The air is becoming very stale in Calgary. The club is always near the ceiling of the salary cap, and the fan base is rabid and ready-to-go. With Jarome Iginla leading the way, certainly a return trip to the Cup final is around the corner.

Not so fast.

With four consecutive first-round exits in the playoffs, the club signed another blue chip defenseman, Jay Bouwmeester, to go along with Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. It could be enough to help reverse the playoff trend. The team finished 23rd in team defense and if the club can cut its 3.00GAA by a quarter percentage point, it would go a long way toward a second-round appearance.

Making matters worse is the fact that goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff is overworked. In the four post-lockout seasons, “Kipper” has started or appeared in 292 of 320 regular season games. The backup position is up for grabs between Leland Irving (2006 draft) and Curtis McElhinny, last year’s backup. Kiprusoff can’t be expected to work 70+ games every year.

While there are six defensemen signed beyond this season, there are only six forwards who are similarly secured. Fred Sjostrom, David Moss, Curtis Glencross, Daymond Langkow, Iginla and Nigel Dawes.

Daymond Langkow’s goals (21) and shots (161) have declined in each of the past three seasons. Now, with Mike Cammalleri gone to Montreal, taking 39 goals with him, Langkow and Olli Jokinen will have to put forth career-years in order to vault Calgary into the second round or further. Left wing Rene Bourque was a nice acquisition for Sutter, and perhaps the 27 year-old can pick up some of Cammalleri’s slack as well. Bourque, who spent the first three seasons of his career in Chicago, vaulted to 21 goals last season.

Todd Bertuzzi took his declining act to Detroit, which means that 2004 draftee Chris Chucko, a 6’2, 200 lb. left wing, will likely get a shot, at least on the third or fourth line. Swede Mikael Backlund will likely return to junior, but the center will get a long look this year.

Whether Olli Jokinen receives a new deal after this season, whether Phaneuf and Iginla are in the same town once more, all will be revealed by the team’s ability to advance past the first playoff round. There are more than enough big names—especially with the addition of Bouwmeester—to get back to the conference final or further. Any excuses have run out, and it’s truly make-or-break time for GM Darryl and Coach Brent Sutter.