks will be able to take six games of the Flames forecheck. I may be wrong but they come at you hard and relentlessly. I think it was a Philly coach who said you need 40 players to play the Flames in a seven-game series. The big drawback to Calgary is they run the risk of being injured that way, too. |
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barring the flames don't make it to the cup and win it, what do you think they would have to do in the off season to make it back and win it? |
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Randy |
They'd have to add offence. The goalie and defence is an incredible base, but you do have to score. |
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chris iwan
in grand rapids
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Knowing that the flame hit hard all the time. will this ware them out in the end? can this be a deteriment over 4 rounds with possiblity of seven games? |
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Randy |
It had quite an impact in 2004. I think they have the character and more veteran experience. As for this year's guys, Gelinas' replacement has to come from the second-liners, Conroy's been replaced well by Daymond Langkow. I don't know if they have a Ville Nieminen replacement. It was something they lacked all year. |
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neil
in edmonton
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how far do you think the oilers can go....if the get strong goaltending |
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Randy |
They'll need strong goaltending just to make it a series against Detroit. I know they did well in the regular season and most of the games against Detroit went into overtime but Edmonton's goaltending hasn't proven to be good enough. |
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I hope Dion Phaneuf is as good in the playoffs as he was in the season. Do you think he will be |
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Randy |
He may be, but he might not have to with Leopold, Warrener and Hamrlik healthy. Phaneuf has a history of stepping up in big games - the WHL playoffs and the World Juniors. He's a gamer and is going to be a great one down the road. |
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Ramsin
in Chicago
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What do you think the Chances of the Habs are this postseason? They open with Carolina, and I have Montreal beating them in 5 games. |
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Randy |
Maybe, but I think Montreal was swept by the Hurricanes in the season series. Carolina has a lot of depth up front. Their question marks are in goal and on the blueline, so the Habs have a chance in guys like Kovalev, Ryder and Ribeiro step it up. |
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Bill Bisson
in Toronto
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Hey Randy, not playoff talk, but heated discussions of late. Who should be MVP Jagr or Thorton. I think Thorton |
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Randy |
Thornton, easy. Look at the Sharks before and after his arrival. He was incredible, almost single-handedly took out the Canucks in those two games. Jagr had a great season but Thornton was the difference. |
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LS
in Ottawa
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How do you think an Ottawa - Calgary final would play out??? |
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Randy |
It'd be fun to see. Ottawa has so much more offence and a slightly better defence but Calgary has the edge in goal - even with the hobbled Hasek, now. I know Calgary won their meeting in the season in overtime but I think Ottawa's offense would be too hard to stop every night. |
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Wings Fan
in Toronto
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Living in the East and not seeing Western teams very often, what surprises do you foresee that Anaheim could have in store for the Flames? Are the Ducks as good as they have been in the second half? |
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Randy |
I'm not sure the Ducks have any surprises. They'll try to win with their skilled first line and have Rob Niedermayer and his linemates provide a solid forecheck. They are as good as they've been in the second half, aided by a Kings team that imploded, and deserve to be in the playoffs. It's a good team, I just think the Flames will win over the long haul. |
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bruce
in toronto
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when will markus nilson be ready to play? |
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Randy |
Can't see it being before next fall. |
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Shawn
in Swift Current
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Have you heard whether Warrener is actually healthy or not? I heard he left a game last week, limping to the bench and didn't return. |
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Randy |
Yeah, he's OK. He did leave the game but the next morning was fine. He took the hit on the thigh, not his knee (so he said). But he did return for the whole third period and played the same. Thanks for all the questions and have a beer and chicken wing, or two, for me in the playoffs. |
