My Prediction for the 2021-22 season

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

He's extremely conservative in terms of making substantial roster changes that will actually effect change. He's the master of nibbling around the edges of a flawed roster, with no identity. His trade history the last 3 years as it relates to a forward group that has been so lacking is shocking considering how bad the group has been. He missed his chance to extract value from almost everyone by playing a silly patient game hoping players turned into more than what they clearly were.

Brad is like the guy at the gym who is there every day, exploring all the equipment but never really improving since he isn't truly willing to push the limits and put himself on the hot seat. If the Flames don't smarten up and punt him, this organization is going to be doomed to another 7 years of completely unnecessary mediocrity brought on by someone who has lost their touch completely or really never had it at all.

As I said in my other reply that just isn't the case.

Two big Hamilton trades.
Brodie almost traded, and then let go.
Hamonic acquired.
Free agents added to the core.

You don't have to like the moves for sure, but there certainly have been some to judge.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Bingo

As I said in my other reply that just isn't the case.

Two big Hamilton trades.
Brodie almost traded, and then let go.
Hamonic acquired.
Free agents added to the core.

You don't have to like the moves for sure, but there certainly have been some to judge.

Last big trade occurred 3 years ago, (Carolina & Flames)

Flames have been aggressive with UFA signings,

Flames have lost players via free agency and now the expansion draft

However the core with the Forwards has not changed....

(i.e. I doubt Coleman is a core player)

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Yeah I think we saw in the Sutter section of last season that the team is going to be a top ten club in terms of shot and chance metric splits

(Flames were 2nd in CF% and 3rd in xGF% from when he took over).

That should work reasonably well with a solid goaltender in net. The Flames should be a tough team to play against.

Adding Coleman is a plus for sure, losing Giordano probably a bigger negative.

The big thing is the internal change. Do Gaudreau and Tkachuk bounce back? Does Valimaki find his path again? Andersson reverse a negative trend? Do we get old Monahan back or the guy from the last two years?

I have a feeling we could be pleasantly surprised.

How will Sutter work with possession black holes Zadorov and Pitlick replacing possession stars Ryan, Lievo, Gio , Stone and Nordstrom? 5 out of the top 10 possession players from last year are gone. 6 out of 11 when including Bennett

The Flames will likely be a harder team to play against but their possession stats will likely fall out of the upper echelon.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

How will Sutter work with possession black holes Zadorov and Pitlick replacing possession stars Ryan, Lievo, Gio , Stone and Nordstrom? 5 out of the top 10 possession players from last year are gone. 6 out of 11 when including Bennett

The Flames will likely be a harder team to play against but their possession stats will likely fall out of the upper echelon.

Of the players you mentioned I think Ryan will be a big loss. He was a jack of all trades and pretty under rated. I didn’t think much of him until he was injured and out of the lineup for a while. When he came back the team performance went up quite a bit.

Gio’s leadership will be missed but I think zadorov will add another layer.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

As of this moment, I've got:

Vegas
Edmonton
Vancouver
Calgary/LA
Anaheim
San Jose
Seattle

On the cusp of playoffs, which seems about right for Flames fans. What year is it?

Seattle has at the very least as good or better goalies and a defense lead by Gio that would appear to be more solid than the one that Calgary is putting out to start the season.

How bad did you think Gio was last season?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

How will Sutter work with possession black holes Zadorov and Pitlick replacing possession stars Ryan, Lievo, Gio , Stone and Nordstrom? 5 out of the top 10 possession players from last year are gone. 6 out of 11 when including Bennett

The Flames will likely be a harder team to play against but their possession stats will likely fall out of the upper echelon.

Certainly a concern for sure.

I'd put it down to Giordano and Ryan though, not too worried about the others given career averages, ice time and role.

Coleman is a possession beast as well, and will have a way bigger forward impact than Ryan did (same reasoning; ice time, role)

Pretty sure we will still see a Stone signing as well.

But Giordano is certainly a hole to keep an eye on.

Tanev has to have a similar season, Hanifin has to prove it wasn't a blip, and Valimaki and Andersson have to get back on the tracks they were on.

Zadarov is similar to what Stone used to be. Didn't move the needle offensively or in transition to have positive splits, but his actual prevention stats were always decent. Zadarov in CA60 is basically a 4th defenseman, in xGA60 he's 3rd defenseman (opposite of all the Nurse talk this week).

Not a complete 200 foot defenseman but pretty decent on the prevention side of the puck.

[Enoch Root]

psst, Bongo: it's Zadorov

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Certainly a concern for sure.

I'd put it down to Giordano and Ryan though, not too worried about the others given career averages, ice time and role.

