With the Calgary Flames out of the playoff picture, the Red Mile might just have to start catering to Canuckleheads.
Normally all about serving Flames fans, Melrose Cafe and Bar owner Wayne Leong said his popular sports lounge will start showing games featuring the Vancouver Canucks during the NHL playoffs.
“We’re forced to become Canuck fans now, we truly are,” Leong said. “It’s positive that there’s a Canadian team out west still in the playoffs.”
Leong would have rather seen the Flames go on another lengthy playoff run like they did back in 2004 when they came within one victory of winning the Stanley Cup.
“It is very disappointing,” said Leong, estimating that business on weekday nights is likely to drop by 20 to 30 per cent while weekend sales shouldn’t see any sizeable impact. “It’s definitely going to impact our business for sure. Weekends aren’t as bad. Summer is around the corner.”
Meanwhile at the Black Swan Ale House in southwest Calgary, owner/operator Kade Klimchuk said Calgary’s lacklustre play down the stretch run prompted many fans to go missing in action.
“It has really taken a bit of the swagger out of Flames fans,” said Klimchuk, who also recalled Calgary’s stellar showing six seasons ago. “We probably saw a 20 per cent increase in those months when the Flames made that run. That’s something we were looking forward to, but we’ll have to wait again until next year.”
