Calgary doesn't see Connor McDavid as issue in Edmonton rivalry
ANAHEIM – Edmonton’s winning the 2015 draft lottery and the right to pick Connor McDavid sent collective groans around the hockey world.
But there was one team that probably spewed the loudest vitriol, internally at least. That would be the Calgary Flames, Edmonton’s hated rival that has always scoffed at Edmonton’s “City of Champions” mantra.
With the announcement I saw (in my dreams) team president Brian Burke strangling something with his undone tie.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping he’d be further (away),” Calgary general manager Brad Treliving told Puck Daddy. “Like anybody else we were paying attention to how the draft would sort out, and I wouldn’t say we spent a whole lot of time looking on it. Those are things that aren’t in your control, but he’s a special player. He’s a special player. Obviously that’s good for them.”
Calgary’s top teams in the 1980s had dynastic makings like Edmonton’s to some degree. The Flames had a great defensemen in Al MacInnis and Gary Suter. Forwards, Joe Nieuwendyk, Theo Fleury and Doug Gilmour. were excellent. Mike Vernon was a rock in goal. Terry Crisp was an excellent coach and general manager Cliff Fletcher provided solid management.
But they couldn’t beat the Oilers with Wayne Gretzky, Mark ‘Presented by Bridgestone’ Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, etc. Calgary’s one Stanley Cup pales to Edmonton’s five.
With McDavid likely on his way to Edmonton, it’s almost like the future has shifted back to the past.
"The people in Calgary are probably like, ‘What the heck?’ And in Edmonton they’re like ‘We’re the chosen ones,’" Crisp said. "When we had our meetings our GM Cliff Fletcher would say, ‘We have to build our team to beat Edmonton, that’s our goal because in order to get anywhere we have to beat Edmonton.’"
The Flames made the playoffs this season and appear to be in good hands with Sean Monahan at center for many years along with forwards Sam Bennett and Johnny Gaudreau. The Flames’ defense has Mark Giordano.
But will that be enough to deal with McDavid along with a developing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall (provided new general manager Peter Chiarelli doesn’t deal one of the latter two).
“It’s great for our game and that ‘Battle of Alberta’ we all grew up as kids watching,” Treliving said. “I think has a chance to be rekindled again because for a number of years, for all intents and purposes, both teams have gone through a process of building here and hopefully it’s something that reenergizes that.”
Treliving isn’t exactly saying ‘bring it’ but he’s confident in his group. He knew Edmonton’s rebuild was eventually going to come to an end and the Oilers’ young prospects would finally emerge.
“Outside of Connor McDavid, Edmonton has a really good group of young players,” he said. “They’re a team that’s right on the cusp of taking that next step. It’s good for our game.”
But come on Brad, you had to be burning inside, right? Not only did your rival win the right to draft McDavid, your former team, the Arizona Coyotes, lost out and will pick third. Nope, Treliving and the Flames are ready.
“The league is full of great players, wherever he ends up you’re going to… him or any of those players you’re going to be playing against,” he said.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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