Coleman is a possession beast as well, and will have a way bigger forward impact than Ryan did (same reasoning; ice time, role)

Pretty sure we will still see a Stone signing as well.

But Giordano is certainly a hole to keep an eye on.

Tanev has to have a similar season, Hanifin has to prove it wasn't a blip, and Valimaki and Andersson have to get back on the tracks they were on.

Zadarov is similar to what Stone used to be. Didn't move the needle offensively or in transition to have positive splits, but his actual prevention stats were always decent. Zadarov in CA60 is basically a 4th defenseman, in xGA60 he's 3rd defenseman (opposite of all the Nurse talk this week).

Not a complete 200 foot defenseman but pretty decent on the prevention side of the puck.

Coleman became a possession beast when he joined Gourde and Goodrow in Tampa. He was below 50 in New Jersey. Will he be playing with linemates of the Gourde Goodrow level?

Maybe Backlund and Mangiapane on the shutdown line?

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

Coleman became a possession beast when he joined Gourde and Goodrow in Tampa. He was below 50 in New Jersey. Will he be playing with linemates of the Gourde Goodrow level?

Maybe Backlund and Mangiapane on the shutdown line?

I could see that line being good and putting up some points

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by flambers

Last big trade occurred 3 years ago, (Carolina & Flames)



Flames have been aggressive with UFA signings,



Flames have lost players via free agency and now the expansion draft



However the core with the Forwards has not changed....



(i.e. I doubt Coleman is a core player)

Coleman is in the first year of a brand new six-year deal. It is hard to imagine how else one would define a "core player," if not by this.


Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Coleman is in the first year of a brand new six-year deal. It is hard to imagine how else one would define a "core player," if not by this.


Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Sorry but a UFA getting signed to a lengthy contract does not mean he is a core player

Hopefully, he can develop into a key piece

However there is no guarantee

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by flambers

Sorry but a UFA getting signed to a lengthy contract does not mean he is a core player



Hopefully, he can develop into a key piece



However there is no guarantee

What exactly is a "core player" in your mind, and how does Coleman not satisfy that definition already?

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[MrMike]

Same way I didn’t consider Lucic or Neal ever a core piece.

I’d consider a core piece the 5-6 players/biggest roles.

Gaudreau
Monahan
Lindholm
Tkachuk
Backlund to a lesser degree.
Maybe Tanev
Markstrom

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Same way I didn’t consider Lucic or Neal ever a core piece.

I’d consider a core piece the 5-6 players/biggest roles.

Gaudreau
Monahan
Lindholm
Tkachuk
Backlund to a lesser degree.
Maybe Tanev
Markstrom

I completely agree that salary does not determine role, but I also don't see why Coleman—who is a possession monster that was brought in to improve the top-six for the foreseeable future—would not immediately qualify as in the mix for one of those 5/6 players/biggest roles.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

What exactly is a "core player" in your mind, and how does Coleman not satisfy that definition already?

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There is not one definition

But for me, it’s the guy that are on your top line, your number 1 dman, on the #1 PP and starting goalie

For the Flames it would be Johnny, Tkachuk, Lindholm, unfortunately Monahan and of course Markstrom. Nobody on defense now.

[Pipty]

Why expect anything different from the flames of the last 3 decades with one or two outliers where we had the best player in the league for those seasons. Basically a 9-12 place finish in the west.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

What exactly is a "core player" in your mind, and how does Coleman not satisfy that definition already?

wHeThEr I lIeK tHeM oR nOt

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Same way I didn’t consider Lucic or Neal ever a core piece.

I’d consider a core piece the 5-6 players/biggest roles.

Gaudreau
Monahan
Lindholm
Tkachuk
Backlund to a lesser degree.
Maybe Tanev
Markstrom

I’d add Hanifin to your list. Per your other comment I think Lucic will be a key leader with Giordano gone. Whether or not he’s a key player on the ice.

[saillias]

I subbed to Jfresh's patreon (the guy making all the player cards we keep seeing) just to get a full picture of the Flames.

His model is pretty high on the team relative to the mood of the fanbase. I'm not sure if he's good with having his paywalled visuals shared but it has our forwards ranked 13th, defense 16th (but 7th defensively) and goaltending is surprisingly our weak spot at 19th.

Other interesting points are that our PK projects to be 1st and our forwards are ranked 3rd defensively. We are projected to have 98 points.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Goriders

I’d add Hanifin to your list. Per your other comment I think Lucic will be a key leader with Giordano gone. Whether or not he’s a key player on the ice.

Lucic?

You can’t be a core player when the team is probably better off without you?