Quote:
Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed
I’m an eternal optimist, with that being said:
- definitely a down year this year for many, there should be some normalizing to the mean (ie better)
- it was a tough year to get into a losing funk, like the Flanes did this year. Nothing to do to get your mind off of the game. Of any year, this year would be a year where it wouldn’t be fun to be losing. In a normal year like next year, losing streaks may end sooner.
- We have been playing well under Sutter, especially after getting some good practice time in. Easy to think that we could be better in a full season including camp under Sutter.
- we will be playing in a division where only two teams made the playoffs this current season, and we likely finish with the third best record out if all teams.
- I believe our numbers show that we have been a bit unlucky this year, given our scoring chances, that should correct itself.
- if this current season was standard 82 game length, we likely would have caught both Montreal and Winnipeg the way they were playing at the end of the season.
|
Good teams make the playoffs even during unlucky off years.
All of your points are good and correct, but at the end of the day, they're kind of excuses that mediocre teams make. If your team is so mediocre that it relies on full seasons (rather than shortened seasons) and several good years from players, there's no chance of winning a cup.
Some of these points could apply to the 2011 Flames that missed the playoffs. Or the the 2016 Flames, etc. Or 2012 Flames. Or the 2013 Flames.
The problem is that the Flames have been unable to move beyond this level. And I believe the reason for that is largely poor asset management and a lack of good draft capital. That and poor coaching.
On the bright side, I think most realize this is pretty obvious problem now. So perhaps it can finally change soon. They do have a proven coach now.