For fans of the Calgary Flames, there are really two teams that are remembered fondly in the heart-of-hearts. The first is rather obvious: the 1989 Stanley Cup team, when Cliff Fletcher’s grand project finally came together and the Flames won it all. The other is also fairly obvious: the 2004 team that nearly won it all.
The weird thing about the 2004 team is, despite it being a rag-tag bunch of players bound together by circumstance and successful because of a really good game-plan, a lot of them are still playing. This is despite the team (a) being comprised mostly of spare parts, (b) playing a physical and taxing style of game and (b) being pretty heavy on veterans.
Here’s a look at the 11 members of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finalists that are still active in professional hockey.
BRENNAN EVANS – Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)
2004 Playoffs: Evans played 2 games of the second-round series against Detroit as an injury recall from the AHL and had zero points.
Age: 32 (now), 22 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Evans has become a solid AHL journeyman; he’s suited up for the Lowell Lock Monsters, Binghamton Senators, Worcester Sharks, Iowa Chops, Toronto Marlies, Peoria Rivermen and the Grand Rapids Griffins. Of note, though? Zero regular season NHL appearances.
ANDREW FERENCE – Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
2004 Playoffs: Ference played in all 26 games, adding three assists.
Age: 35 (now), 25 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: He spent the 2004-05 lockout in the Czech Republic. He was traded by the Flames to Boston after signing a contract extension with a sweet hometown discount. He won the Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins, becoming the first member of the the 2004 team to win it. He signed with the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent and was named team captain before even playing a game.
JAROME IGINLA – Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
2004 Playoffs: With 22 points in 26 games, the captain helped bring the Flames to the brink of a Cup victory and led the team in scoring.
Age: 36 (now), 25 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Iginla hit the 500-goal mark with the Flames but couldn’t win a playoff round (or make the playoffs, even). After spending his entire career with one team, Colorado’s going to be Iginla’s fourth team since the last lockout (after stints with Boston and Pittsburgh in the interim). He won a second Olympic gold medal in 2010, but still hasn’t gotten much closer to his Stanley Cup.
CHUCK KOBASEW – Bern (NLA)
2004 Playoffs: Scored 1 point in 26 games, primarily in a checking and shut-down role.
Age: 32 (now), 22 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Kobasew carved himself out a pretty solid NHL career. He was traded to Boston, then also had stops in Minnesota, Colorado and Pittsburgh. After a stint with the Penguins’ AHL team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he signed a deal in Switzerland in the off-season.
JORDAN LEOPOLD – St. Louis Blues
2004 Playoffs: He had 10 points in 26 games as a second-pairing defender and power-play specialist.
Age: 34 (now), 23 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Leopold was traded to Colorado, then traded back to Calgary a couple seasons later. He’s since had stints with Florida, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and St. Louis.
MATTHEW LOMBARDI – New York Rangers (NHL)
2004 Playoffs: Generated 6 points in 15 games, at which point he was knocked out of the playoffs with a concussion at the hands/elbow of Derian Hatcher in the second round.
Age: 32 (now), 22 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Lombardi’s bounced around, playing with Phoenix, Nashville, Toronto, Phoenix again, Anaheim and Geneve-Servette (in Switzerland) before signing a deal this summer to return to the NHL with the Rangers.
VILLE NIEMINEN – Lukko (SM-Liiga)
2004 Playoffs: 8 points in 24 games, primarily on an energy/secondary scoring like with Nilson and Shean Donovan.
Age: 37 (now), 27 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Nieminen has played everywhere. He left the Flames after the ’04 season and has played with (deep breath)… the Rangers, the Sharks and the Blues in the NHL, Sibir Novosibirsk, Dinamo Riga and Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in the KHL, Malmo and Orebro in Allsvenskan, and Tappara and Lukko in Finland’s SM-Liiga. Oh, and he won a silver medal in the 2006 Olympics.
MARCUS NILSON – HV71 (SHL)
2004 Playoffs: 11 points in 26 games, primarily on an energy/secondary scoring line with Nieminen and Shean Donovan.
Age: 36 (now), 26 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Nilson spent a couple more seasons with the Flames, then played in the KHL (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) and the SHL (Djurgardens IF and HV71).
ROBYN REGEHR – Los Angeles Kings (NHL)
2004 Playoffs: Regehr had 9 points in 26 games as Calgary’s primary shut-down defender.
Age: 34 (now), 24 (2014 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Regehr was traded to Buffalo after a lengthy stint with the Flames. Then he was reunited with 2004 Flames coach Darryl Sutter in Los Angeles, where he won a Stanley Cup last season.
STEVE REINPRECHT – Nurnberg Ice Tigers (DEL)
2004 Playoffs: Missed entire playoff run due to injury, but would’ve gotten his name on the Cup by virtue of playing more than half of the regular season.
Age: 38 (now), 28 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: Had stints with Phoenix and the Florida Panthers organization, but then went to Europe to extend his carer. This will be his third season in the German league.
OLEG SAPRYKIN – HK Sochi (KHL)
2004 Playoffs: 6 points in 26 games, including an overtime winner in Game 5 of the Cup Finals to put Calgary a win away from a Stanley Cup.
Age: 33 (now), 23 (2004 Cup Finals)
Since 2004: After short stints with Phoenix and Ottawa, Saprykin went home to Russia and has played for CSKA Moscow, Salavat Yulaev Ufa and SKA St. Petersburg. He signed with the expansion HK Sochi team in the off-season.
