from Kent Wilson at the Calgary Sun,

This is the emotional paradox facing both the team’s decision-makers and the fans as Calgary’s contention aspirations erode. The spectre of being bad on purpose only to be trapped in the basement indefinitely naturally makes the Flames’ faithful withdraw in revulsion.

Staring pensively at that sort of abyss, one can only think “Win now, win now, we should always be trying to win now.”

Unfortunately, the debts of the Brad Treliving regime are becoming increasingly due. The cost of trying to compete in the short term will continue to climb while the possibility of contending will recede further and further into the future.

As things stand, Calgary ranks somewhere between 19th and 24th in the league by almost any metric you care to name — points, goal differential, points percentage, expected goals ratio, etc. Five other teams stand between them and a Western Conference wild-card spot.

more