Quote:
Originally Posted by gvitaly
I agree with most of these points, but they are really glass half full/wishful thinking. If those things work out, that would be awesome, and then we will have a great team on our hands. I expect us to cut down the GA with a better SV% from Markstrom, and Sutter hockey. I also believe that we will be a top 10 team in the league in that department. I just don't expect them to beat the best team in the league by 5 goals against this season. It was VGK last year, that's why I was so surprised.
Here are the couple of things I disagree with/can pick on:
- We all hope that Sutter would have a great effect on our players, and they did show improvement for a burst. Those players did well in the first year of Peters before tuning him out. If we look further down the road the Hartley team did the same(I believe only Gaudreau, Monahan, and Backlund were members so it's a moot point). The room might just start tuning Sutter out, like they did with previous coaches. Again, I doubt it, but it could happen.
Also, I get that Sutter is an elite coach, but from the discussions around here, it sounds like he can fix any deficiency a player has.
- I mostly agree with your points about the forwards.
The only push-back I could have is that all of Lucic/Lewis/Richardson are a year older, and you never know when the wheels would fall off. Even if it does happen I am sure they can be replaced.
In addition, the Monahan line would be a line the opposition will try to exploit defensively. I hope they will be up to the task, because team defense is only as strong as it's weakest link.
- Again you make some good points, but you address the best case scenario with the Defense. Hanifin and Tanev had career years, so they will just keep performing at the same level, or even improve. Andersson who had a bad year will come back to average. Each of the three could easily happen, but that's wishful thinking that they all will. As for Zadorov, I look forward to having him, hopefully he can handle a little tougher deployment than in Chicago. In the case of Gudbranson, I don't remember when was the last time he was a reliable defenseman in the league. Valimaki, is the same as Hanifin/Andersson you hope he takes the next step, but prospect development is far from a linear thing.
- I also agree with this one, again the only knock I have against it is that we added some players who are closer to 35 and as long as there isn't a big drop off in their game we will be good.
|
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I am optimistic not because everything will happen, but because I do think that there is a good chance of many of these things happening, and added up incrementally, will result in a fairly stingy team. I do think we will catch Vegas in GA (partly because Calgary will improve, but I expect Vegas to regress too). I am not sure that they will be AS GOOD as Vegas was (sorry, I missed that in the original argument) - that is a rather sparkling GA after all, and I guess we share a mutual optimism that the Flames will finish top 10.
I am optimistic because I do think that from points 1-4, there will be 'some' improvement (or at least, a reasonable expectation of improvement vs 'hoping for the best'). I think some small steps in ever category will result in an overall significant improvement, without requiring any one area to be a home run. I do share your concern (and disbelief) in Gudbranson as well, but just made mention that IF (keyword here - hope he doesn't become a Sutter-favourite!) he plays in the bottom pairing, he can be reliable (that's seems to be the word from those fans from those American teams - and he was playing elevated minutes in Vancouver and I thought he was mostly awful then).
I guess we will see. At least we mostly agree that the GA should improve - I guess we will find out by how much soon (and I left out goalies - I don't know much about Vladar or Werner - if Markstrom gets hurt, Vladar has 5 games under his belt, and Werner 2 at the NHL level - some risk there, but there is also 'some' depth I guess -- I don't know if this is a plus or a minus at this point, but they both do sound promising).
I just look forward to seeing a more focused and determined team out there, and one that is more stingy (we will see how stingy I guess).