So what can we do in the meantime? Well I guess we can use Google Translate to search Kipper’s local newspapers for ‘Kiprusoff’ and ‘retirement,’ and we can speculate what a good post-NHLer job would be for him.

First off the search. Well, according to http://www.mtv3.fi he is not planning on returning to play in Finland next year. That’s kinda news I guess.

Secondly – and most importantly - what would be a good job for Kipper in retirement? I’m going to put my money on a Customs Officer at Turku’s International Airport - Turavia. Because all you need is a stone-face and no personality!

I guess the things we wait for now are the announcement of Kiprusoff’s retirement decision, the run of Iginla in the playoffs, draft day excitement, and free agency at the beginning of July. Although that is a lot, it sure would be nice to have some playoffs of our own to watch.

Calgary can finish anywhere from 24th to 28th overall, or the 3rd to the 8th overall pick. Third is great, 8th? not quite as great. But you know what they say, you can only take care of your own business. If the Flames lose tonight to Chicago and Carolina, Edmonton, Nashville and Tampa Bay all win? Then we’re sitting pretty. However if any of those teams lose then we will remain ahead of them. Interestingly enough, if Tampa Bay wins and Calgary and Carolina lose, then all three teams will have identical records.

On second thought, Tampa Bay would still be behind Calgary because of the wins in regulation tie-breaker. Carolina and Calgary will still be tied, then it would go to the season series (which didn’t happen), so then it would go to goal differential. Calgary is -30, Carolina is -27 – so we’d win! By win I mean finish below the horrible Hurricanes! Huzzah!

However because of the recent success of this overall unsuccessful team, the race is now for the 4th overall pick. Florida will pick first, Colorado will pick second and Tampa Bay will pick third.

The race for the 4th pick, which will likely be Valeri Nichushkin - a 6′ 4″ 202 lbs left winger from Russia. The race is between four team, Calgary, Edmonton, Nashville and Carolina. Calgary leads all these teams with 42 points – the remainder are all tied at 41.

Come on Calgary – let’s lose the last two games!

We’re also cheering for St. Louis to lose as well. If they lose their last two games and Toronto, Washington and the New York Islanders win, then Calgary moves from a 21st overall pick to a 17th overall pick.

So for the final two games of the year I’m cheering for Edmonton and Toronto. What happened to me? I used to be cool.

Calgary currently sits in 24th place, which means ether a 7th or 8th overall pick, because they’ve gone 6-4 in their last 10 games. Meaningless games no less. The teams below them all have either 1,2 or 3 wins in their last 10 — this includes Edmonton, who’s made tanking in the late season into an art form.

St. Louis is in 10th, and Pittsburg is in 2nd. So if there was to be a draft today the Flames would likely be picking 7th, 20th and 29th in the first round. Here is what those picks would look like if there were a draft today.

Ht/Wt:6′ 0″/190 lbs
Position: C
Team: Brynäs (SWE)

Ht/Wt:6′ 2″/205 lbs
Position: D
Team: MODO (SWE)

Ht/Wt:5’11″/175 lbs
Position: C
Team: Regina (WHL)

Steve Begin scored twice (that’s right – he was also Puck Daddy’s number one star of the night), although I’m not sure what Howard was thinking on the second one. Check this out:

So in a game that the Flames wanted to lose, to get closer to last and to help Detroit get closer to passing St. Louis (therfore a higher pick for Calgary); Mikka Kipprusof comes out with a very non-Kipper-like performance of 36 saves on 38 shots.

All joking aside, in honour of his last couple games in Calgary (probably) here are the top 10 saves over Miikka’s career as a Calgary Flame.

The score flatters the Flames here, as this game was not close until the final 30 seconds of the game. That’s not true, the first period was all Calgary but Minnesota scored first and the Flames were unable to answer back with any kind of push until late in the third.

Glencross returned from injury, however Anton Babchuk, Brian McGrattan, Matt Stajan and Alex Tanguay all remain hurt and it doubtful any will return for this year.

Through all this I’ll try to stay on top of the current Calgary Flames line combinations, but they seem to change from period to period.

Calgary remains tied with Carolina at 26th, which if they finished the season now would give Calgary a 10% chance at Seth Jones. That would leave someone like Aleksander Barkov or Valeri Nichushkin to be selected 4th overall.

We lost Alex Tanguay when his knee buckled under him while battling for puck in the Coyotes end. He was helped off the ice and was not putting weight on his left leg.

“It doesn’t look good, the doctors were around him when I got in (the dressing room),” said Flames coach Bob Hartley. “I didn’t see it but (assistant coach) Marty Gelinas saw a replay somewhere and said it’s ugly.”

You’re not going to win with goaltending like that.

Or maybe it’s just a strategy for better odds at getting Seth Jones. Calgary is once again one point ahead of last place. One can only dream I guess.

“Portland Winterhawks defenseman Seth Jones holds down the top spot in the ISS rankings. Sitting in second for the second consecutive month is Russian forward Valery Nichushkin. The two Halifax Mooseheads’ forwards, Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, hold the third and fourth slots while Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds’ defender Darnell Nurse hangs onto the fifth position.”