Calgary Flames Head into Offseason Knowing Sharks Won't Be Cup Contenders

Since the 2003-2004 season in which the Calgary Flames made their fairytale run to the Stanley Cup Final, they have not been able to find much consistency in the postseason. 

Some people call it a lack of determination, while others say that this team is just not good enough as a whole to make a deep run into the playoffs.

Certain question marks still remain with the Flames organization heading into the offseason, such as signing unrestricted free agent Daymond Langkow. 

Other free agents on the team also include the likes of Curtis Joseph, Kristian Huselius, and Owen Nolan.

Even though this team has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the past three seasons in a row, there is one element of consistency that has held true for yet another playoff year. 

The element of consistency is that no team in the past three seasons to play the Flames in the opening round has gone on to the Stanley Cup Final. 

This season, 2007-2008 is no different with the team that knocked Calgary out of the playoff picture (San Jose) being knocked out in the second round by the unlikely conference finalist Dallas Stars.

Every year Calgary pushes these teams to their brink.  The series are always long and tough to play. 

All three teams in the past three seasons, the Anaheim Ducks, the Detroit Red Wings, and the San Jose Sharks, were serious playoff contenders before running into the hard hitting in your face Flames style hockey which no team wants to meet in the first round. 

Every year a common theme comes from the other teams coach, and this year was no different.  Ron Wilson said that Calgary was probably the toughest draw in the first round because of their health and their size. 

The Sharks looked like a completely beat up and exhausted team when they met Dallas. The Sharks lost the first three games of their playoff series to the Stars and finally lost in four OT in the sixth game.

In a surprising move, the San Jose Sharks fired their coach Ron Wilson after he failed to take his team to the cup after five seasons behind the bench.  This, however, looked like the year when the team would have made their best run. 

One must question though whether the Flames in your face, hard hitting, bone crushing style of hockey affected another great team's inability to make it to the big dance.