[GranteedEV]

How about we look at a team that

1) Actually has a sample size that we can take a look at over a longer period of time than just last year.
2) Has held a similar "Comeback Kids" reputation of defining "clutch" play.
3) Has had the same goaltender.

The 2011 Ducks by all Ryan Lambert metrics did not belong in the playoffs. Let's start with a look at their D-core. One of the advantages the Flames have is that although their forwards are young, their blueline is experienced. What were the ages of the Ducks blueline going by minutes?

Visnovsky
ATOI 24:18
Age 34

Lydman
ATOI 22:10
Age 33

Fowler
ATOI 22:08
Age 19

Beauchemin
ATOI 21:42
Age 30

Basically they had a similar team makeup in that they depended on three veteran defenseman and a young gun. In general our vets are a bit younger (31,31,27) and Brodie's older (24).

Now we take a look at the 2011 Ducks' underlying stats

CF% - 44.8 All Situations (30th in NHL)
FF% - 45.9 All Situations (28th in NHL)
SH% - 9.96 (1st in NHL)
SV% - 91.20 (15th in NHL)

Don't those look rather similar to what we've been getting this season?

That's a team that finished 47-30-5. A team that needed to rebuild from the vestiges of the Niedermayer/Pronger/Selanne cup team. We probably don't finish that nicely especially with Giordano done for the season and the injury of Paul Byron can be seen in how our overtime dominance has disappeared a bit (we've gone to two shootouts and lost an OT since he's been out, though we've still won another OT.) In fairness, our Monahan is 20 and their Getzlaf was 25. What's not surprising is that they're the one team that's been able to beat the Flames at what the Flames do best... they've had a crazy comeback in the 3rd period, they forced us to send Joni Ortio back down to the A, and they've scored some damn flukey goals on the Flames. They're probably looking at Hartley's team and seeing a reflection of the past.

So how do the 2015 Flames' underlyings stack up so far, in case you needed a refresher for the 100th time?:

CF% - 47.0 All Situations (26th in NHL)
FF% - 47.8 All Situations (25th in NHL)
SH% - 10.38 (2nd in NHL)
SV% - 91.16 (11th in NHL)

That's gotta be encouraging, right?

The Regression

Yes, Anaheim missed the playoffs in 2012. But since then they've trended only upwards even with the retirement of Teemu Selanne (Who you could liken to our Jiri Hudler maybe?), and currently are leading the pack for the President's Trophy. Oh, and they're not doing it by "Elite Underlying stats" now either. They're 20th in CF%, 17th in FF%, 9th in SH%, and 15th in SV%. They no longer have Jonas Hiller, but instead rely on guys from their own system - Frederik Andersen and John Gibson (Notable guys in our system would be Joni Ortio, Jon Gillies, and Mason MacDonald).

Basically, the Ducks have cultivated their clutchness into a winning attitude that defies logic sustainably. It hasn't however yet gotten them over the cup hump as they lost a wild-as-hell 7-game series to the eventual champs. That's way further than the SC runner up Rangers took the Kings.

So - the question is: Would you be you a satisfied fan if 4 years from now, the Flames are about as successful as the Ducks have been over the last 4 years?

My Answer:

No, because we still have Sam Bennett on the way.