What are your expectations for the 2017/2018 season?

[SportsJunky]

Starting G and D look great. Need a top line RW, a #5 Dman and a backup goalie and I definitely think they are a playoff team. How far will they go? Depends on if they can stay healthy but I expect them to compete with Edmonton all year at the very least.

[djsFlames]

Re-sign Stone, acquire a goal scoring RW then I'll say going past round 2 is a possibility.

As we stand, making round 2 is a reasonable goal.

[MarkGio]

All I really want is for Lazar and Bennett to take the next step and play to their potential.

The rest should work itself out (ie, making the playoffs)

[Caged Great]

If the Flames do two more things

1) Re-Sign Stone
2) Get a legitimate middle six winger

Then the Flames will be fighting with Chicago, Minnesota, and Anaheim for first in the west and frankly I think the Flames have the best overall team of the group. They may even be in the running for one of the top 5 teams in the NHL. Certainly a contender for the cup.

[Bunk]

A lot depends on Smith. Defence is the most stable component of the team. Growth in offence needs to come from within. If younger guys, especially the likes of Bennett, Ferland and Tkachuk can progress, we'll be competitive. Really need all three elements to play to potential.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Bunk

A lot depends on Smith. Defence is the most stable component of the team. Growth in offence needs to come from within. If younger guys, especially the likes of Bennett, Ferland and Tkachuk can progress, we'll be competitive. Really need all three elements to play to potential.

Yup, totally agree. Bennett needs to improve and realize some of the promise he was drafted for.

I'd like to see some speed injected into the lineup as well.

[Da_Chief]

At least 16 wins in the playoffs.

[icecube]

[Gaudfather]

Or as GirlySports so aptly put it - to earn the 31st draft position in 2018!

[IrishSpring2013]

last year we didn't even have a training camp..world cup.. injuries.. hold outs.. it was a mess... our D pairings were still getting sorted out before game 1!
this year we already know our top 4 and who plays with who.. hamonic seemed to say he knows he'll line up with brodie.. that's a huge bonus already!

*knock on wood* stay healthy, no distractions.. anything that needs to get sorted in camp happens before it ends.. that will give us a HUGE YUUUGE leg up on last season in my opinion...

[calgarybean]

And with the 31st pick overall the New York Islanders pick....

[SofaProfessor]

Originally Posted by IrishSpring2013

last year we didn't even have a training camp..world cup.. injuries.. hold outs.. it was a mess... our D pairings were still getting sorted out before game 1!
this year we already know our top 4 and who plays with who.. hamonic seemed to say he knows he'll line up with brodie.. that's a huge bonus already!

*knock on wood* stay healthy, no distractions.. anything that needs to get sorted in camp happens before it ends.. that will give us a HUGE YUUUGE leg up on last season in my opinion...

I feel the same way. The start of last season felt stressful just to read about online... Can't imagine being in that room. And the start almost killed the season. Spotted a division rival 4 points to get things going.

[Bunk]

One thing I'm looking forward to and hoping for is a very different training camp and pre-season. There should be no more than a couple last cuts playing the last three games. Last year it was a mess of new system, contract dispute, injuries, and long shot prospects still playing to the end. The team was utterly unprepared to start the season and the result was a huge hole to dig ourselves out of. A strong start would go a long way to building confidence and momentum.

[GreenLantern]

Based on the moves so far it would appear Brad is expecting the Flames to go deep or at least past the first round. I think a realistic expectation is for the Flames to finish top 6 and possibly push to the conference final. Need to get the forwards sorted though, still missing top talent to play with Gaudreau and Monahan.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Based on the moves so far it would appear Brad is expecting the Flames to go deep or at least past the first round. I think a realistic expectation is for the Flames to finish top 6 and possibly push to the conference final. Need to get the forwards sorted though, still missing top talent to play with Gaudreau and Monahan.

I still think Tkachuk is a possibility on the top line. Jankowski, Ferland or Bennett with Backlund and Frolik.

[Roof-Daddy]

All u can hope for is the chance to win.

This team should push for a division title while making the playoffs and have a realistic chance to win against whatever team they face once they get there. And it should be that way for the next several years now.

[Flamenspiel]

I think there is a lot left to chance for next season and a lot will depend on how the vacancies are filled by the young players coming up and the continued development of Ferland and Bennett.

Smith should be good for around 55 games but they are going to need one of the young prospects to take 25-30 games or so. How about the 5 and 6 defensive positions and the 2 or three vacant spots on the forward lines? Really the bottom players are going to determine how far the Flames can go, and these are all unknowns right now. If players like Gillies, Rittich, Lazar, Jankowski, Kulak and other defenders work out the Flames have a bright future. They need to have depth, all the top contenders have depth.

[Gaudfather]

Treliving emphasized more than once that the message given to all Flames members on green garbage bag day this spring was "the bar is being raised" - so he is definitely looking for improvements.

With Smith and Hamonic, and no major contract holdouts, I would expect the team will be off to a much better start this October. I would like to see a strong start and then never look back.

[indes]

I expect to make some noise in the playoffs. Maybe we don't make it past the second round but if we put up a fight I'll be happy with that. Too much luck involved to say we should make the conference finals. Even Pittsburgh only made it in by 1 goal.

[dino7c]

Last year they had 45 wins despite a terrible start learning the systems ect.

This team is better already and still looking to improve...sky is the limit.