Calgary Flames: 3 storylines to watch this season
theScore's NHL editors take a look at three storylines to watch for each NHL team heading into the regular season.
The Jonas Hiller era begins
Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff played at least 70 games in seven of his nine seasons with the Calgary Flames, who had no answer in the crease last season following his retirement in 2013.
New general manager Brad Treliving made his biggest splash of the offseason by signing veteran goaltender Jonas Hiller to a two-year, $9-million contract. With 326 games of NHL experience under his belt, Hiller instantly becomes the best goaltender Calgary has seen since Kiprusoff, but he comes with his own share of baggage that threatens to derail his tenure with the Flames.
Hiller missed significant time due to severe bouts of vertigo during his seven seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. He was unable to help the Ducks earn a playoff spot during a crucial stretch late last season due to the condition, which likely influenced Anaheim's decision not to re-sign him.
If Hiller can remain healthy, his career even strength save percentage of .927 should help improve Calgary's Western Conference worst team mark of .909 from last season. If the 32-year-old's health issues persist, the Flames could be seeing a lot more of Karri Ramo, who does not inspire much confidence.
Time for the kids to shine
Sean Monahan's torrid start as a rookie gave Flames fans hope for their offense in a post-Jarome Iginla landscape, but he regressed slightly after that to finish the season with 22 goals and 34 points - still impressive totals for a teenager in the NHL.
Monahan will be under more of a microscope as a sophomore, but he will also be joined by some of the other players who comprise Calgary's increasingly impressive young core.
Sven Baertschi, selected 13th overall in 2011, has yet to play a full campaign in the NHL and his 22-year-old season would be a perfect time to start. Johnny Gaudreau scored in his first professional game after capturing the 2014 Hobey Baker award, adding to the hype surrounding his full-time debut with the Flames.
2014 fourth-overall selection Sam Bennett is not expected to make the roster yet, but Calgary's scoring lines will skew young even without him on the team. Having this many talented prospects playing important minutes can be very exciting, but inconsistency and defensive lapses should also be expected.
Can captain Giordano do it again?
Defenseman Mark Giordano has been a reliable blue-line option for Calgary for many years, but he enjoyed a career season in his first year as captain.
The 30-year-old reached new highs with 14 goals and 47 points in 25:14 average ice-time and earned outside consideration for the Norris Trophy despite missing 18 games with a broken ankle suffered while blocking a shot. But the most interesting part about Giordano's stellar season is the lack of statistical indicators that normally suggest a surge in a player's performance is unsustainable.
Giordano posted a shooting percentage of 7.8 on 180 shots in 2013-14 - notably lower than the 9.9 percent mark from 2009-10, when he scored his previous high of 11 goals. He also recorded 27 of his points at even strength or shorthanded, dispelling any notions his performance was fueled by power-play luck.
Calgary went 5-11-2 without Giordano last season, showing just how important his presence is for the Flames. Another strong season from him alongside partner T.J. Brodie will be vital if Calgary is to start moving away from the draft lottery and towards a playoff berth.