2005–06 Calgary Flames season

The 2005–06 Calgary Flames season was the 25th NHL season in Calgary.

The off-season following the lockout provided ominous news for the hockey starved city of Calgary as GM Darryl Sutter announced he would not re-sign free-agent Martin Gelinas, the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs clutch performer, for the 2005–06 NHL season. Instead Sutter brought in three ageing veterans, Bryan Marchment, Tony Amonte and Darren McCarty, as free-agent reclamation projects to start the season. Nonetheless, the season began with high expectations following their surprising run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals.

The season opened with a disappointing October, as the Flames started 4–7–2 before an eight game November winning streak propelled Calgary back into contention in the National Hockey League's Northwest Division. The Flames would battle the Colorado Avalanche down the stretch, ultimately finishing eight points ahead of both Colorado and the Edmonton Oilers to capture the team's sixth division crown in franchise history.

However, the playoffs proved the team was missing the "killer instinct" necessary for playoff success, as they fell in the first round to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in seven games.

Star goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff proved that 2003–04 was no fluke, leading the NHL in shutouts and goals against average while setting a franchise record for wins with 42. Kiprusoff's exploits would win him the Vezina Trophy and William M. Jennings Trophy, along with being named a first team all-star. Kiprusoff was also a finalist for the Hart Trophy.

Rookie phenom Dion Phaneuf earned a nomination for the Calder Memorial Trophy after his 20 goal campaign set a franchise record for goals by a rookie defenceman, and fell just three shy of Brian Leetch's league record of 23, set in 1988–89.

The Flames sold out all 45 home games in 2005–06 as 19,289 fans packed the Pengrowth Saddledome for every regular season and playoff game played in Calgary.

At the 2006 Winter Olympics, three Flames players represented their countries. Jarome Iginla and Robyn Regehr both represented Canada, while Jordan Leopold represented the United States. Miikka Kiprusoff was also named to the Finnish team, however declined to go citing an injury.

Playoffs
The Flames entered the playoffs as the Northwest Division champions, and the third seed in the Western Conference. They met the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the first round in a hard fought seven game series. The goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov would prove the turning point in the series after he replaced the ineffective starter Jean-Sebastien Giguere after game 3 and would stonewall the Flames for the rest of the series.

Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Calgary. Stats reflect time with the Flames only.

Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Calgary. Stats reflect time with the Flames only. ‡Traded mid-season Bold text denotes league leader Italics denotes franchise record

Trophies and awards

 * Vezina Trophy: Miikka Kiprusoff
 * William Jennings Trophy: Miikka Kiprusoff
 * Molson Cup: Miikka Kiprusoff
 * Scurfield Humanitarian Award: Rhett Warrener
 * J. R. McCaig Memorial Award: Robyn Regehr and Mark Stiles

Flames team records

 * Fewest home goals against in one season: (73) - previous record was 85 in the 2003–04 season
 * Tied record for most shots for in one period: 3rd period, November 14, 2005 against the Minnesota Wild (25)
 * Longest consecutive shutout minutes, for: April 8, 2006, 2:27 overtime at Vancouver Canucks; April 11 vs. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to April 15, 3rd period at Los Angeles Kings (161:11) - previous record was 160:07 in the 2000–01 season
 * Set a new record for fastest goal to start a period when Daymond Langkow scored five seconds into the third period against Anaheim on March 11.

Flames individual records

 * Most wins in a season: Miikka Kiprusoff (42) - previous record was 39, held by Mike Vernon in the 1987–88 season
 * Most shutouts in a season: Miikka Kiprusoff (10) - Four Flames were tied with the previous record of 5: Dan Bouchard, Phil Myre, Fred Brathwaite, & Roman Turek
 * Most goals, rookie defenceman: Dion Phaneuf (20) - previous record was 18, held by Gary Suter in the 1985–86 season

Milestones

 * 400 career goals: Tony Amonte (December 10 vs. Ottawa)

Transactions
The Flames were involved in the following transactions during the 2005–06 season.

Draft picks
Calgary's picks at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Due to the cancellation of the 2004–05 NHL season, the 2005 draft order was determined by a random draw, with each team gaining one to three "balls" based on recent performance. Each team started with three balls, and lost one for each time they made the post-season in the previous three years, with a minimum of one ball per team. The Flames had two balls in the lottery, however were very unlucky, ending up with the 26th overall pick.


 * Statistics are updated to the end of the 2008–09 NHL season. Players in italics were active on an NHL roster in 2008–09.

Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
The Flames returned to having their own American Hockey League affiliate in 2005–06 with the debut of the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights in Omaha, Nebraska. This ended a two year relationship with the Lowell Lockmonsters, whom the Flames shared the affiliation with the Carolina Hurricanes. 2005–06 marked the first season the Flames had a full affiliate since suspending the Saint John Flames franchse in 2003. The team is co-owned by the Calgary Flames, and the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, a philanthropist organization in Omaha.

The Knights had a disappointing inaugural season, finishing sixth in the Western Division, and out of the playoffs, with a record of 35–31–3–11. Carsen Germyn led the team in goals with 24, while Mark Giordano led in assists, 42, and points, 58. Brent Krahn led the way in goal with 26 wins, while both he and Curtis McElhinney finished with three shutouts each.

Las Vegas Wranglers
2005–06 marked the third season the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers were affiliated with the Flames. The Wranglers iced a strong team in 2005–06, setting franchise records for wins, 56, goals for, 267, and fewest goals against, 176. Despite their 56–13–6 record, the Wranglers only finished 2nd in the West Division, one point back of the Alaska Aces. Their point total of 112 was second best in the league, behind only the Aces. The Wranglers needed seven games to defeat the Idaho Steelheads in the West Division semi-finals before being knocked out of the playoffs by the eventual Kelly Cup champion Aces in five games.