FF80F Podcast: Episode 13 - Breaking Down Potential Playoff Match-ups with Wes Gilbertson

With Calgary sizzling hot and seemingly playoff bound, PostMedia beat writer Wes Gilbertson stopped by for a good solid hour of commercial-free Flames talk. Download it to your phone or iPod next time you're going out to walk the dog, play it in your car via Bluetooth while you commute to work, or just stream if via your desktop computer while you're supposedly 'working'.

There are lots of ways to consume a podcast -- pick one, and enjoy!


Topics Broached

• Last time Wes was my guest, it was Nov. 12 and the team had pretty much hit rock bottom. We discuss the biggest factors in the turnaround.
• We look forward to potential playoff match-ups and what would be the most favourable and least favourable opponents.
• We debate who are the wild cards moving forwards. Which players maybe have more to give or are the players to watch come the playoffs.
• We answered a bunch of reader/listener questions submitted via Facebook (or Twitter).

Options to Download/Listen

You are now able to download Flames at 80 Decibels from all your favourite podcast locations, as well as through your regular podcast player or app. Here are a few of the more popular spots where you can download the latest episode:

• iTunes 
• SoundCloud 
• Stitcher 
• Tune-In 

Catching up On What You've Missed

The podcast began last summer as an experiment. I hope you'll agree, the quality has come a long way since that first one that was ripped off solo, on a whim and literally at midnight one lazy July evening.

This is the seventh one done during the season. While initially I had concerns about how long each podcast would remain relevant, the insight my guests have brought and the manner in which we're tackling topics make them worthwhile listens long after after they're recorded.


Past podcasts:

• Episode 12 (1:26:22) - On Feb. 11 with the Flames just back from their road trip that included hockey in Central Park, Kristen Odland stopped by. We talked trade deadline, Dennis Wideman, Vegas expansion draft and my recently unveiled top 20 prospects.
• Episode 11 (1:11:40) - On Jan. 30 with the NHL at the all-star break, Flames radio colour analyst Peter Loubardias popped by. He peeled back the onion a little on Glen Gulutzan, we theorized what's wrong with Gaudreau and Bennett, and discussed the evolution of 4th lines.
• Episode 10 (1:23:00) - On Dec. 23, Aaron Vickers made his way up to my Saddledome studio. Vickers is the brains behind prospect publication Future Considerations and also covers the Flames for NHL.com. We chatted lots bout Calgary prospects at the WJC.
• Episode 9 (1:10:36) - On Dec. 5, Jermain Franklin joined me for some Flames talk. In addition to sharing some stories about life at TSN, Flames topics broached included Chad Johnson, are the red-hot Flames for real and first-third surprises and disappointments.
• Episode 8 (1:04:49) - On Nov. 12, it was time for Wes Gilbertson from PostMedia to have his say. We talked some more about the coach, special teams, Nik Grossmann and various hot topics.
• Episode 7 (1:01:01) - On Oct. 30, Kristen Odland from PostMedia stopped by and we looked back on a roller-coaster month of October. We also discussed Glen Gulutzan's unique coaching methods.
• Episode 6 (58:27) - On Sept. 20, before leaving the rookie tournament in Penticton, Ryan Leslie from Flames TV stopped by and we discussed which prospects stood out and  also who didn't. Includes some great insight into who Matthew Tkachuk is off the ice and his background.
• Episode 5 (1:08:24) - On Aug. 28, longtime Flames beat reporter Scott Cruickshank from PostMedia stopped by to look ahead to the season as well as reminisce about the 2004 Stanley Cup run and what it was like to cover that series both home and away. 
• Episode 4 (1:30:59) - On Aug. 14, Ryan Leslie from Flames TV stopped by and provided a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes with the Flames -- on the charter, etc. Other topics included who will play RW on the top line, who will benefit the most from the new coach.
• Episode 3 (1:34:01) - On Aug. 5, I connected with Rob Kerr again, this time to dig into a variety of other off-season topics like the Gaudreau/Monahan contract 'stalemate', Troy Brouwer and expansion.
• Episode 2 (1:28:43) - On July 19 in a more technically-sound second episode (thanks to the use of actual broadcast-quality audio equipment), Rob Kerr joined me as co-host and we debated the Flames season-opening roster. 
• Episode 1 (48:04) - In the July 11 impromptu pilot, featuring zero technology, I recapped development camp. This was was a solo effort with sub-part technology but fresh on the heels of the prospects being in town, lots of good stuff discussed.

Have you enjoyed the podcasts so far? Please stop by iTunes and rate the podcast as I understand this will make it easier to find for newcomers. Thanks for listening.



By the way, have you liked Flames From 80 Feet on Facebook yet? Do so now! It's another way to be alerted to new Calgary stories I've written, other articles from my colleagues I enjoyed and I'll also sometimes use that space to weigh in on the news of the day.

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Recent Flames Reading:

• Smart, Smart Player: Tkachuk's High Hockey IQ on Display Once Again - It seems like every game, 19-year-old (going on 29-year-old) Matthew Tkachuk makes a smart play that demonstrates his high hockey IQ. Friday night was no exception. (March 18, 2017)
• Outhouse to Penthouse: Flames Have Morphed Into One of the Best Teams in NHL - A franchise record was something many envisioned for the Flames four months ago -- only it would have been one for futility. My look at staggering turnaround. (March 14, 2017)
• Rarities: Flames Pursuing Home Ice and/or a Playoff Match-up with the Oilers - One hasn't happened for over 25 years, the other has only happened once in the last 20 years. A history lesson along with a bunch of hype for a series long overdue. (March 9, 2017)
• Stability Breeds Success: Flames Win Seven in a Row While Icing Same Line-up - Life is good these days for Glen Gulutzan, who is in auto-pilot, rolling out the same line-up game after game including same line configurations and D pairings. (March 6, 2017)
• Down and Out No More: Flames Rewarded for Their Resiliencey in Red-Hot Run - The before/after numbers are astounding. So are the W/L results. Giving up first goal is no longer a death sentence and when it occurs, Brian Elliott becomes an iron curtain. (March 4, 2017)