Professor’s Press Box Morning Review – November 8: Flames & Jets

It was one of those nights for Western Canada’s teams — the kind you’d rather forget. Both the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets came up short on Friday, each running into young stars who stole the show. Connor Bedard lit up the Saddledome like it was his own stage, while Macklin Celebrini kept writing his rookie fairytale in San Jose.

For Calgary and Winnipeg, the losses were more than just numbers on the scoreboard — they were reminders of how fragile momentum can be. A missed assignment here, a flat shift there, and suddenly the night slips away. Let’s take a look at what went wrong — and what it might mean — for two teams trying to find their footing again.

Game One: Flames Fall 4–0 as Bedard and the Blackhawks Dominate in Calgary

Just when it seemed like the Calgary Flames had finally found their footing, they stumbled badly on home ice. Chicago’s Connor Bedard put on a show — a goal and three assists — as the Blackhawks rolled to a 4–0 win at the Saddledome. For the Flames, it wasn’t just a loss; it was a flat, lifeless performance that undercut the small bit of momentum they had built from two straight wins.

You could sense early that something was off. The building was quiet, the legs looked heavy, and half the roster seemed to be skating in fog. MacKenzie Weegar put it bluntly afterward: “Half the guys had some energy, half didn’t.” That’s about as honest an assessment as you’ll get. Calgary’s 33 shots looked good on paper, but few tested Chicago’s Spencer Knight, who earned the shutout without breaking much of a sweat.

Head coach Ryan Huska wasn’t hiding his frustration either. “We were slow because there was a lack of execution in a lot of places with the puck, without the puck,” he said. “Lots of issues for us.” Add to that a worrying injury to young defenseman Zayne Parekh — “he’s going to miss a little bit of time,” Huska confirmed — and you’ve got a night that did nothing to ease the anxiety around a 4-10-2 team still searching for its pulse.

Game Two: Jets Grounded 2–1 by Sharks as Celebrini Steals the Show in San Jose

In San Jose, the Winnipeg Jets ran into the NHL’s newest sensation — and couldn’t quite keep up. Macklin Celebrini, the 18-year-old rookie who’s taken the league by storm, scored once and added an assist as the Sharks edged the Jets 2–1. Winnipeg had its moments, especially early, with Josh Morrissey hammering home a first-period goal from the point. But the pushback faded, and so did the structure that usually defines their game.

Head coach Scott Arniel called it like he saw it: “They were the better team for two periods… We didn’t defend very well. We gave up lots of odd-man looks.” Connor Hellebuyck kept it close with 25 saves, but there was too much loose play in front of him — too many giveaways, too many missed assignments. For a team that prides itself on balance, the details slipped through the cracks.

One bright spot: Vladislav Namestnikov played his 800th NHL game, a quiet milestone for one of the league’s steady pros. Still, the Jets head home with two straight losses and a reminder of how tight the Central Division can get in a hurry. They’ve proven they can play with structure and poise when they’re in sync. The challenge now is to get back to that before a small skid turns into something bigger.

The Bottom Line for the Flames and the Jets Last Night

In short, it wasn’t a good night for Western Canada’s clubs. Calgary looked flat and disorganized; Winnipeg looked tired. Both will want their next one to be less about damage control — and more about rediscovering who they are supposed to be.