2008–09 Calgary Flames season

The 2008–09 season is the 28th for the Calgary Flames, and 36th for the Flames franchise in the National Hockey League.

The Flames completed two significant trades during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, acquiring forward Mike Cammalleri from the Los Angeles Kings as part of a three way trade that saw Calgary deal the 17th overall pick to the Anaheim Ducks. They then sent Alex Tanguay to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the 25th overall pick, with each team adding lower round picks to the deal. The Flames signed forward Todd Bertuzzi during the off-season, a move that generated controversy amongst a fan base with which he had been previously unpopular.

Regular season

The Flames began the season with five games against divisional opposition. Despite holding leads in four of those games, Calgary won only one game, losing another in overtime.¹ Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff became the focus of the team's early struggles, as his play was argued to be a major cause of the Flames' inability to hold a lead.² Calgary rebounded to end October in the midst of a six-game winning streak, during which Kiprusoff allowed only nine goals on 152 shots.³ The team again struggled to start November, losing five games in seven, including a pair of 6–1 losses that led head coach Mike Keenan to cancel a planned mini-vacation for the players.⁴

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Game log

Playoffs

The Flames are attempting to qualify for the post-season for the fifth consecutive year in 2008–09.

Player stats

Skaters

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Flames. Stats reflect time with the Flames only.
^‡Traded mid-season
Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Goaltenders

Awards and records

Records

Milestones

Transactions

The Flames made two significant trades at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, sending forward Alex Tanguay to Montreal and acquiring Mike Cammalleri from Los Angeles in two separate deals. Calgary sent the 17th overall selection in the draft to the Kings, and received the 25th overall pick from the Canadiens as part of the trades.⁵

Todd Bertuzzi was the most significant signing by the Flames in the free agent market. The controversial forward best known for his attack on Steve Moore in 2003–04, had previously been extremely unpopular with Flames fans.⁶ Bertuzzi, who had previously been booed by Calgary fans every time he touched the puck was greeted with loud cheers when he was introduced before the Flames' first exhibition game of the season.⁷

Trades

Additions and subtractions

Draft picks

The Flames entered the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa with the 17th overall selection. They dealt that pick to Los Angeles, and acquired the 25th overall selection from Montreal. With that pick, the Flames selected centre Greg Nemisz from the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires.⁸ Listed at six-foot-three and 197 pounds, Nemisz is described as being a potential power forward who isn't afraid of working hard.⁹ Calgary drafted six other players, led by second-round selection Mitch Wahl, whom the Flames project to be a potential top-six forward.¹⁰

Farm teams

Quad City Flames

Las Vegas Wranglers

Roster