Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
Last year's standings:
7) Minnesota 98
8) Dallas 91
9) Phoenix 89
10) Nashville 88
Minny, Dallas, and Nashville all improved. I would argue that Dallas and Nashville will be significantly better than last year. So making the playoffs will take at least 95 points this year, IMO.
The Flames over-achieved last year and managed 77 points. In order to make the playoffs, they are going to need to improve by something like 18 points, and quite possibly more - despite the fact that almost every team in the conference improved over the summer.
If anyone can provide valid reasons why the Flames might improve by 18-20 points, I would love to hear them.
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team 7 and 8 lose their captain and goalie for parts of the season, like we did. Other reasons; we are in year 2 of the rebuild and not on the downslide, the players completely buy in, we have one of the hardest working teams in the league, one of the hardest working captains, the best enforcer and a unified team identity. Gaudreau, Baertschi, Wolf, Arnold, Wotherspoon all have a chance at breaking through. Yeah it's obviously unlikely we make the playoffs but we can, we have a team identity and the spirit of professionalism and teamwork is permeating through the team unlike... the previous 9 years. I disagree we were lucky to get 77 points when the captain and goalie were out for significant parts of the season and the team did significantly better when they were both starting.