Its not usually a linear path.
A lot of recent teams added a big piece in a year - improved that year and then moved up into a strong playoff team the year after that.
Chicago - added Kane, improved to a borderline playoff team that year and then made the conference finals the year after.
LA - added Doughty - came close to making the playoffs that year and then made the playoffs the year after.
Pittsburgh - added Crosby (still sucked), added Malkin the next year - made the playoffs that year.
To be honest - the Flames aren't that far behind teams like Nashville/Phoenix if things go right next year they could be in that mix as a borderline playoff team.
Now if things go wrong and they suck next year and get an elite player that they could easily be in playoffs in the season after.
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