Is it too early to panic?

I wouldn't call it a panic at the Saddledome, but GM Darryl Sutter has called up the kids in order to provide some spark to the lineup.

Centre Dustin Boyd and winger Brandon Prust have been asked to to join their passionless parent club on the upcoming road trip with the hope that their presence this early in the season might shake things up a bit.

Is this a good idea? Methinks it could very well be. The Flames are not an old club, by any means, but there is nothing like a rookie in the dressing room and on the bench to make a veteran look at the game from a slightly different angle. For evidence of this, remember last year's squad talking about Dion Phaneuf signing on. His being there allowed for something to get themselves excited about during the course of the season. True, the team already has Mike Giordano as its requistion newbee this season, but he's a seventh defenseman and won't get much playing time behind the established veterans. A skill player like Boyd might turn a few heads and add a bit of excitement, while Brandon Prust, being more of a mucker than a goal scorer, might piss off an opposing player or two in any given evening.

Of course, these additions to the roster won't be leading a resurgence in the Flames's fortunes, but the club needs a shake-up, now or later.

CODA: As an aside, calling up some of the young prospects might also show the rest of the league how stacked the organizational depth chart has become since Sutter took over the reigns. If there is some team out there in a rebuilding year who might, oh, I don't know, have a star Swedish centre who's getting on in years and who might look good with Iginla, seeing some of these hotshot prospects strut their stuff in The Show might intice a big trade within the next month or so.

I'm just saying.