Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
I’m betting top end talent to go farther in the POs. Look - Edmonton has top end talent but it’s taken them years to get to a kind of weird final 4 exit. Colorado has top end talent but they haven’t progressed far until this year. Calgary has equivalent top end talent to those teams. Gaudreau when on is as talented and creative as any player and Tkachuk is just a unique player.
Edit: top not flop  |
What is farther in the playoffs? Further than this year? Forget Edmonton, they aren't the barometer, Colorado may be that team, but a lot of their past failure came after the 1st round and the hump they couldn't get over was largely due to either depth or injury (completely different issues from the ones we face). In my personal opinion, in terms of playoff hockey success, the Flames have the depth but dont have the top end talent. From what I see, year after year, in the playoffs, the top end guys are easily contained against very stiff competition because they aren't good enough when it comes down to that level of hockey. I firmly believe Johnny is part of the solution, but his linemates (although very good and valuable) aren't the guys who can be your 2nd best players, if you want to win a Stanley Cup.
Brads in a tough spot, he for sure recognizes Chucky and Lindys value as really really good players, he's played it safe by building solid depth around them to hopefully make up for their inadequacies as legit 1st line horses who can take over and get it done in the playoffs, unfortunately thats failed. So what does he do now? Does he continue to tinker with the supporting cast to hopefully strike gold eventually? Or does he realize, in terms of playoff hockey, he needs better, to get to that championship caliber? As much as ive criticized the guy and called for his head, given this franchises perceived standard, he is in a super tough spot because nobody wants to bottom out and rely on a gum ball lottery play, like the clowns up north (the luckiest franchise of all time).