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Old 01-08-2017, 09:38 AM   #1
TheIronMaiden
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icon57 The Playoff Positivity Thread

One game into the second half of the season and the Flames wake up in a playoff spot. After coming back from a horrible start to the season the Flames have heated up, and so have the fans. with 40 games left in the season, it is easy to believe that if the Flames keep up this level of play they will make it into the playoffs.

Here is a thread where fans can gather good juju during what is sure to be an exciting last half of the season. This is a good place to believe in the Flames warts and all.



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Old 01-08-2017, 09:44 AM   #2
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Pretty cool to think that we are in a playoff spot after the start we had. Keep pushing Flames, playoffs from two years ago was a treat with the team we had then... Can't even imagine how awesome it will be with the characters we have now in Tkachuk and Hathaway... And playoff Ferland. That's a downright nightmare to face for the opposition come playoff time.
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Old 01-08-2017, 10:07 AM   #3
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This is now Treliving's team and I get what he's aiming for. Adding some size and toughness to go with the skill that the Flames already had has made the team hard to play against. I think we make the playoffs and teams dread playing the Flames in the first round.
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Old 01-08-2017, 11:31 AM   #4
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The Flames are 17-8-1 in their last 26 games. That is a .673 pace.

And I think pretty much everyone would agree that they aren't playing anywhere near their potential yet.

Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Brodie, Hamilton, Giordano, (i.e. the whole core) and the goalies, have all had periods where they are/were playing below expectations.

Most of those guys are playing better now, but if we can get Gaudreau and Monahan rolling, and get consistent goaltending with it, I think this team can make some noise.
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Old 01-08-2017, 11:36 AM   #5
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This is now Treliving's team and I get what he's aiming for. Adding some size and toughness to go with the skill that the Flames already had has made the team hard to play against. I think we make the playoffs and teams dread playing the Flames in the first round.
Yup. We have to constantly remind ourselves that this team is still rebuilding, and the core is very young.

In 2015, the Flames were exciting, but they were the smallest, softest team in the league. You don't have to be the biggest and baddest, but you can't be the smallest and softest.

So Treliving went out and tried to make them bigger.

We now have Ferland, Hathaway, Brouwer, Bouma, Tkachuk and Bennett up front. By no means is that the Broadstreet Bullies. But at least they aren't powder puffs anymore.

You have to be able to play all types of games and all types of teams. We're not quite there yet, but we're getting close, both in skill and in toughness.
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Old 01-08-2017, 11:57 AM   #6
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Not gonna pretend all is rosy in the long term outlook, but there are definitely some positives.

Giordano, Brodie, and Hamilton are finally all playing like a a coherent high-end defense core and Wideman has looked like a competent #4/#5 tweener.

Backlund has outplayed the likes of Toews, Kopitar, and Bergeron this season.

19 year old Tkachuk might be the best defensive winger in this division. Or at least right there with Silvferberg and Pavelski.

Versteeg has filled the hole left by Hudler admirably.

Bennett while playing centre, is producing at the same 5v5 production rate as Johnny Gaudreau, Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin, Michael Frolik, Ryan Kesler, Rick Nash, Mike Cammalleri, Travis Zajac, Leon Draisaitl, Taylor Hall. Interesting how much PP production and ice time can skew perception of offense.

Monahan is 53.1% on the faceoff dot this season.

Matt Stajan has top 5-10 defensive stats among centres in the NHL, albeit in a 4th line checking role.

This team has depth. I believe guys like Kulak, Wotherspoon, Morrisson, Andersson, Pribyl, Jankowski, Klimchuk, Poirier, Mangiapne, and Rittich are all ready to contribute positively should the need arise.

Any team that has 50.14% CF, 81.7% PK, 20.7% PP.. deserves to sit in a playoff spot.
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Old 01-08-2017, 01:19 PM   #7
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They're a fringe playoff team currently. As I think is confirmed by their ability to easily handle the non playoff teams like Vancouver, Colorado, Arizona, and setting themselves apart on the ice. But given their off and on struggles with teams like Tampa, Anaheim, SJ, Chicago, they're not quite there with them. However, they are also a team trending upward. I think this is the "walking" stage that Burke was talking about. They had an unexpected little jog in 14-15 but came back down to earth, with probably way worse goaltending than they deserved. But now they're working their way back to being able to play with the other playoff caliber teams and it feels a little more for real now.

The one thing I'd like to see more of is resiliency. Not enough bounce backs within games. If they get down a couple goals, they're usually not able to close the gap this season. Still waiting for a vintage comeback that we know these core players are capable of orchestrating. That ability will be needed to find success in the playoffs, which is their next step.

