I like the idea that the Oilers like their over the top fan base are going to come into the first Flames games with a bit of arrogant swagger. Look at these guys we swept them and the Ducks pushed their stools in, in the playoffs. We're the Oiler's gods gift to hockey, and we're cup favorites this year.
The Flames could give them a solid punch in the teeth right off of the start of the season and plant those seeds of doubt.
I mean lets look at it this way. If everything goes the same as last season, and the Flames split the season series which puts then at 97 points, it puts the Oilers at 99 points. If you factor in the loss of Sekera and Eberle and add in Strome, versus the Flames goaltending change even being average and the other new additions, my prediction is simply that the Oilers and Flames at the very least change places in the standings.
The Flames also had an underwhelming season as a whole, with a few top players having below average seasons and goaltending royally dropping the ball. Many things went wrong, yet they were nipping at the Oilers' heels and passed them a couple times down the stretch.
It seems like the sky is the limit for an improved Flames team with Gaudreau, Brodie and Bennett all looking poised to rebound or improve, while the Oilers seem to be walking on thin ice after outperforming all expectations then subsequently getting worse on paper, as well as going in shorthanded on the blue line.
Giordano (6.75 x 5 yrs) - Hamilton (5.75 x 4 yrs) 12.5 per
Brodie (4.65 x 3 yrs) - Hamonic (3.86 x 3 yrs) 8.51 per
Kulak (750k) - Stone (3.5 x 3 yrs) 4.25 per / 25.26 total
Just wow, Edmonton is in tough for a while here when they play us, no easy minutes at all and man does our D have a lot of offense too. Awesome job by Treliving!
Giordano (6.75 x 5 yrs) - Hamilton (5.75 x 4 yrs) 12.5 per
Brodie (4.65 x 3 yrs) - Hamonic (3.86 x 3 yrs) 8.51 per
Kulak (750k) - Stone (3.5 x 3 yrs) 4.25 per / 25.26 total
Just wow, Edmonton is in tough for a while here when they play us, no easy minutes at all and man does our D have a lot of offense too. Awesome job by Treliving!
Naw, Todd McGenius will just play Connor McJesus 40+ minutes a night.
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the Flames are/were one of the softest teams in the league last year and got pushed around by the likes of the Oilers and Ducks all year
I doubt that changes with the addition of Hamonic
LoL
Not from what I saw last season. I saw the Flames hit McDavid whenever they felt like it, and when Lucic tried to stick-up for McDavid and put a stop to it, I saw Engelland put a stop to him right quick. Lucky for Lucic Engelland slipped on that 2nd fight, but whatever.
It didn't change Calgary's game plan. I didn't see the players start shying away. I didn't see them being pushed around.
We will see what happens without a sheriff in Calgary, but what you saw last season didn't happen.
With Anaheim, I just saw that their big guys are also very skilled, which is the opposite of Edmonton. Skilled players are difficult to contain, and when they come in large packages full of experience, even more so. However, I hardly saw any games where they were 'pushing around the Flames'.
The lack of toughness and size on the Flames has worried me quite a bit for some reason, but I have yet to see grounds for it, and I didn't see anything of the sort you are insinuating happen last season. It is a laughable comment actually if you really watched those particular games.
Well I've seen a lot of old friends this summer and many are Oilers fans. All of them talking about imminent Stanley Cups and McDavid this and McDavid that. My god they are insufferable. It's like the 80's all over again except without the actual Stanley Cups to back up the talk.
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Since Mclellan became a head coach with SJ and now on to Edmonton, he has had a stacked roster or a roster with some star power but hasn't really done anything in terms of outcoaching another to take his team deep into the playoffs.
SJ did manage to go a bit deeper a few years back but that was more on the backs of Pavelski and co. Not due to Mclellan outcoaching anyone.
I see this edition of the Oilers as a team that may win a round, maybe even 2, but they don't have the endurance as a team and that's IF they even make the playoffs as nothing is guaranteed.
They have to make the playoffs first. Welcome to the hunted club.
Remember that the Flames played that fire wagon hockey a couple of years back where they made the playoffs and surprised a few teams. The next year, teams came prepared for them not being an easy two points.
I expect that most teams know that Edmonton has very few players that are actually carrying that team and they'll make their lives miserable.
I would expect that most teams in a playoff series will keep McDavid from winding up in the neutral zone.
