Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
I don't think that's a fair comparision. That team lost 2/3 of its top performing playoff forwards to free agency. We've pretty much got the same roster next season as long as Backlund Bouma Byron and Jooris are kept around.
The mistake would be thinking "we got Bennett now, Backlund isn't needed" or "Byron was good but only size wins games"
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Playoff forwards? Yes, Gelinas was clutch with GWGs, and Conroy was a warrior and machine in the playoffs (and the Kings opened the vault for him) but those guys were above average regular season players, but not stars, so Sutter made the tough call to let them go, and find their replacements/upgrades....look at the Oilers started their descent into cap hell by giving their similar group of surprising playoff performers long term, big money deals (Horcoff, Moreau, Pisini etc).
The Flames finished 2005-06 with 103 points and won the division...the roster was much better then the '03 - '04 team on paper (Hamrlik, Phaneuf with 20 goals, Huselius, Langkow)....but didn't get out of the first round.
The Flames next year will attract some more UFA attention this year then the previous GM era, given the heart and excitement they showed this year.
Some decent moves to get bigger and upgrade talent should have this team looking much better on paper come September, and like Phaneuf, have a rookie on the roster who will make an impact.
Does all those upgrades mean they win more next year, and playoffs are a given, if they miss out by 1 or 2 points this year? Am sure COL thought so by adding Jarome and Tanguay this year, to a roster from last year that surprised everyone.
Lets hope the Flames carry that through next year, but that can't be counted on....just like the thought going into the 05-06 season that the team was easily going to on another long playoff run.
That's why just getting to the playoffs this year, after all they've gone through to this point, would make this a fantastic season, and not getting there, would almost be a half stunning step back.