1995–96 Calgary Flames season

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1995–96 Calgary Flames
Division 2nd Pacific
Conference 6th Western
1995–96 record 34–37–11
Home record 18–18–5
Road record 16–19–6
Goals for 241 (16th)
Goals against 240 (9th)
Team information
General Manager Doug Risebrough (Oct-Nov)
Al Coates (Nov-Apr)
Coach Pierre Page
Captain Theoren Fleury
Arena Canadian Airlines Saddledome
Average attendance 18,000
Team leaders
Goals Theoren Fleury (46)
Assists Theoren Fleury (50)
Points Theoren Fleury (96)
Penalties in minutes Sandy McCarthy (173)
Wins Rick Tabaracci (19)
Goals against average Trevor Kidd (2.78)
<1994–95 1996–97>

The 1995–96 Calgary Flames season was the 16th National Hockey League season in Calgary. The Flames entered the season with their fifth coach in five seasons, hiring Pierre Page to replace Dave King.[1] Page, who had previously been an assistant coach with the Flames in the 1980s, left his head coaching position with the Quebec Nordiques to move west.

The Flames began the season with a disastrous start, posting a 4–15–5 record through the end of November. The team's poor start was exacerbated by the holdout of Joe Nieuwendyk, who was unable to reach a contract agreement with the Flames.[2] Also, the Flames began the season on a long, seven game road trip while renovations to the Olympic Saddledome were completed.[3] The Flames reached a low point on October 27, 1995 when they set a franchise record for futility, recording just eight shots in a 3–0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on home ice.[4]

The Nieuwendyk saga finally came to a close when the Flames dealt him to the Dallas Stars for Corey Millen, and Western Hockey League star Jarome Iginla on December 19. Nieuwendyk immediately ended his holdout, signing a five-year, $11 million contract with Dallas.[2]

The Flames began to turn the season around, led by Gary Roberts' comeback from neck injuries that had kept him out most of the 1994–95 season. Roberts' comeback lasted only 35 games before he was again sidelined with bone spurs and nerve damage in his neck. Roberts would score an incredible 22 goals and 42 points during that time, earning him the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey.[5]

The Flames recovered from their woeful start to finish second in the Pacific Division, and as the sixth seed in the Western Conference. The Flames were swept, however, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs, as the team once again failed to win a playoff series since they won the Stanley Cup in 1989. One notable player made his debut during the playoffs: Jarome Iginla, who would become a star for the flames for years to come. The Flames would not qualify for the playoffs again until 2004, missing the post season for the next seven years.[6]

Theoren Fleury represented the Flames at the 46th National Hockey League All-Star Game. It was the first since 1986 that the Flames had only one representative.[7]

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Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division
No. GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 Colorado Avalanche 82 47 25 10 326 240 104
2 Calgary Flames 82 34 37 11 241 240 79
3 Vancouver Canucks 82 32 35 15 278 278 79
4 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 82 35 39 8 234 247 78
5 Edmonton Oilers 82 30 44 8 240 304 68
6 Los Angeles Kings 82 24 40 18 256 302 66
7 San Jose Sharks 82 20 55 7 252 357 47

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Western Conference[8]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 p – Detroit Red Wings CEN 82 62 13 7 325 181 131
2 Colorado Avalanche PAC 82 47 25 10 326 240 104
3 Chicago Blackhawks CEN 82 40 28 14 273 220 94
4 Toronto Maple Leafs CEN 82 34 36 12 247 252 80
5 St. Louis Blues CEN 82 32 34 16 219 248 80
6 Calgary Flames PAC 82 34 37 11 241 240 79
7 Vancouver Canucks PAC 82 32 35 15 278 278 79
8 Winnipeg Jets CEN 82 36 40 6 275 291 78
9 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim PAC 82 35 39 8 234 247 78
10 Edmonton Oilers PAC 82 30 44 8 240 304 68
11 Dallas Stars CEN 82 26 42 14 227 280 66
12 Los Angeles Kings PAC 82 24 40 18 256 302 66
13 San Jose Sharks PAC 82 20 55 7 252 357 47

Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific

bold – Qualified for playoffs; p – Won Presidents' Trophy


Schedule and results

1995–96 Game Log

Playoffs

Despite finishing 2nd in the Pacific Division, the Flames were only the 6th seed in the playoffs. They met the 2nd-place finisher in the Central Division, the Chicago Blackhawks. It was the third time Calgary and Chicago had met in the playoffs, as the Flames had previously defeated the Blackhawks in 1989, and 1981. This time around, Chicago had the better of the Flames, sweeping Calgary out in four straight, and continuing the Flames playoff futility.

Looking for a spark, the Flames signed junior star Jarome Iginla to a contract before the third game, allowing him to make his NHL debut at home. Iginla scored a goal and an assist in his first two games.

This series was the Flames last playoff appearance for eight years, as Calgary did not return to the post season until 2004.

