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The Calgary Flames are not perceived as a team on the verge. They are not expected to set the NHL on fire. They are not expected to make the playoffs. They are not expected to be one of the top teams in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. That’s just fine, according to former Flames goaltender Jamie McLennan, who played for the club from 2002-04 and then again briefly during the 2006-07 season. As long as management keeps a steady approach to revamping the roster, and fans realize it won’t be an immediate about-face, then there is optimism for this season as a building block for years to come. “I think the one word that still comes with Calgary has to be patience,” McLennan told ESPN.com in a recent phone conversation. “They sold to fans a complete rebuild.” What happened last season, in Brian Burke’s first year as team president and Bob Hartley’s first full season as coach in Calgary? The Flames were in a league-high 49 one-goal games. The Flames still finished sixth in the Pacific Division, but they competed every night. “They were in every game, which was exciting for the fans,” McLennan said. “Bob Hartley did a great job, but the message still has to be, don’t expect too much. Allowing guys like Sean Monahan another year to see what he’s like, another year of experience for Sven Baertschi and Mikael Backlund. They have some young pieces.“  As for the team’s stable of young players, McLennan is excited to see more of T.J. Brodie, who flourished last season while paired with captain Mark Giordano. Johnny Gaudreau also enters this season with plenty of hype and potential. Add in the free-agent acquisition of Swiss netminder Jonas Hiller and the Flames have an interesting mix.
Having the veteran goaltender between the pipes should add an extra level of stability for a young team still working things out, McLennan thinks. “I think they did it the right way -- add a veteran goalie like Hiller who can weather the storm when the kids aren’t there,” said McLennan, who will work as a color broadcaster for TSN’s regional package during Ottawa Senators games this season. “[General Manager Brad Treviling] did a good job and Burkie -- who has a history with Hiller [from Anaheim] -- did a good job of stabilizing that position.” McLennan said he thinks Hiller has “plenty” left in the tank. He finds Hiller’s game particularly conducive to a heavy workload because of his unique style, working primarily from his knees. “He can face a 50-shot night and steal two points or keep you in it,” McLennan said. “I think it was a real smart move to get him and it didn't cost you a real steep price point. They didn't overspend for someone that can give you stability.” With Hiller the clear-cut starter and Karri Ramo his backup, this also allows the Flames to provide 23-year-old Joni Ortio, who played nine NHL games last season, more time for seasoning in the AHL. Again, a good sign for things to come. McLennan even liked the signing of tough guy Deryk Engelland, though the move was widely criticized and chalked up to Burke’s signature desire for a team with “truculence.” With young assets to protect, having a player such as Engelland, or Brandon Bollig (acquired via trade from Chicago at the draft) will ensure that no one gets exposed physically. The Flames are not rushing the team along. There is a vision and a long-term plan, it seems. “I think from the standpoint of their overall moves they've all been strategically placed to try to shape that team,” McLennan said. That might differentiate the Flames from their Alberta brethren, the Edmonton Oilers, whose “rebuild” has not taken shape to the desired effect, no matter how many young stars the team stockpiles through the draft. Because the Flames just recently tore the whole thing down, the level of pressure to compete for a playoff spot isn’t quite the same. “You literally started the rebuild last year, so there is patience involved. That’s where you’ve got the benefit of the doubt,” McLennan said. “You lose in the last minute, someone makes a rookie mistake, and it’s hey, they're a couple of years away from that level of expectation.” McLennan is most intrigued to see where the chips fall in terms of who will eat up minutes for Hartley. Will Monahan continue to improve after an impressive rookie season, or will he take a stutter step? Will the ultra-skilled but smallish (5-foot-9, 150 pounds) Gaudreau be able to handle the physical rigors of an 82-game season? What about Brodie and Baertschi? “That's the question surrounding the team: Who will be the key contributors on a nightly basis for Hartley?” McLennan asked. “T.J. Brodie, is he ready to step up as a potential elite defenseman? I think he has a lot of tools to do that. Another one is Baertschi. You kind of waited for him to establish himself as an NHL player and he hasn’t done that yet. He’s one to keep an eye on.” Should make for an interesting season in Calgary, just as long as hopes are not unrealistic. “They're not going to be surprising a lot of teams,” McLennan said. “You have to temper expectations.”
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