Quote:
Originally Posted by tkflames
My initial analysis still stands. The team played tougher competition at the beginning of the season and is currently in one of the softest stretches. While there are improvements in how the team is playing from a visual standpoint, I am "cautiously optimistic" that they have in fact turned the corner, but still have concerns that this is overstated given that the level of competition has deteriorated to the worst it will be all season.
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They played tougher opponents at the beginning of the year, on a tight schedule, with 6 back to backs played in less than 2 months, with a new coach and new system, and 2 of the top 3 line missing training camp, with a goalie that left in a few soft goals every game.
In other words, the starting record was skewed. They would have had a tough time regardless, but even moreso because of the crazy tough schedule.
And you said it yourself, they have played better competition. They already played the Hawks 3 times. Do you know how many games they play against them the rest of the year? 0. Blues? 1 more game. They have yet to play the Avalanche, have 3 more games against the Coyotes, 4 more games against the Canucks. The Kings are not what they once were. They have more soft games coming up.
Simply put, the Flames were playing several of the best teams in the league multiple times, on the busiest schedule, while learning a new system. Right now they have also been beating good and bad teams equally.