Going into last season, I halfheartedly expected the Flames to do what seemingly every analyst predicted, in going 0-82. The first game where the Flames went up 3-0 was such a neat thing and to see the team consistently battle for the remainder of the season was especially a treat.
Moving into this year though, I just don't think we're going to see much in the line of improvement. I fear regression on the part of Monahan. Cammalleri will be big points that will be hard to make up. There is no Stempniak type player to start the year off on the right wing.
On the other hand, goaltending is arguably going to be better. I expect Giordano/Brodie/Hudler/Backlund to have similar seasons (with maybe slight regression). But my biggest fear is we lack punch. We lack game changing playmakers that can grind out goals or momentum-shifting plays.
While last season was the season of one goal games, I think this one won't be as nice. I still fully expect the team to keep pressing every game, but I don't think they'll keep it as close or as interesting as they did all through last season. The west has seemingly improved even more (I don't know how) over the start of the summer, and it will be that much more difficult to keep up.
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