Even in a down year for the Calgary Flames, there were plenty of exciting moments, and given the talent on the team, that comes as absolutely no surprise. Overall, fans have been disappointed, but if the team picks a direction and sticks with it, it will be worth it in the end, but as we know, the season was still full of excitement.
From a Yegor Sharangovich hat-trick to a last second, coast-to-coast winner from Mackenzie Weegar, the action on the ice was fantastic at points, but it was a throwback to a former star that takes home the Flames moment of the year.
Back on March 2nd, the Calgary Flames officially retired the jersey of former goaltending star Miikka Kiprusoff, in a ceremony that was full of humour, emotion and a great feeling that one of the best players in franchise history had officially been honoured.
No. 34 in the Saddledome rafters. What a moment for Miikka Kiprusoff. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/tJBR50KA6f
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 3, 2024
Sure, it would have been much better if the Flames moment of the season came on the ice, but with very few positives beyond some standout performances, this was just a team that never really put it together. Miikka Kiprusoff is someone that managed to put it together for a long time as a Flame, taking them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004 while winning a Vezina Trophy and dominating the league for a long time with the Flaming C on his chest.
For those that were around during this time and for those that weren’t, it was hard not to be reduced to tears during the entire segment, and with so much talent in net, this gave fans a glimpse into the past of what a successful Flames team can look like, especially with a star in net. It’s likely going to be a long time before we see a team that good again, but for one night, Flames fans got a look back at what the city looks like with an elite team, and it’s hard not to imagine the players and front office were more motivated than ever to give the C of Red that again.
For one night and forevermore, the Flames honoured an absolute star in No. 34, and given the emotions and how well the entire situation was handled, it’s hard to choose anything but this as the Flames moment of the year.