Flames at Blues preview: Improved defense is the key

Last season, the Calgary Flames missed the playoffs - a disappointment considering how hard they fought to crack the top eight in the West the year before. They re-tooled their lineup, jettsoning Troy Brouwer and bringing aboart James Neal. Neal was a recent Stanley Cup competitor with the Vegas Golden Knights, and help take an expansion team from obscurity to the big stage in their first season.

Why not do that with a team that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1989?

So far that plan appears to be working. After dropping their first game, the Flames have won two straight. Their top two lines have been clicking - Johnny Gaudreau already has six assists on the season, and Sean Monahan has four…