1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
Theoren Fleury 14 80 46 50 96 112 4 2 1 3 14
German Titov 13 82 28 39 67 24 4 0 2 2 0
Michael Nylander 92 73 17 38 55 20 4 0 0 0 0
Phil Housley 6 59 16 36 52 22 - - - - -
Gary Roberts 10 35 22 20 42 78 - - - - -
Cory Stillman 16 74 16 19 35 41 2 1 1 2 0
James Patrick 3 80 3 32 35 30 4 0 0 0 2
Steve Chiasson 21 76 8 25 33 62 4 2 1 3 0
Zarley Zalapski 33 80 12 17 29 115 4 0 1 1 10
Mike Sullivan 32 81 9 12 21 24 4 0 0 0 0
Sandy McCarthy 15 75 9 7 16 173 4 0 0 0 10
Pavel Torgayev 35/18 41 6 10 16 14 1 0 0 0 0
Ron Stern 22 52 10 5 15 111 4 0 2 2 8
Paul Kruse 12 75 3 12 15 145 3 0 0 0 4
Dean Evason 20 67 7 7 14 38 3 0 1 1 0
Corey Millen 34 31 4 10 14 10 - - - - -
Jamie Huscroft 7 70 3 9 12 162 4 0 1 1 4
Sheldon Kennedy 23 41 3 7 10 36 3 1 0 1 2
Claude Lapointe 47 32 4 5 9 20 2 0 0 0 0
Jocelyn Lemieux 45 20 4 4 8 10 4 0 0 0 0
Ed Ward 42 41 3 5 8 44 - - - - -
Marty Murray 45/28 15 3 3 6 0 - - - - -
Yves Sarault 36 11 2 1 3 4 - - - - -
Trent Yawney 8 69 0 3 3 88 4 0 0 0 2
Bob Sweeney 17 6 1 1 2 6 2 0 0 0 0
Kevin Dahl 4 32 1 1 2 26 1 0 0 0 0
Rick Tabaracci 31 43 0 2 2 8 3 0 0 0 4
Trevor Kidd 37 47 0 2 2 4 2 0 0 0 0
Ladislav Kohn 46 5 1 0 1 2 - - - - -
Tommy Albelin 5 20 0 1 1 4 4 0 0 0 0
Jarrod Skalde 38 1 0 0 0 0 - - - - -
Niklas Sundblad 35 2 0 0 0 0 - - - - -
Cale Hulse 29 3 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0
Todd Hlushko 17 4 0 0 0 6 - - - - -
Joel Bouchard 5 4 0 0 0 4 - - - - -
Vesa Viitakoski 19 5 0 0 0 2 - - - - -
Todd Simpson 40/27 6 0 0 0 32 - - - - -
Pat Conacher 11 7 0 0 0 0 - - - - -
Craig Ferguson 38 8 0 0 0 4 - - - - -
Dan Keczmer 39 13 0 0 0 14 - - - - -
Jarome Iginla 24 - - - - - 2 1 1 2 0

Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Calgary. Stats reflect time with the Flames only.
Traded mid-season

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player # GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
Trevor Kidd 37 47 2570 15 21 9 119 3 2.78 2 83 0 1 9 0 6.51
Rick Tabaracci 31 43 2391 19 16 3 117 3 2.94 3 204 0 3 7 0 2.06

Transactions

The Flames were involved in the following transactions during the 1995–96 season.

Trades

November 1, 1995 To Calgary Flames
Claude Lapointe
To Colorado Avalanche
7th round pick in 1997
November 26, 1995 To Calgary Flames
Yves Sarault
Craig Ferguson
To Montreal Canadiens
8th round pick in 1997
December 19, 1995 To Calgary Flames
Jarome Iginla
Corey Millen
To Dallas Stars
Joe Nieuwendyk
February 26, 1996 To Calgary Flames
Tommy Albelin
Cale Hulse
Jocelyn Lemieux
To New Jersey Devils
Phil Housley
Dan Keczmer
March 20, 1996 To Calgary Flames
Bob Sweeney
To New York Islanders
Pat Conacher
6th round pick in 1997

Free agents

Player Former team
Player New team
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Draft picks

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Calgary's picks at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, held in Edmonton, Alberta.[9]

Rnd Pick Player Nationality Position Team (league) NHL statistics
GP G A Pts PIM
1 20 Denis Gauthier  Canada D Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 554 17 60 77 748
2 46 Pavel Smirnov  Russia F Samara CSK VVS (RSL)
3 72 Rocky Thompson  Canada RW Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 25 0 0 0 117
4 98 Jan Labraaten  Sweden RW Färjestads BK (SEL)
6 150 Clarke Wilm  Canada C Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 455 37 60 97 336
7 176 Ryan Gillis  Canada D North Bay Centennials (OHL)
9 233 Steve Shirreffs  United States D N/A

Farm teams

Saint John Flames

The Baby Flames finished the 1995–96 American Hockey League season in second place in the Canadian Division with a 35–30–11–4 record. The tied the Prince Edward Island Senators in points, but lost out on the division title by virtue of having three fewer wins. The Flames defeated the St. John's Maple Leafs three games to one, then knocked off the Fredericton Canadiens four games to one before falling to the Portland Pirates in seven games.[10] Ladislav Kohn led the Flames with 28 goals and 73 points. Dwayne Roloson was the starting goaltender, posting an 33–22–11 record with a 2.83 GAA in 67 games.[11]

See also

References

  1. Flames turn to Page, New York Times, July 18, 1995, accessed January 29, 2007
  2. 2.0 2.1 Dolezar, Jon A., Say it aint so: Calgary Flames, cnnsi.com, August 8, 2001, Accessed January 29, 2007
  3. Calgary Flames history, calgaryflames.com, accessed January 29, 2007
  4. Boxscore: Detroit 3, Calgary 0, usatoday.com, accessed January 29, 2007
  5. Legends of Hockey player profile: Gary Roberts, legendsofhockey.net, accessed January 29, 2007
  6. Longtime Flames relish playoff opportunity, cbc sports, April 5, 2004, accessed January 29, 2007
  7. All-Star Selections, 2006–07 Calgary Flames Media Guide, pg. 22
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. Calgary Flames draft history, hockeydb.com, accessed January 12, 2007
  10. 1995–96 AHL playoffs @ hockeydb.com, accessed January 29, 2007
  11. Saint John Flames player stats @ hockeydb.com, accessed January 29, 2007