Flames All-Time Countdown Chapter LXIII: 220-216

220. Jim Vandermeer

Vandermeer is a 6’1", 214 lb. defenseman from Caroline, Alberta. He was in the middle of his fourth season of junior hockey with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels (248 games, 34 goals, 134 assists) when the Philadelphia Flyers signed him as a free agent in December, 2000.

Before making his way to the Flames in the middle of the 2007-08 season, Vandermeer played with the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL, 148 games, six goals, 27 assists, 330 PiM), the Philadelphia Flyers (75 games, six goals, eight assists, 79 PiM), the Chicago Blackhawks (171 games, 11 goals, 41 assists, 271 PiM), and the Norfolk Admirals (AHL, 52 games, three goals, 10 assists, 164 PiM).

On February 20th, 2008, Vandermeer was traded from the Flyers to Calgary for a third round pick (Adam Morrison). He played 21 games to close out the season for the Flames, skating for 19:44 per game and failing to score on 23 shots. He assisted on two goals, posted a plus-4 rating, and spent 39 minutes in the penalty box. He posted his first assist on February 24th in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. In Calgary’s seven game series loss to the San Jose Sharks to open the postseason, he appeared in every contest, posting a minus-6 rating in 16:18 per game.

In 2008-09, Vandermeer appeared in 45 contests for the Flames, playing 16:01 per game. He scored on goal on 31 attempts, with six helpers, a plus-1 rating and a team second 108 penalty minutes. His only goal as a member of the team happened on April 6th, in a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings. He followed the season with one assist in six playoff contests against the Blackhawks.

Ensuing seasons would see Vandermeer play with the Phoenix Coyotes (62 games, four goals, eight assists, 60 PiM), the Edmonton Oilers (62 games, two goals, 12 assists, 74 PiM), San Jose Sharks (25 games, one goal, three assists, 33 PiM), the Chicago Wolves (AHL, 34 games, five goals, five assists, 66 PiM), and Kloten (Switzerland, 49 games, two goals, 10 assists, 86 PiM).

All-Time Statline: 66 games, one goal, eight assists, plus-5 rating, 147 penalty minutes, 2.52 point shares.

219. Doug Dadswell

Doug Dadswell was a 5’10", 185 lb. goaltender from Scarborough, Ontario. After posting a 37-17-4 record with the Cornell Big Red over two seasons, the Flames signed him as a free agent during the 1986 offseason.

Born on February 7th, 1964, Dadswell played most of the season with the Moncton Golden Flames, going 24-12-1 and stopping 85.2% of his shots faced and allowed 3.64 goals per 60 minutes. He also went 0-1-1 for Calgary, stopping 62-of-72 opposing shots in three contests.

Dadswell spent the whole 1987-88 season backing up number one goaltender Mike Vernon. He posted an 8-7-2 record with an .858 save percentage and a 4.37 goals against average. On November 23rd, he stopped 31-of-33 shots in a 9-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. The 10th of January would see him stop 28-of-30 Capitals shots in an 8-2 win over Washington. The season would be his last at the NHL level.

Dadswell later played with the Indianapolis Ice (IHL, 4-15-0, 6.06), the Salt Lake Golden Eagles (IHL, 15-10-3, 3.83), Team Canada, the Utica Devils (AHL, 7-9-2, .905, 3.44), the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL, IHL, 19-20-2, .878, 3.88), and the Birmingham Bulls (3-3-0, 5.39, .868).

All-Time Statline: 27 games, 8-8-3, 701 shots faced, 602 saves, .859 save percentage, 4.41 goals against average, 2.61 point shares.

218. Chris Simon

Simon, born on January 30th, 1972, was a 6’3", 233 lb. left winger. The Wawa, Ontario native was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall.

Simon got his start with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, playing four seasons with the team (115 games, 57 goals, 47 assists, 270 PiM). He closed out his OHL experience by spending most of the 1991-92 campaign with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (31 games, 19 goals, 25 assists, 143 PiM). After 16 games with the AHL’s Halifax Citadels (36 games, 12 goals, six assists, 131 PiM), he joined the Quebec Nordiques, beginning a 782 NHL career.

After his time with the Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche (146 games, 24 goals, 32 assists, 555 PiM), Simon appeared with the Washington Capitals (320 games, 72 goals, 79 assists, 666 PiM), the Chicago Blackhawks (61 games, 12 goals, six assists, 125 PiM), and the New York Rangers (65 games, 14 goals, nine assists, 225 PiM).

On March 6th, 2004, Simon was traded from the Rangers with a seventh round pick (Matt Schneider) to Calgary for Jamie McLennan, Blair Betts, and Greg Moore. He appeared in 13 games to close out the season for Calgary, skating for 16:38 per game. He lit the lamp three times on 31 shots, with a pair of assists, 25 penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. He scored his first goal for the Flames on March 13th, in a 4-4 tie with the Nashville Predators. The next night, he scored a goal and an assist as the Flames shut out the St. Louis Blues, 3-0. In the postseason, he led the NHL with 74 penalty minutes over 16 playoff contests. He scored five goals with two assists in 15 minutes per game.