The big question is Talbot, he's the whole lynch pin for the Oilers. If they insist on playing 70 games and they keep allowing a lot of shots from the "This guy scored" areas, they might not have as easy of a time this year.
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Well I've seen a lot of old friends this summer and many are Oilers fans. All of them talking about imminent Stanley Cups and McDavid this and McDavid that. My god they are insufferable. It's like the 80's all over again except without the actual Stanley Cups to back up the talk.
The question is, why would you have friends that are Oiler fans? I mean there's no bigger collection of scum and villany and arrogance then Oiler fans.
I mean its ok if you're using them to move your piano, and wash your car because they're not very smart and can be conned into doing your physical labor for you. But actually talking to them, and believing that they actually know anything about hockey would be like jabbing a dental drill into your teeth. Unless of course your pretending to listen to them as they move your couch to the moving cart that they will then drag with their teeth.
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Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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I broke up with a girl in 2008 for being an Oilers fan.. it was just too hard to not tell her what was what.. shortly after that I met my wife of now 7 years married who is a good hockey buddy and Flames fan.
I think to myself had I stayed with the Oilers fan how miserable I would be hearing about McDingle head..
*cringe*
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Well I've seen a lot of old friends this summer and many are Oilers fans. All of them talking about imminent Stanley Cups and McDavid this and McDavid that. My god they are insufferable. It's like the 80's all over again except without the actual Stanley Cups to back up the talk.
The funny thing is, they were saying the exact same stuff 5-6 years ago when I was there, about the Taylor Hall-era team. I wonder if Oilers fans realize they're the Cowboys fans of the NHL...or the Leafs fans of the West. Just the worst
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Been in Edmonton the past couple days, I was bored last night so I drove to U of A campus (my alma mater) for some evening nostalgic sightseeing. As I got close to the area all I could see is swarms of people everywhere, the road was starting to resemble a parking lot. I finally found a spot and asked somebody what the heck is going on?? "It's the Heritage Days festival"...of course it's for a festival.. #FestivalCity
Been in Edmonton the past couple days, I was bored last night so I drove to U of A campus (my alma mater) for some evening nostalgic sightseeing. As I got close to the area all I could see is swarms of people everywhere, the road was starting to resemble a parking lot. I finally found a spot and asked somebody what the heck is going on?? "It's the Heritage Days festival"...of course it's for a festival.. #FestivalCity
They live in Edmonton, what could they possible have to celebrate?
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Been in Edmonton the past couple days, I was bored last night so I drove to U of A campus (my alma mater) for some evening nostalgic sightseeing. As I got close to the area all I could see is swarms of people everywhere, the road was starting to resemble a parking lot. I finally found a spot and asked somebody what the heck is going on?? "It's the Heritage Days festival"...of course it's for a festival.. #FestivalCity
Heritage Days is fantastic, and blows Taste of Edmonton out of the water.
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Been in Edmonton the past couple days, I was bored last night so I drove to U of A campus (my alma mater) for some evening nostalgic sightseeing. As I got close to the area all I could see is swarms of people everywhere, the road was starting to resemble a parking lot. I finally found a spot and asked somebody what the heck is going on?? "It's the Heritage Days festival"...of course it's for a festival.. #FestivalCity
Adelaide here in Aus is called the festival city here too...I think it's any also ran city's go to. Brisbane has a festival every weekend all year long (infinite summer), we just don't talk about it; Sydney is the same and Melbourne too.
Seems like the whole city of Champions (Pittsburgh calls themselves this too) is all about the blue participation ribbon.
Since Mclellan became a head coach with SJ and now on to Edmonton, he has had a stacked roster or a roster with some star power but hasn't really done anything in terms of outcoaching another to take his team deep into the playoffs.
SJ did manage to go a bit deeper a few years back but that was more on the backs of Pavelski and co. Not due to Mclellan outcoaching anyone.
I see this edition of the Oilers as a team that may win a round, maybe even 2, but they don't have the endurance as a team and that's IF they even make the playoffs as nothing is guaranteed.
Shark fans will tell you he rides his star players to hard, during their epic collapse against the kings a few years ago he had guys like Marleau, Pavelski and Thornton playing up to 30 minutes a game in the series and were worn completely out by the time LA crushed them 4 straight to win it 4-3. He's showing the pattern with McDavid now.
Sullivan does it right in Pitt, rest Crosby/Malkin leading into the PO's and rest them with a lead during the playoffs.
Sullivan values a stanley cup more that an art ross trophy it seems
