1995–96 Calgary Flames season

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.

1995–96 Calgary Flames
Division2nd Pacific
Conference6th Western
1995–96 record34–37–11
Home record18–18–5
Road record16–19–6
Goals for241 (16th)
Goals against240 (9th)
Team information
General managerDoug Risebrough (Oct-Nov)
Al Coates (Nov-Apr)
CoachPierre Page
CaptainTheoren Fleury
ArenaCanadian Airlines Saddledome
Average attendance18,000
Team leaders
GoalsTheoren Fleury (46)
AssistsTheoren Fleury (50)
PointsTheoren Fleury (96)
Penalty minutesSandy McCarthy (173)
WinsRick Tabaracci (19)
Goals against averageTrevor Kidd (2.78)

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]

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division
No. GP W L T GF GA Pts
1Colorado Avalanche82472510326240104
2Calgary Flames8234371124124079
3Vancouver Canucks8232351527827879
4Mighty Ducks of Anaheim823539823424778
5Edmonton Oilers823044824030468
6Los Angeles Kings8224401825630266
7San Jose Sharks822055725235747

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
1p – Detroit Red WingsCEN8262137325181131
2Colorado AvalanchePAC82472510326240104
3Chicago BlackhawksCEN8240281427322094
4Toronto Maple LeafsCEN8234361224725280
5St. Louis BluesCEN8232341621924880
6Calgary FlamesPAC8234371124124079
7Vancouver CanucksPAC8232351527827879
8Winnipeg JetsCEN823640627529178
9Mighty Ducks of AnaheimPAC823539823424778
10Edmonton OilersPAC823044824030468
11Dallas StarsCEN8226421422728066
12Los Angeles KingsPAC8224401825630266
13San Jose SharksPAC822055725235747

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 Fleury1480465096112421314
German Titov13822839672440220
Michael Nylander92731738552040000
Phil Housley65916365222-----
Gary Roberts103522204278-----
Cory Stillman16741619354121120
James Patrick380332353040002
Steve Chiasson2176825336242130
Zarley Zalapski3380121729115401110
Mike Sullivan3281912212440000
Sandy McCarthy15759716173400010
Pavel Torgayev35/1841610161410000
Ron Stern22521051511140228
Paul Kruse12753121514530004
Dean Evason206777143830110
Corey Millen34314101410-----
Jamie Huscroft770391216240114
Sheldon Kennedy234137103631012
Claude Lapointe47324592020000
Jocelyn Lemieux45204481040000
Ed Ward424135844-----
Marty Murray45/28153360-----
Yves Sarault36112134-----
Trent Yawney8690338840002
Bob Sweeney176112620000
Kevin Dahl4321122610000
Rick Tabaracci3143022830004
Trevor Kidd3747022420000
Ladislav Kohn4651012-----
Tommy Albelin520011440000
Jarrod Skalde3810000-----
Niklas Sundblad3520000-----
Cale Hulse293000510000
Todd Hlushko1740006-----
Joel Bouchard540004-----
Vesa Viitakoski1950002-----
Todd Simpson40/27600032-----
Pat Conacher1170000-----
Craig Ferguson3880004-----
Dan Keczmer391300014-----
Jarome Iginla24-----21120

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 Kidd374725701521911932.7828301906.51
Rick Tabaracci314323911916311732.94320403702.06

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

PlayerFormer team
PlayerNew team
This sports-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Draft picks

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

Rnd Pick Player Nationality Position Team (league) NHL statistics
GPGAPtsPIM
120Denis Gauthier CanadaDDrummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)554176077748
246Pavel Smirnov RussiaFSamara CSK VVS (RSL)
372Rocky Thompson CanadaRWMedicine Hat Tigers (WHL)25000117
498Jan Labraaten SwedenRWFärjestads BK (SEL)
6150Clarke Wilm CanadaCSaskatoon Blades (WHL)455376097336
7176Ryan Gillis CanadaDNorth Bay Centennials (OHL)
9233Steve Shirreffs United StatesDN/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 a 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. Dolezar, Jon A., Say it aint so: Calgary Flames, cnnsi.com, August 8, 2001, Accessed January 29, 2007
  3. Calgary Flames history Archived 2007-01-27 at the Wayback Machine, 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. "1995-1996 Conference Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". NHL.
  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
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