After the 2004-05 season was cancelled, Simon rejoined the Flames for 2005-06. He ranked second on the club with 94 penalty minutes, achieved in 72 contests. He scored eight times on 76 shots while playing an average of 10:26 per game, dishing out 14 assists and finishing the year with an even rating. On October 23rd, he scored two goals with an assist in a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings. It was one of five occasions in which he collected multiple points. He earned an assist over six playoff contests.

During the 2006 offseason, Simon signed with the New York Islanders through free agency. After a season and a half with New York (95 games, 11 goals, 19 assists, 118 PiM), he joined the Minnesota Wild (10 games, 16 PiM), later playing five seasons in the KHL between the Chekhov Vityaz (113 games, 37 goals, 44 assists, 503 PiM), Moscow Dynamo (three games, one assist), Novokuznetsk Metallurg (52 games, four goals, three assists, 71 PiM).

All-Time Statline: 85 games, 11 goals, 16 assists, plus-1 rating, 119 penalty minutes, 2.61 point shares.

217. Steve Staios

Staios, a Hamilton, Ontario native, was born on July 28th, 1973. The 6’, 200 lb. right winger had just completed his first of three seasons in the OHL with the Niagra Falls Thunder (66 games, 17 goals, 29 assists, 115 PiM) when the St. Louis Blues selected him in the second round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, with the 27th pick off the board. He also played 53 games with the Sudbury Wolves (13 goals, 44 assists, 67 PiM).

1993-94 would see Staios begin his professional career in earnest with the Peoria Rivermen. After his time in Peoria (IHL, 104 games, six goals 23 assists, 120 PiM), he played with the Providence Bruins (AHL, seven games, one goal, four assists, eight PiM), the Boston Bruins (66 games, three goals, eight assists, 75 PiM), the Worcester IceCats (AHL, 57 games, one goal, 11 assists, 114 PiM), the Vancouver Canucks (143 games, three goals, 12 assists, 208 PiM), the Atlanta Thrashers (97 games, 11 goals, 16 assists, 203 PiM), the Edmonton Oilers (573 games, 35 goals, 111 assists, 743 PiM), and Lulea HF (Sweden, seven games, two goals, one assist, 12 PiM).

On March 2rd, 2010, Staios was traded by the Oilers to the Flames for Aaron Johnson and a third round pick (Travis Ewayyk). He played in 18 games for the Flames to close out the season, scoring a goal on 16 shots in 18:23 per contest. He tabbed an assist, spent 16 minutes in the penalty box, and finished up with a minus-8 rating. His first Calgary goal occurred on March 21st in a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

In 2010-11, Staios played 39 games for the Flames, scoring three goals on 23 shots with seven assists, a plus-6 rating, and 24 penalty minutes in 14:43 per contest. He joined the New York Islanders for the following season, earning eight assists in 65 games.

All-Time Statline: 57 games, four goals, nine assists, minus-2 rating, 40 penalty minutes, 2.64 point shares.

216. Ernie Hicke

Hicke, sometimes known as "Bubble," was born in Regina, Saskatchewan on November 7th, 1947. A 5’11", 180 lb. left winger, he played six seasons at various levels of junior hockey before turning pro. He appeared in the SJHL and the CMJHL with the Regina Pats (103 games, 49 goals, 94 assists, 279 PiM), the CPHL and CHL with the Houston Apollos (139 games, 45 goals, 63 assists, 288 PiM), and the WHL’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles (65 games, 29 goals, 26 assists).

Hicke began his NHL career in 1970-71 with the California Golden Seals (146 games, 33 goals, 37 assists, 117 PiM). On June 6th, 1972, the Flames plucked him off of California’s roster in the Expansion Draft.

Hicke played 58 games for Atlanta for their maiden voyage in 1972-73. He found the net 14 times on 120 attempts, with 23 assists, a minus-2 rating, and 37 penalty minutes. On February 13th, the Flames traded him with future considerations (Billy MacMillan) for Arnie Brown to the New York Islanders.

Hicke played in 76 games for the Islanders (eight goals, 13 assists, 66 PiM), later appearing with the Minnesota North Stars (199 games, 68 goals, 52 assists, 169 PiM), the Springfield Indians (AHL, seven games, one assist, two PiM), the Los Angeles Kings (41 games, nine goals, 15 assists, 18 PiM), the Binghamton Dusters (AHL, 21 games, six goals, 18 assists, six PiM), and the Dallas Black Hawks (CHL, 111 games, 19 goals, 50 assists, 136 PiM).

All-Time Statline: 58 games, 14 goals, 23 assists, minus-2 rating, 37 penalty minutes, 2.65 point shares.