The Calgary Flames shouldn’t be so quick to throw Cory Sarich out with the bath water – or keep him anchored in the press box.

The coaching staff may not be pleased with his play in 15 games – which is why he has been a healthy scratch for 12 others – but Sarich offers an element that no other Calgary blue-liner has in his repertoire. That being physical play.

The Flames blue-line corps is the welcome wagon of the NHL. The Calgary defence ranks last in the NHL with 5.8 hits per game. That’s about half what the league-leading Dallas Stars defence averages (11.23).

And Calgary’s average was built largely on the efforts of Sarich in 15 games and Mark Giordano in 23 games before his serious injury. Prorate the current crop of Calgary blue-liners and they’re averaging just under four hits per game. Talk about western hospitality.

What does this all mean? Opposing forwards are very aware of the fact they can go into the Calgary zone, dangle around, freelance, and not get made part of the board advertising. It’s a growing reputation that is in stark contrast to the days not so long ago of punishing bruisers Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr and Sarich.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m impressed with the confident, smooth play of rookies Derek Smith and T.J. Brodie and I think Jay Bouwmeester is playing his best hockey as a Flame. Chris Butler has been solid and Scott Hannan is a cool customer who thinks the game well. I just wish the latter three would take the body more and exact a toll for foes who buzz around in full comfort. But they’re not natural hitters and that’s where Sarich comes in.

Sarich ranked 17th among NHL defenceman last year with 175 hits. (Phaneuf was 12th, Regehr 13th). There are issues with Sarich’s skating, but having him on the ice delivers the type of muscle-flexing message Calgary needs if it wants to give Miikka Kiprusoff some defensive help. At the very least, getting Sarich playing again will make him more marketable on the trade front in February if Calgary is out of the playoff picture.

With the Flames being the worst team in the faceoff circle and the most passive defence in terms of hits, having a hitter like Sarich in the lineup will help uphold the law in an area where the puck spends a lot of time – the Calgary zone.