Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil
I never said you were wrong on both counts. I said you've changed your tune. Do you think that perhaps Monahan, Russell, Hudler, Brodie, and Giordano are playing better than advertised because of Hartley?
I've got $20 that says this years team clears the young guns all time low of 67 points in 97/98. Bob Hartley isn't going to drag them below that, despite what you believe.
As for a bigger disparity in top & bottom teams, only 3 teams in the entire league finished with over 100 points that season. The Tampa Bay Lightning gained just 44 points in 82 games and 4 teams finished with less points than Calgary, including the Canucks.
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I haven't changed my tune as at the time the Flames roster didn't look good but some players have had turnaround years and Smid was added to the defense later. Remember I said it probably will be the worst team and didn't say it was certainty but it doesn't take away the fact that this year's team isn't very good.
This team may get more points than 1997/98 (have you looked at that roster yikes?) but let's not forget that teams have more points available to them now with the shootout than the young guns era and the salary cap has brought on less of a gap between good and bad teams. They still have a very good chance at finishing lower in the league standings than the 1997/98 team as they are drafting 5th as of today so this still can be the worst Flames team ever relative to the rest of the league.
Bob's probably going to be shown the door at the end of the season so why bother making excuses for a coach on borrowed time?