We'll start with the end here: I'm more optimistic about the Keenan hiring than this time yesterday. I'm as convinced as ever that turfing Playfair as the HC was the correct decision. I'm also convinced that hiring an experienced coach (one who has worked with multiple teams and rosters) was the correct decision.

While I am not one of the people who thinks that the multiple expiring contracts this season equates to starting at Square-One next season, it is nevertheless quite likely that this upcoming season presents a better opportunity to win the big trophy than the couple that follow. The Flames certainly cannot afford a rebuilding program, and beyond something the likes of Ottawa this past year, they cannot afford growing pains. So, the list of potential hires was pretty short: Scotty Bowman (sheeah right), Pat Quinn, Mike Keenan.

The reason I don't have a stronger opinion about this hire (one way or the other) is that I just don't really know or understand Mike Keenan; he's never worked for a team I care about, and apart from his parts-of-two-seasons with the Canucks, never even for a Flames' rival. For all his time in the league, I just haven't paid that much attention to him. Tom Benjamin's comments yesterday were illuminating, and though his overall take was pessimistic ("Do those positives outweigh the big negative? Not in my books. ...there's an inevitable car wreck. There always is when you put Mike Keenan in the driver's seat... I wouldn't hire him to mow my lawn."), I actually found it pretty encouraging -- certainly his first two points anyway.

Had some laffs listening to the radio yesterday: is it possible to actually hear someone biting their tongue? Rob Kerr did manage to stay on point and sketch out the big picture implication, but it was pretty clear that he was self-censoring: he desperately wanted to say This is So Unfair to Jim Playfair! It was to be expected; he's spent 3+ months months not merely disagreeing with, but mocking, anyone who said a coaching change was in order (and he continues to misrepresent Bob McKenzie's piece from after G2).

Also, having listened to Kerr, Maher, Rogers et al for an hour or so, it looks like I'm alone in believing that the Keenan hiring won't have much of an impact on the Flames' off-season. Not that we'll ever know -- absent Brian Noonan coming out of retirement, any player move from here on can be characterized with equal certainty as because of or regardless of Keenan's hiring. But to address a few new assumptions/myths directly:

*Now the Flames will rely more on (UFA) veterans and less on AHLers being promoted. I doubt it. All coaches have a use for guys who can play, and very few have any use for those who can't. The idea that the Amonte/Friesen/Nilson/Ritchie/etc. slots were all going to be filled by graduates from Omaha was never going to happen anyway (data point: the Nilson re-signing last week). Sutter said in his post-Rd1 presser that he wanted some young guys to make the team, but it would be whoever (and however many) earned it. I see no reason why this is any different now.

*Lombardi, Huselius, and Tanguay had better watch out. Really? Mike Keenan has no use for skill players who aren't always looking to make a hit? I doubt it. Pavel Bure scored 50 for Keenan in Vancouver. Tim Kerr did 3 times, and averaged less than a PIM/gm. Brian Propp wasn't exactly notorious for flying into defensemen elbows-first. And notorious Keenan fave Stephane Matteau would never be confused with Cam Neely, or even Joe Thornton, along the boards.

Look, someone is going to end up in Keenan's doghouse, and have a tough time getting out, but it's not like the Flames have been coached by Pierre Turgeon's Mom the past few years. You think any of the Flames' skill forwards are going to look at Keenan in September and go, "Huh? You want me to play two ways?" Please.

*It'll be a big adjustment for Kipper. I doubt it. For starters, he only got pulled twice this entire season (once during the 2nd Int, the other was G5 for his own protection), so he can probably handle (hell, expect) getting yanked a little more often than that. Also, he rarely gives up weak goals, he very rarely gives up awful goals, and the Flames (like most teams these days) aren't in the habit of getting in an early 2-0 hole.

I think the thing to avoid, even if you're displeased by the hiring of Keenan, is the belief that because he's had some bad breakups, and he has favourites, and he's feuded with players (couldn't get along with Brett Hull, my God what kind of personality disorder does he have!) that he behaves capriciously. There's no doubt in my mind that Keenan is going to make some moves and decisions that both baffle and infuriate me (distinguishing him not at all from his predecessor), but I certainly don't believe that they'll be due to a strange pathology or, I dunno, imbalance of bodily humours. He wants the exact same thing as Flames fans, which is to be great at his job, restore his reputation, and win the Stanley Cup RFN.

To that end, good luck, sir... we're all counting on you.