Way Back When...A look at the last time the Flames were well above .500

The Calgary Flames of 2014-2015 have certainly surpassed all of our fans' wildest dreams and expectations made in the pre-season (and if not, I accuse you of lying). Of course, as dedicated Flames fans, we all know this already. It has made us extra proud to don our Flames jerseys here in Calgary and around the continent this year. But how long has it been since the Flames have had a record this good?

With the Flames' record currently sitting at 33-24-4, the Flames already have more wins than what was expected. Let's now count the Flames' overtime and shootout losses as regular losses. This leaves them with a 33-28 record. Hear that, loser point? We don't like you (unless you're helping the Flames). Being five games above .500 doesn't seem like much, but it has taken quite a while to get back to this far above .500. Just recently we were seven games above .500, which hadn't been achieved for quite some time.

Now, we look back on the last day that the Flames were at seven games above.

On January 9th, 2010, (YES, over five years ago!!!) our Flames defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout in Vancouver. Since then, the Flames are 3-9-4 in Vancouver.

This was the last time the Flames' record ever got to where it is today. With that win, the Flames upped their record to 26-14-5, therefore to 26-19 for this article's sake and because losses are losses. They were seven games above .500, which the Flames finally achieved again after the epic OT win over Boston back on Feb. 16. They've since fallen to just five games over .500, but getting back to seven is definitely still within reach.

Now we take a look back at the date and the roster, as well as other facts about the Flames during that season.

Notes from Jan. 9, 2010 along with where the players now play:

• Jamie Lundmark (February 2010, claimed off waivers by TOR) scored a goal and the winning goal in the shootout
• Brandon Prust and Rick Rypien squared off in two(!) fights that evening
• The Flames defensive lineup consisted of Dion Phaneuf (TOR), Jay Bouwmeester (STL), Mark Giordano (CGY!), Cory Sarich (UFA), Adam Pardy (WPG), and Robyn Regehr (LAK)...I think we made the right choice on who to keep
• The Flames forwards consisted of Brian McGrattan (Adirondack), Jarome Iginla *miss you* (COL), Nigel Dawes (KHL), Dustin Boyd (KHL), Rene Bourque (ANA), Curtis Glencross (CGY...for now), Olli Jokinen (TOR...lol), Daymond Langkow (UFA), Eric Nystrom (NSH), David Moss (PHX), Brandon Prust (MTL), and Jamie Lundmark (Austrian Hockey League)
• Miikka Kiprusoff and Roberto Luongo were in net that evening
• Mark Giordano and Mason Raymond (now in CGY) both received 10 minute misconducts against one other, and hopefully they've made up by now
• The Flames have only three players from the roster on that night still in the organization, and only two playing in the NHL

Here's some other Flames information from that season:

• It was the 30th season since moving to Calgary
• Brent Sutter was in his first season of coaching the Flames
• Darryl Sutter was the General Manager
• The Oilers were awful
• The Abbotsford Heat played their first season in Abbotsford
• Dion Phaneuf was traded just over three weeks after that game
• The Flames played in the Pengrowth Saddledome
• The Oilers were really awful
• Miikka Kiprusoff won his 200th game as a Flame
• Sean Monahan was 15, Johnny Gaudreau was 16, and Bob Hartley hadn't yet hit 50
• Iggy set up Crosby for the Golden Goal at the Olympics
• And of course, the Oilers were still pretty awful

In the five years since, the majority of that roster has left Calgary, and now they have a solid roster of young guys who have rounded into perhaps the best Flames team in recent memory. With the hard work that has been done by the coaches, players, and the front office, these Flames have given us fans something extra special to embrace, a great record that we haven't seen in over five years. The commitment they have given us makes us proud to be Flames fans. We can keep our heads held high as we cheer on the Flames through this final stretch run towards the playoffs! Go Flames Go!