Can't quote you Vinny (weird).
2023-24 - I remember they had a super-easy end of the season schedule. They drafted 9th, and were trending down anyway. That was the 'tear-down year' anyway.
2024-25 - they simply over-achieved. From a roster design standpoint, that team was supposed to fail, but they out-worked everyone trying to prove a point.
This season - they are on track for that.
So, in essence, the Flames just had one single 'unexpectedly good season'. By design, this team should have finished last season where they find themselves this season. Considering the similar rosters, that theory holds. So the outcome was unexpected, but that doesn't mean that the Flames were not rebuilding. They are bottoming-out this season, and likely will again next season as well.
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