If 2013-2014 was the start of the five-year rebuild, then the Flames are right on schedule or a little ahead thanks to the 2014-2015 team.
In 2014, they were supposed to be bad. They were.
In 2015, they were supposed to be bad. They weren't. It was the most exciting edition since '04.
In 2016, they were probably supposed to be respectable. Instead, they were awful.
In 2017, they were probably supposed to compete for a playoff spot. They did, and exceeded my own expectations by making it (not sure what management expected).
This is year five of the rebuild, I guess. Yet, with the successes in '15 and '17, not to mention all the additions and not having a draft pick till round 4, it's pretty clear management thinks the team can and should take the next step.
Independent of a comparative analysis of all the Western teams, I expect the 2017-18 Flames to make the playoffs.
|