Flames All-Time Countdown Chapter CXIV: 46-45

46. Kristian Huselius

Born on the 10th of November, 1978 in Osterhaninge, Sweden, Huselius is a 6’1", 185 lb. left winger. The Florida Panthers selected him in the second round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft with the 47th overall pick.

Huselius got his start in the Swedish Hockey League with Farjestads BK Karlstad (75 games, eight goals, five assists) starting in 1996-97. He then suited up with Vastra Frolunda HC (119 games, 55 goals, 60 assists) for most of three seasons ending in 2000-01.

The 2001-02 season would see Huselius make his NHL debut with the Panthers. He played the better part of the next four seasons with the club, totaling 58 goals and 69 assists over 257 contests. During the work stoppage, he played with Linkopings HC back in Sweden, scoring 14 goals and 35 assists in only 34 games. On December 2nd, 2005, the Panthers traded him to the Flames for Steve Montador and Dustin Johner.

Through 54 games for Calgary in 2005-06, Huselius scored 15 times (team fifth) on 107 shots, and added 24 assists (18 with the man-advantage), a plus-2 rating, and 36 penalty minutes. He played 14:55 per night, playing mostly between Calgary’s second and third lines. He also ranked fourth on the team with four game winning markers. He totaled 16 points over his first 13 contests with the team. He assisted on each of Calgary’s goals in his very first game, a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. On New Year’s Eve, he earned an assist and scored the game winner with 1:15 remaining in regulation as the Flames topped the Edmonton Oilers, 6-5. Calgary finished with 103 points, with a 46-25-11 record. They lost in the first round of the postseason in seven games to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Huselius scored twice with four helpers, appearing in every game.

2006-07 would see Huselius rank third on the club with a career 9.4 point shares. He tied for the team lead with 81 appearances, and played 17:23 per night. He lit the lamp 34 times (team second) on 173 shots with 43 helpers (team fourth), a plus-21 rating (team fourth), and 26 minutes in the penalty box. He was second on the club with six game winners, and led the team with 34 power play points (14 goals, 20 assists). He had 20 multiple point games, including five three-point efforts. On March 12th, he had a goal and three assists in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. The team finished with a 43-29-10 record, but lost in the first round of the postseason in six games to the Detroit Red Wings. Huselius tabbed two assists through the series.

2007-08 would see Huselius play in 81 games for the second year in a row. His 66 points and five game winning shots were second only to Jarome Iginla. He scored 25 times on 202 shots with 41 assists, a plus-10 rating, and 40 penalty minutes. He averaged 17:42 per game. He played in 15 games where he earned more than one point, including six games with three or more. Over a four game span from the 13th through the 18th of December, he totaled 13 points starting with a three goal, two assist 9-6 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The streak also included a one goal, four assist performance three nights later as the Flames topped the Blues, 5-3. The team went 42-30-10 before losing in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the San Jose Sharks. Huselius earned four assists in seven games.

During the 2008 offseason, Huselius signed on with the Columbus Blue Jackets. In three seasons, he scored 58 goals with 84 assists over 189 games. He retired just after the NHL lockout ended, before the 2013 season was played.

All-Time Statline: 216 games, 74 goals, 108 assists, plus-33 rating, 102 penalty minutes, 21.32 point shares.

45. German Titov

Titov was a 6’1", 203 lb. left winger from Moscow. Born on October 16th, 1965, the left hander played eight seasons with Voskresensk Khimik in the Russian League. After a season with TPS Turku in the Finnish League (47 games, 25 goals, 19 assists), he was drafted by Calgary in the 10th round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft with the 252nd overall pick.

In his first season in the NHL, Titov ranked sixth on the team with 76 games, 27 goals, 45 assists, and a plus-20 rating. He took 153 shots on goal, and earned 18 assists with 28 penalty minutes. On November 13th, he earned three assists as the Flames defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3. Calgary posted a 42-29-13 record, then lost in the opening round in seven games to the Canucks. Titov had two goals and an assist.

1994-95 would see Titov score a dozen goals (team fourth) on 88 shots with as many assists, a plus-6 rating, and 16 penalty minutes over his 40 appearances. On February 4th, he scored his first career hat trick, lighting the lamp three times on four shots in a 4-1 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Flames finished up with a 24-17-7 record, then lost in seven games to the San Jose Sharks in the opening round of the postseason. Titov scored five times with three assists.

In 1995-96, Titov ranked second on the Flames in each offensive category, with 28 goals on 214 shots and 39 assists in 82 games. He also posted a plus-9 rating and spent 24 minutes in the penalty box. He posted multiple points 16 times over the course of the season. He scored 18 points over 11 games from November 29th through December 20th, including a two goal, two assist performance on December 13th in an 8-4 win over the Dallas Stars. On January 16th, he did everything he could, scoring once with four assists as the Los Angeles Kings played the Flames to a 5-5 tie. Calgary qualified for the playoffs at 34-37-11, but lost in four straight to the Chicago Blackhawks. Titov earned a pair of assists in the losing effort.

Titov played in 79 contests for the 1996-97 Flames, ranking third on the team with 22 goals (on 192 shots), 30 assists, and 52 total points. He earned 36 penalty minutes and a minus-12 rating. He also led the team with 25 power play points, on 12 goals and 13 assists. He earned his second career hat trick on December 22nd, also pitching in an assist in a 7-2 laugher over the Phoenix Coyotes. The Flames were no great shakes that year, stumbling to a 32-41-9 record and a decent draft pick.

1997-98 would be Titov’s last season for Calgary. He played in 68 games and scored 18 goals on 133 shots, along with 22 assists, a minus-1 rating and 38 penalty minutes. He only scored multiple goals once, on January 20th as the Flames dropped one to the Kings, 4-3. The Flames skated off to a franchise worst 26-41-15 record.

During the 1998 offseason, the Flames traded Titov to the Pittsburgh Penguins with Todd Hlushko for Ken Wregget and Dave Roche. Titov played parts of two seasons for the Pens (135 games, 28 goals, 70 assists), later spending time with the Edmonton Oilers (seven games, zero goals, four assists) and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (137 games, 22 goals, 25 assists). After a year off from pro hockey, he played two more seasons with Voskresensk (87 games, 12 goals, 31 assists) before retiring in Calgary.

All-Time Statline: 345 games, 107 goals, 121 assists, plus-22 rating, 142 penalty minutes, 21.62 point shares.