Alex Tanguay has been medically cleared after his season was cut short due to a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Tanguay ended up with 11 goals and 27 points in 40 games this season. He's getting ready for the third campaign of his five-year/$17.5 million deal.

Alex Tanguay admitted that he was distracted the last month of the season after teammates Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester were dealt away. Tanguay missed the last two weeks of the season with a medial collateral ligament sprain in his knee. "I was playing pretty good the first 20 to 25 games of the year, and then when the distraction came about, I think mentally I got a little bit affected by it," Tanguay said. "And that's on me. You have to be a professional. You have to play your best every night. But I've got some good years of hockey ahead of me, and I'm hoping that I can be a key contributor in this organization." Tanguay has three years left on his contract at $3.5 million per season and could be a candidate to be bought out by the Flames. Stay tuned.

Alex Tanguay will miss the remainder of the season with a Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his knee. He's expected to need four-to-six weeks of recovery time. Tanguay suffered the injury in Friday's overtime win over Phoenix. He'll finish the year with 11 goals and 27 points in 40 games.

Calgary left winger Alex Tanguay left the Flames' game Friday midway through due to a knee injury after he became tangled with the Coyotes' Kyle Chipchura at the boards. Tanguay's left foot was caught as he fell and his scream while his leg was twisted could be heard all the way up to the press box. "It doesn't look good," Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "The doctors were around him when I got in (the room). I didn't see it, but Marty Gelinas saw a replay somewhere and said it's ugly."

Alex Tanguay is getting used to life on a rebuilding squad. "Mentally, it's been unbelievably tough for a while now, but that's part of hockey," Tanguay said. "My first few years in the league, I thought this was easy having a chance to win a Stanley Cup year in and year out. And it's certainly not that way." Tanguay is signed through 2015-16, so he'll provide a veteran presence during the rebuilding process. Tanguay has previously stated that he's happy in Calgary despite their decision to trade away some of their top players, so Tanguay isn't likely to request to be traded over the summer.

Even as the Calgary Flames deal away their top players, Alex Tanguay isn't requesting a trade. "I'm happy here," Tanguay said. "I signed a five-year deal a year-and-a-half ago, and certainly with the intention of being here for that deal. I like the city. I like the team. I like the organization. I'm hoping that things are going to work out here, but the team makes decisions for what's best for them, and I'm sure they're looking for their own best interests. We'll see." Tanguay has nine goals and 25 points in 34 games this season.

Alex Tanguay enjoyed playing with Jarome Iginla for five of the last seven seasons. Tanguay has had two stints with the Flames. "He's been a superstar in this league," said Tanguay of Iginla. "He's going to be a Hall of Famer. It's been a privilege playing with him. He's a role model. The kids that have grown up in this city the last 15 years, for most of them Jarome Iginla is their idol. It's sad to see it come to this day, but it's the business we're in. I guess there's not much we can do." After Tanguay had a poor season in Tampa Bay, Iginla apparently pushed the Flames to bring back his old teammate. Tanguay rewarded the Flames for their trust in him by scoring 22 goals and 69 points in his first season back. The Flames went on to ink Tanguay to a five-year, $17,500,000 million extension.

Alex Tanguay's 17 points in 22 games this season may not look so bad, but his inconsistency continues to plague him as an unreliable fantasy performer. Tanguay has registered points during streaks of seven games, four games and on two other occasions this season. After failing to contribute in Calgary's loss to Anaheim on Friday, Tanguay has no points in his last three.

Alex Tanguay appreciates what he accomplished in his early years with the Colorado Avalanche more now. Tanguay was drafted by Colorado in 1998 and made his debut in 1999-2000. "My first year, we lost Game 7 of the conference finals," Tanguay said. "Second year we won the Stanley Cup. My third year we lost Game 7 of the conference finals. I thought 'This is it. This is going to come very naturally.' Ever since that, I've never got a sniff. Never really got close to winning it." Tanguay scored the game-winning goal against the New Jersey Devils to win the Stanley Cup. He hasn't played for Colorado since 2005-06, but he still cherishes Denver. He'll get a chance to play there on Thursday.

Alex Tanguay had Calgary's only goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to Minnesota Tuesday night. He scored with the man advantage in the first period, but the Flames couldn't hold off the Wild in the third. Mike Cammalleri and Jay Bouwmeeser had the assists on Tanguay's sixth goal of the year.