Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
This will be a team that likely is going to be bottom 8 in goals for, so they'll need to be top 3 in goals against if they want to compete for a playoff spot. Markstrom will have to be the guy he was in the first 8 games for the entire season, and he needs to stay healthy.
My biggest concern is the lack of offence from the backend. You might get away with that in 2003-04, but I don't think that will live in this version of the NHL. Overall scoring may not be up as it once was, but most teams getting to the playoffs have at least 1 or 2 guys from the backend who can help generate something offensively. Maybe Hanifin can finally move forward with a steady guy like Tanev beside him.
Overall, I don't like the roster. Many of us do like Daryl as a coach, and they do have a lot of guys who can play his style of game. So maybe they'll be able to win enough 2-1 and 1-0 games. I don't think teams will find the Flames easy to play against. They may be easier to beat due to their inability to score, but I do think teams will feel it more after playing the Flames unlike past years where maybe they had to skate a bit, but didn't find it too taxing to play a pretty soft team.
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I disagree. I expect they will be middle of the pack - probably 15-20th overall in goals for, but if one of the defensemen (Hanifin) can step up on the PP, I think they will be in the 12-15 range for goals for.
The PP quarterback is definitely their achilles heel this year, but often when players are given opportunity, they grow into it. SOMEONE has to play the role, and the other 4 members of the PP haven't changed. So all they have to do is play their part - move it around on set plays, and take some shots. It isn't rocket surgery and I don't see why Hanifin or Andersson couldn't step up and give us what Giordano gave us last year (or at least close to it)