Quote:
Originally Posted by Split98
In practice they don't, but in personnel they definitely should. Throughout the season we saw remarkable defence. There were stretches of games where the offence blew everyone out of the water but they played strongest when it seemed like they weren't giving up anything in dangerous areas.
I think that the Flames led by Gio and Backs is more the target than more offensive weapons. This post-season, we definitely saw neither but I don't know that they have neither. I think you need to ask a lot more of a lot of people, but I think the route is more 2015 Hawks than 2018 Caps.
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IMO they lack 2 elements that prevent them from being this:
1) elite goaltending
2) elite 2 way top line centre.
Corey Crawford is/was an elite goalie. It helps to play behind a stingy defense, but he's shown he's an elite goalie.
In 2014-2015 the hawks finished 17th in the league in goals for, but only 2 goals against away from being the best defensive team in the league.
Having Kane - Toews - Saad as your top line is one thing, but to have Hossa come over the boards with Patrick Sharp and andrew shaw is quite another.
I don't think the Flames have the horses for that but with another couple of scorers I think they could've been the 2009-2010 hawks this year, with Mark Stone being the Hossa equivalent.