Quote:
Originally Posted by TheScorpion
How is there limited data there? It's twelve whole years where they have had as little playoff success as anyone in the league. It's not like I'm pulling from some random three-year span from when the league had 21 teams to argue for why Calgary is worse than Vegas.
Also, low blow, Loblaw.
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3 playoff appearances for most of these players. The first for a lot of key players like Tkachuk, Andersson, Lindholm, Hanifin, Ryan, and others like Mangiapane, Hathaway, Czarnik, Valimaki. I don't know how it escaped everyone that a big chunk of our team saw the playoffs for the first time this year.
The others were a little more experienced, but those previous playoff expectations were to show up and play in the first round, but never to even win a round. And yet, the Flames managed to win a first round matchup where they were the underdog in 2015. In 2017 they were sewered by one of the worst goaltending performances in the playoffs I've ever seen by Elliott, otherwise they likely win a couple games and then who knows?
This is the first time they fell way below expectations, and it was mostly because Gaudreau and Monahan didn't show up. To flatly declare what you did is a HUGE stretch on what these players have shown so far in their career at all levels, and it completely ignores the fact that having so many players new to the playoffs was always going to be a challenge this year.
Losing in the first round, especially the way they did, was disappointing, no doubt. I also realize that people are going to be upset for a while about it. Okay, have at 'er. But let's calm down with the certain declarations about the future for this team and these players. It's getting to be a bit much.
Edit: Sorry, 2nd appearance for Tkachuk. My bad.