Do you consider 2016-17 to be a successful season for the Flames?

[djsFlames]

Probably not if they couldn't win an important game against Anaheim.

A step forward sure, but a lot of smaller steps backwards too, and plateauing amongst individual players. Gaudreau today isn't what he was a year ago. I don't know what's the deal with him, but since October, he's approached the game differently. And it has not yielded success.

[MarkGio]

The Flames season:

1) Terrible start
2) Mediocre middle
3) Hot streak
4) Mediocre finish
5) First round exit

-- Many key players had career lows
-- 17th best team in GF/G
-- 14th best team in GA/G
-- 10th best power play
-- 12th best penalty kill
-- Very lucky in terms of how few injuries
-- Wildcard finish /15th best in the league

All in all it was just an alright season.

[old-fart]

Successful in proving that this current collection of players are not winners and have collectively no heart.

Big changes are needed, especially in net.

[Stanley]

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

[Azhouse]

^^^Barf. No thanks.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

No thanks.

I'd be interested in seeing what we could get for Gaudreau but Hall is not one of the players I'd want.

Ideally we need to sign a big time UFA to play with Gaudreau and give him more space. He can't be "the guy" on this team.

Chances Tavares makes it to UFA?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

Lord no.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by polak

He can't be "the guy" on this team.

Chances Tavares makes it to UFA?

No winning team has one "the guy". Winning teams are made up of several star players who pick up the slack at various points. Gaudreau can undoubtedly be one of those star players on a winning team.

Here you are pinning for Tavaras but he put up exactly five more points then Gaudreau. Shouldn't you be questioning his star status as much as you are Johnny's?

[polak]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

No winning team has one "the guy". Winning teams are made up of several star players who pick up the slack at various points. Gaudreau can undoubtedly be one of those star players on a winning team.

Here you are pinning for Tavaras but he put up exactly five more points then Gaudreau. Shouldn't you be questioning his star status as much as you are Johnny's?

What do you think I'm proposing by saying getting someone else to help the load?

Right now Gaudreau is "the guy". He tries to run the offence. I don't think he's capable of doing that since teams have started really going after him physically, so we need someone on at least his level (or very close) to help take the pressure off.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by polak

Right now Gaudreau is "the guy". He tries to run the offence. I don't think he's capable of doing that so we need someone on at least his level (or very close) to help take the pressure off.

I truly believe the players are in the system. Tkachuk and Bennett both have first line upside in their games they just have to continue to develop and find those games.

Bennett and Monahan have been stars in these playoffs and while you say Gaudreau is the guy who "tries" to run the offence I disagree, it's been Monahan for most of the season and into the post season. Sean's been dynamite. We need our forwards to develop and to hope Gaudreau just had an off year. Johnny is more then capable of being an offensive star as well, and being the man, just need guys in the system to continue to step up.

I'm not going to get into any referee conspiracy but with some better bounces and a goalie with some confidence this series is probably 2-1 Flames. We've put more goals into our own net then the Ducks have, that's just insane bad luck.

Bringing in Tavaras as a UFA (doubtful he wants to come to western Canada anyway) is just going to cripple our cap anyways. But moving forward I'm comfortable with a top six that includes studs like Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett and Tkachuk. Round that off with Backlund and Frolik and you should be dandy.

Our blueline is fine. Hamilton struggled to start the series but his poor play his always overblown. Guys on this forum have been so quick to throw out the Bouwmeester comparisons.. when they got that wrong they've moved onto Phanuef. Well that one is wrong too. Hamilton's biggest problem is his poor play comes at the start of the regular and post season when narratives form and fans don't forget.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

As a Devil, of course you would!

[Teroy]

I enjoyed the season. Several of the young players showed well. I would have much preferred to get a better draft choice than make the playoffs. By not doing so, we probably set the team back a year. We'll have to do some shrewd trading to make up for it. If we get a chance to move Gaudreau for a high draft choice or top player we should do so. He's much too easy to move off the puck, has too many giveaways and I'm not convinced he'll have a long career. I'd try to move Brouwer, try to keep Engelland, Stone & Versteeg and sign Elliott as a backup at least.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

Why would you want that career loser on our team who has less term on his deal and is the worse game player

[Manhattanboy]

Again, in my view this thread should have been started after the playoffs, once the sting of an exit wears off, when we can be objective. After last night's debacle, I say meh, season was ok. By no means am I proud of anything the Flames have accomplished to date.

[Love]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Why would you want that career loser on our team who has less term on his deal and is the worse game player

"Career loser" because he couldn't drag historically bad teams to the playoffs?

[CliffFletcher]

If you were moving Gaudreau, an intriguing possibility is Giroux.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

Sir, have you recently sustained a serious head injury?

[robaur]

for everyone using Gaudreau as an exception to "size matters" ...the playoffs prove that wrong. If gaudreau were bigger and stronger, he would be a much more effective player in these playoffs. He's gotten rattled and off his game by physical play.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Do you think NJ would do a Gaudreau for Hall trade straight up?
Cause I would.

Technically the answer to your question is hell yes.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

The Flames season:

1) Terrible start
2) Mediocre Good middle
3) Really bad looking 4 game losing streak
4) Hot streak
5) Mediocre finish
6) First round exit

-- Many key players had career lows Monahan and Frolik on their normal PPG pace, Gaudreau slightly below last year, but still above his first full year's PPG pace, career years from Backlund, Hamilton, and Ferland; best year for Versteeg since 2011; a small drop in offense from Giordano, but his best year ever in terms of +/-,

Down years for Brodie while hauling Wideman's cadaver around the ice, Bennett due to a sophomore slump, and Brouwer. That's it unless you're talking goalies.
-- 17th best team in GF/G
-- 14th best team in GA/G
-- 10th best power play
-- 12th best penalty kill
-- Very lucky in terms of how few injuries
-- Wildcard finish /15th best in the league

All in all it was just an alright season.

I agree with most of what you said, but there were a couple of points that needed some editing. Overall I give this year the grade of B-. I'm hoping for at least an A- next year (win a round or two of playoffs).