We've had 8 years or so of Gaudreau, that's enough track record to be "evidence". He wasn't a problem in the playoffs, but he didn't tilt the ice either.
It's not Gaudreau we need more out of, it's everyone else (maybe outside of Backlund).
Is it possible to get more out of Lindholm and Tkachuk? They are gonna have to. Because if you are relying on Mangiapane/Backlund/Coleman(Toffoli?) for a lot of goals, good luck.
I thought the Avs neutralized the Oilers carry-and-strike quite effectively (you could see a high forechecker push McDavid outside and a secondary checker waiting to pinch him). Flames did not. Coaching problem? Was Sutter too set in his ways to make actual adjustments? I have no idea. But the Flames didn't "beat themselves", they got beat by fast strike offense. Outskated and frankly out-talented.
If Lindholm and Tkachuck and Mange and someone else, Toffoli hopefully, step up more yet, and the defense isn't totally re-arranged by injury... they're a better team next year. Sure. And maybe Monahan comes back good as new. Things could be better next year in a bunch of ways. But I'm not sure it's an expectation. Rather, I think all the evidence points to the Flames being a team of average speed and average size, and they have had trouble with bigger, faster teams, and they will continue to have trouble with bigger, faster teams.
|