The New Flames (2006 version)

So I was chatting with Shaky tonight about the Oilers and how they were this year's Flames. A team that nobody thought would play this well. A team with players that are, as the saying goes, "playing over their heads".

Then I read this article by National Post's Mark Spector. His title: "The New Flames".

This is a great analysis of not only how the Oilers' current run compares to the Flames' run of 2004, but also about how, essentially, the Oilers are not the Detroit Red Wings or the Ottawa Senators. By that he means that the Oilers success lays in their intensity and unmatched desire to do whatever it takes to win. Two elements that Potter and I mentioned in our posts on Ottawa's early exit. Says Spector:

"The formula is one of the few elements that has transcended the rules changes. If you're going to get anywhere in the NHL playoffs, you have to be able to raise your game. Find a new level. I know, they're cliches. But there's a reason those phrases have caught on: they're all true.

Ask Detroit, the poster children for winning all season on pure talent, then stubbornly refusing to add the requisite sweat and blood to that formula come playoff time. Or Ottawa, whose picture you'll find on the opposite side of the milk carton from Detroit's."

The article is also filled with interviews with some interesting people. Martin Gélinas, one of the best clutch players in recent history, shares his thoughts on the comparison between the '04 Flames and the '06 Oilers. Gélinas' take on the situation comes down to this:

"Guys have to chip in -- that's how you win. And maybe that's why Calgary didn't make it this year. Not enough guys going full out. They're getting that in Edmonton."

For me, another one of the reasons that explains the success of the Oilers is the intensity and leadership of Ryan Smyth. As I have said in this forum before, Smitty is probably my favourite current players. His play in the playoffs so far, however, has been nothing short of spectacular. Some might say that he has divine powers. In fact, my good buddy Flowbee sent me a one line e-mail this week. All it said was:

"Tom Hanks should be looking for Ryan Smyth, for surely he is the scion of Christ."

If he is indeed the son of Christ, I hope that daddy has a good dental plan. I have a feeling that he hasn't lost his last tooth