We're only 2 points out of 8th! We might be able to get the final playoff spot and be forced to play 3 meaningless games agains the hawks in the first rounds (it wouldn't go to 4 games because the league would have mercy on our souls and end it sooner).
When the goal of this team at the start of the year is to maybe finish in the 8th spot, you've already given up.
Take off the glasses and see things for what they really are.
and before anyone gives me any BS about how the kings made the 8th spot last year and won the cup, listen..... The Kings have waaaaaaaaaaaay more tallent than the Flames have in a long time. They are a younger team full of all stars in their primes, the Flames aren't. The Kings winning the cup was one of the worst things that could have happened to the Flames because too many people have the mentality of "if we just make 8th, anything can happen". Other teams are doing very well because they have good players and their good players are in their primes and don't need half of the year to get "hot". Good players are good all the time. The Flames won't make the playoffs because they aren't good enough, not because of bad breaks or injuries at the wrong time or bad bounces or bad calls, they just aren't good.
What they can do is get better through subtraction. Trade some of our "tallent" and get back whatever we can and start from scratch.