I think they make it. And I'd love to see that matchup be the Oilers, because I think that team is having a premature "jog" of their own and the Flames are the more for real team with a more rounded roster and core. But one of Anaheim or San Jose is likely going to keep one of the Alberta teams out of the 2/3 spots. Either way, that team is toast in the first round I think. The Flames in a WC spot may be looking at the same fate, but the experience would be great for these players.
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Old 01-08-2017, 11:02 PM   #8
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Great results on the OOT scoreboard tonight.
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Old 01-09-2017, 08:14 AM   #9
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Just need to keep chipping away and take advantage of those teams stumbling just below the cut off. You would think that at some point here Nashville or Dallas makes a push. TBQH I thought LA would have a setback with that long round trip.

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Old 01-11-2017, 10:42 PM   #10
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Winning against the Sharks in regulation tonight proves the playoffs a real possibility.
The Flames have played really well against some of the best in the west having already won against:
Minnisota
St. Louis
Chicago
SJ
Anaheim

This season is turning out to be a ton of fun to watch.
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Old 01-12-2017, 06:16 AM   #11
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I now feel relatively confident that we'll see playoff hockey in Calgary this season, barring something anomalous like a huge injury streak. Might even win a round.

Either way that's a very good result for now, and overall the team should be trending upwards considering the age of most of our key players.

Feels good.
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Old 01-12-2017, 06:27 AM   #12
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Lets just hope we are competitive all year. We still need some pieces to ever be considered a contender. 1st line RW for sure.
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Old 01-12-2017, 08:50 AM   #13
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If they can manage to win the last five seven game segments that will put them at 86 points with 5 games remaining. That would take a 19-14 record over the next 33 games and leave 5 games to make the final push.

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Old 01-12-2017, 08:53 AM   #14
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They've put themselves in a good position, especially considering underperformances by Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Elliott and, to an extent, Gaudreau. IMO all of those guys are too good to not improve the second half. This team only gets better going forward IMO.
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Old 01-12-2017, 09:01 AM   #15
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They've put themselves in a good position, especially considering underperformances by Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Elliott and, to an extent, Gaudreau. IMO all of those guys are too good to not improve the second half. This team only gets better going forward IMO.
I think that is the big question mark. Those players have to get it going because after the all-star break teams go to that next gear for the playoff drive.
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Old 01-12-2017, 09:34 AM   #16
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They've put themselves in a good position, especially considering underperformances by Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Elliott and, to an extent, Gaudreau. IMO all of those guys are too good to not improve the second half. This team only gets better going forward IMO.
The four guys that arguably had the most success playing under Hartley. Let's hope its just a transition thing and that they'll start getting more comfortable adapting their game to Gulatzan's system. We've seen them do a complete 180 on the powerplay so I think there's hope.

I'm also hopeful Elliott will find his groove, but with the way Johnson is playing he might not get the chance to.
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Old 01-12-2017, 10:06 AM   #17
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The four guys that arguably had the most success playing under Hartley. Let's hope its just a transition thing and that they'll start getting more comfortable adapting their game to Gulatzan's system. We've seen them do a complete 180 on the powerplay so I think there's hope.

I'm also hopeful Elliott will find his groove, but with the way Johnson is playing he might not get the chance to.
He'll still get a chance to find his groove and contribute, even if limited to predominantly a backup role.
While the Flames do only have 3 true back to back games left this season, there is a lot of hockey to be played.
Starting Feb 21, the Flames only get 2 days off once the rest of the way. (23 games in 46 nights).
What's realistic, with Johnson as clear #1, given the schedule?
He starts 26 and Elliott starts 12 the rest of the way?
10 starts for Elliott?
I expect it will wind up being more than 10, but a 7-3 record in those ten might put Flames in the playoffs where 3-7 leaves them out.
Elliott will still have a big role to play. How big remains to be seen.
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Old 01-12-2017, 10:40 AM   #18
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Reality is, it may come down to all the games against ANA/SJ/LA at the end of March and into April. If the standings stay as tight as they are for the Pacific division, I can totally see that happening.

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Old 01-12-2017, 11:08 AM   #19
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Reality is, it may come down to all the games against ANA/SJ/LA at the end of March and into April. If the standings stay as tight as they are for the Pacific division, I can totally see that happening.
We still play LA 4 times this year. Next game against them isn't until February 28th. Unfortunately for us that is getting close to the time frame in which Quick will be returning.
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Old 01-12-2017, 11:20 AM   #20
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Man the last 16 games are brutal.

We really need to get a cushion before that.
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