Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
Dallas was in the playoffs in 18-19, and it was a 7 game loss to St.Louis in round 2 OT that knocked them out. So after that 2017 draft they didn't suck for long. Next season they were top 4 Conference side in the bubble and made the Stanley Cup Final. Had a horrific start to the Covid year in a really hard Division and missed the playoffs and have progressively improved the last three seasons.
It's a low tax area that can attract players and a large city where the players don't get bothered too much away from the rink. So that's an edge they have. But Hintz in round 2 of 16, that epic top 3 in 2017 plus adding Pavelski as a UFA did get them moving the right way
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Thing is those players in the 2017 draft (outside of Heiskanen) didn't really start helping them until more recently and it was a different core that made it to the finals in 2020.
For the Flames to truly have a quicker turnaround they would have needed to have an amazing draft in 2020 or 2021 that would be starting to help them now. And if Tkachuk/Gaudreau didn't leave.
The strong drafts in 2017, and 2021 is what has allowed them to bridge from the old core that was strong in 18/19 and in the 2020 bubble playoff, to the new core that is leading them this season.