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Old 02-12-2013, 09:07 AM   #1
Northendzone
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Default How Many Players Away Do You Think the Flames Are?

Seems that in some respects the Flames have made some positive steps this season and I'd like to think that they may be about three players away from making the playoffs - and I'd like to think that one of those players may be Sven.

Of course goaltending is a mystery because of Kippers future status and the fact Irving clearly needs more NHL ice time before we can figure out exactly what he is.

I can't help but wonder, if the Flames could have a productive off season similar to last year, the drought maybe over.

Your thoughts?
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Old 02-12-2013, 09:52 AM   #2
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Seems that in some respects the Flames have made some positive steps this season and I'd like to think that they may be about three players away from making the playoffs - and I'd like to think that one of those players may be Sven.

Of course goaltending is a mystery because of Kippers future status and the fact Irving clearly needs more NHL ice time before we can figure out exactly what he is.

I can't help but wonder, if the Flames could have a productive off season similar to last year, the drought maybe over.

Your thoughts?
My expectation is for the Flames is to at least contend for the division so for me they are about 4 or 5 players away from where I want them. Where the 2008-2009 Flames (5th seed 2 pts off div lead) is about where my seasonal expectation is.
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Old 02-12-2013, 09:54 AM   #3
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The problem now is that Kipper and Iggy appeared to have taken a step back due to age. If Kipper had been his usual self, prior to getting injured, the Flames would have one 2 more games than they lost. They'd be a couple of games over .500 and we wouldn't be discussing this.

Wideman and Hudler have both obviously been great, but we're going to need a seriously big acquisition if we are going to make up for what we are losing with age.

If we are going the free agency route to rebuild, we're going to need acquisitions like Getzlaf, Perry, or Semin (yes Semin, he's very underated IMO).
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Old 02-12-2013, 09:56 AM   #4
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3 players at least. 1st line center, 1st pairing d-man, and a 3rd line grit player that can be used on the 2nd line when needed.
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Old 02-12-2013, 09:56 AM   #5
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Still too many question marks with this team to know how many pieces away it is from being a playoff team again IMO.

Is Backlund going to continue to improve into a solid #2 centre?
Is Cervenka going to transition to the NHL well enough to be a solid top six option? ...at centre as well?
Are Bouwmeester and Stajan going to continue to rejuvenate their careers under the new coaching staff?
Is Brodie going to continue his development curve and grow into a legitimate top four D man?

...and of course, as you brought up, there is the massive question about our goaltending future.

All that said, IMO this team needs:

1) a smart, two way, top six centre that can win draws, like Stephen Weiss or better.
2) a big, smart, skilled winger that can put up points AND lay the occasional beat down on the opposition, like a Lucic or Clowe.
3) a greasy, agitating 4th line winger who can chip in offensively, not be a liability defensively, and can throw down with the big boys when he needs to.
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Old 02-12-2013, 09:58 AM   #6
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20-23 I'd say.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:03 AM   #7
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One

A bonafide legit first lime center
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:06 AM   #8
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I think the Flames are on a good course, but we will have to wait and see. I don't see playoffs this year (although I like the new coaching staff), and this upcoming offseason has way too many question marks for me to make a prediction. What happens with Iggy? What happens with Kipper? The Flames two best players might not even be here

I give Feaster a B- as a GM so far. He seems to have drafted well and made some good signings. He has also made some questionable trades regarding draft picks but those likely won't mattter in the long run.

Getting a good center one way or another would be a good start...
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:08 AM   #9
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One

A bonafide legit first lime center
I doubt they can pull in a first lime center but I bet they could grab a lemon.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:14 AM   #10
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They're really not that far. If they could win more shootouts they'd actually have a decent record.

But they need a legitimate top line centre (with Backlund out 4-6 weeks they could frankly use two) and those are not easy to come by.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:18 AM   #11
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I think the most glaring issue with the Flames is centre depth. Backlund is a decent enough second line centre, Stajan is a decent third line centre, but if one of them goes down, we're toast (as can be seen now). I would like to see the Flames add more young centres that can legitimately play in the NHL.

Also, I don't think Giordano is a top 2 defenceman. Part of why he has looked poor this season is the increased ice-time against top opponents. Maybe Wideman can play that role? I don't know.

So I would say we're 2-3 players away.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:19 AM   #12
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Two: A first line center and a third line forward with grit.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:20 AM   #13
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Whether they can get the first line center is a different question.

This team looks entirely different with Geztlaf, Thornton, Richards etc centering Iginla and Tanguay.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:21 AM   #14
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Whether they can get the first line center is a different question.

This team looks entirely different with Geztlaf, Thornton, Richards etc centering Iginla and Tanguay.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:26 AM   #15
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Whether they can get the first line center is a different question.

This team looks entirely different with Geztlaf, Thornton, Richards etc centering Iginla and Tanguay.
Therein lies the issue...

With a top line C, a lot of other things fall into place and other players can play supporting roles that they may be more suited for (and adding othere missing supporting roles isn't as difficult).

However, the chances of getting a top line C in time to be useful with Iginla and Tanguay is extremely low and time is running out fast.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:27 AM   #16
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They probably need at least 3 players for next year, but a lot more if looking long term.

Need a #1 center, another top 4 defenseman and a 2/3 center at least.

But the real problem is that they need good to great players in the 22-25 age range that can take over and carry this team for the next 5 years and adding that to the need for a #1 center and it seems like a very difficult area/s to address and not likely something that is going to be fixed in one off-season.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:37 AM   #17
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Whether they can get the first line center is a different question.

This team looks entirely different with Geztlaf, Thornton, Richards etc centering Iginla and Tanguay.
I don't really think they should be building a team around Iginla and Tanguay. I think getting a first line centre that we should build the team around is probably better idea. In fact, I would rather build the team around the few decent young pieces we have right now, not our ageing core.

Build a proper first line around this new young centre. If those complimentary pieces are Iginla and Tanguay, great, if not, get rid of them, try different players there (Hudler, Cammalleri, Cervenka, Glencross, whatever) or acquire what is required.

Build a proper second line around Backlund and Sven and whoever else works on that line. If nobody has chemistry with them, again acquire a new winger for them to play with.

Bring Horak into the line-up to play on the third line. He is a damn good player and I'm surprised at how under-rated he is around these parts.

On defence, keep developing Brodie and hope that he can become a solid top 2 defenceman.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:38 AM   #18
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Addition by subtraction, don't let Comeau play another shift. Plus add one gritty 2 way 60+ point center.actually pretty confident with the depth on the team otherwise
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:47 AM   #19
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With Kipper back and healthy 3 players from being a team in the main pack with playoff chances and a legitimate hope at a couple rounds.
1st Line Centre
2nd pairing dman
3rd/4th line energy/tough guy who can stand up for his teammates when someone gets knee on kneed by a goon.

People are bang on who are saying that the long term is bleak. The team has been moving further away every season and hanging on to UFAs at the deadline when everybody who is not a blind homer knows the team had no chance of winning without major acquisitions.
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Old 02-12-2013, 10:50 AM   #20
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i dunno. Flames look like the leafs about 5 years ago.

it depends on how we handle our "sundin" type player(s).
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