Aaron Ward predicts Flames make 2014/2015 Playoffs

[Mass_nerder]

Just soak it in boys...I don't think we'll be hearing many positive comments like this for another few years.

[Rerun]

Aaron who?

Phtt.. what does this guy know about hockey?

Now if it had been someone like Dreger making that bold prediction... that I'd take seriously.

[Volica]

Wishful thinking.
This is going to be a long season most likely.

[Weitz]

Hahaha. Just watched it. Best part:

Mackenzie: "free drinks for wardo at cowboys"
Ward: "Cowboys here I come!!"

Haha

[H2SO4(aq)]

^^ gotta a good laugh outta that too.

[genetic_phreek]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

If they make the playoffs I'll eat Wards pubes..

Damn, that's even more bolder than Wards prediction.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

Just soak it in boys...I don't think we'll be hearing many positive comments like this for another few years.

I disagree. I think we'll always have people considering us potential surprises if we keep the reputation of being a hard working team.

No one is giving the Flames kudos for where they finished last year, but introducing new talent each year and showing up to 82 hard games will impress everyone around the NHL for years to come.

[DeluxeMoustache]

So last year you had a lot of close games, including
Ramo and Berra finding their way, often inelegantly, plus a bunch of Joey Mac
Gio stepping up as new captain but missing several games, and the team really hurting without him
Monahan as a rookie getting exposed to the NHL and also missing some time hurt
Backlund struggling early and finding his place at the end of the year
Cammalleri wasting everybody's time prior to the deadline
Butler providing a large number of minutes but never really clearing the crease all that well

So if all works out, with more experience and higher quality goaltending, hopefully healthy Gio, Monahan more assertive, experienced, and 15 pounds heavier, Backlund picking up where he left off (meaning potentially 2 actual top 6 centres!) and a full season (hopefully) of slippery Johnny Gaudreau on the wing over the outgoing short guy who was disengaged for 2/3 of the year, and a guy like Engelland that can match Butler for defensive effectiveness while deterring opposition in other ways...

Not to mention that Wideman can produce on the PP when healthy...

A lot of these things could see the Flames being successful in quite a few more tight games, of which they had a lot.

Plus, there are mid season adjustments to help improve.

Kudos to Wardo. I don't see the Flames as cellar dwellers. Big leap to playoffs with lots of quality teams in the West but I can see how the Flames, if things go right, are easily in the 7-10 mix over 11-14

[robaur]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

So last year you had a lot of close games, including
Ramo and Berra finding their way, often inelegantly, plus a bunch of Joey Mac
Gio stepping up as new captain but missing several games, and the team really hurting without him
Monahan as a rookie getting exposed to the NHL and also missing some time hurt
Backlund struggling early and finding his place at the end of the year
Cammalleri wasting everybody's time prior to the deadline
Butler providing a large number of minutes but never really clearing the crease all that well

So if all works out, with more experience and higher quality goaltending, hopefully healthy Gio, Monahan more assertive, experienced, and 15 pounds heavier, Backlund picking up where he left off (meaning potentially 2 actual top 6 centres!) and a full season (hopefully) of slippery Johnny Gaudreau on the wing over the outgoing short guy who was disengaged for 2/3 of the year, and a guy like Engelland that can match Butler for defensive effectiveness while deterring opposition in other ways...

Not to mention that Wideman can produce on the PP when healthy...

A lot of these things could see the Flames being successful in quite a few more tight games, of which they had a lot.

Plus, there are mid season adjustments to help improve.

Kudos to Wardo. I don't see the Flames as cellar dwellers. Big leap to playoffs with lots of quality teams in the West but I can see how the Flames, if things go right, are easily in the 7-10 mix over 11-14

can i have some of this kool-aid that you're drinking?

Jesus could not get this team into playoff contention.

[dino7c]

how many one goal games lost last year? you never know

[dino7c]

Ramo was over .500 last year

When you add Hiller...who knows

[robaur]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Ramo was over .500 last year

When you add Hiller...who knows

When teams came to the saddledome, they dialed down their game and sometimes played back up goalies.

We won the season series against the freakin' Chicago Blackhawks. Does that mean we would even stand a remote chance against them in a playoff series with them playing seriously?

The LA Kings team cruised through the regular season. I seriously think they don't even wake up from their collective team naps until the playoffs.

We surprised A LOT of teams last year with our hard work and dedication. All this off season talk and I don't think we are surprising any teams this year. Other teams will be ready to rock and roll.

For that reason, I seriously think there are going to be less 1 goal games this year because teams will take us more seriously.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by robaur

When teams came to the saddledome, they dialed down their game and sometimes played back up goalies.

We won the season series against the freakin' Chicago Blackhawks. Does that mean we would even stand a remote chance against them in a playoff series with them playing seriously?

The LA Kings team cruised through the regular season. I seriously think they don't even wake up from their collective team naps until the playoffs.

We surprised A LOT of teams last year with our hard work and dedication. All this off season talk and I don't think we are surprising any teams this year. Other teams will be ready to rock and roll.

For that reason, I seriously think there are going to be less 1 goal games this year because teams will take us more seriously.

Flames will be getting plenty of backups this year, trust me

and why would they take us more seriously? most people are predicting the Flames to do WORSE

[GoJetsGo]

I'm all for wins over tanking as a rule... but as long as we play all out like we did last season I can put up with the sting of losing. It's growing pains during a rebuild.

Will feel proud for every two points we get, and any time we come up short that's two McDavid points in the bank. I'd rather see the team win but in a season like this that's not a bad consolation as long as the effort is there.

[Caged Great]

Well, Ward was a year early with his Iginla to Boston call, so really we should look forward to playoffs next year.

[FlameZilla]

So unlikely, but I would love to see it happen.

[Imported_Aussie]

Looking at the West, these are the teams that I see that are clearly better than the Flames:
Chicago
LA
St. Louis
Anaheim
San Jose
Minnesota
Dallas
Colorado

That's 8 teams who I see doing way better than the Flames. One of those teams has to bomb for a playoff chance. Then you have teams like Vancouver, Nashville, Arizona who could all finish ahead and I would not be too shocked. IMO Flames are fighting with Winnipeg and Edmonton for last spot in the West

[Poe969]

I can't believe this guy gets paid for this.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

If they make the playoffs I'll eat Wards pubes..

Worth quoting. Lots of pube eaters here. Two in one place is the highest concentration I've come across in my travels.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by AcGold

To be fair TSN was showing it and they semi-announced it at the dome the day of so it's not all on him

No they didn't.