Post Preseason Expectations

[Bingo]

There was quite a difference of opinion heading into camp between those that think the Flames are heading for 30th spot and those that think they will improve this seasons.

People point to the final 35 games, the injuries last year, development to young players as reasons they are heading up the standings, and they have a point.

Others point to the loss of Cammalleri and the huge issues in goal scoring that should keep this team near the bottom. They have a point too.

Preseason games are meaningless, you can't read too much into them, but the Flames scored 16 goals (1 empty netter) in 9 pre seasons games for a whopping 1.7 goals per game, or a pace of less than 150 regular season goals.

Eek!

Against half rosters I thought the Flames young talent would have had a high scoring game or two to mix with the stats, but they opposite happened.

What has the camp and preseason schedule done for your expectations of the season?

[nik-]

Yesterday was probably a jolt back to reality for some. We might not finish in McDavid/Eichel zone, IE bottom two, but we're gonna be bad.

[transplant99]

Expectations haven't changed at all for me....bottom 5 team who will work hard and be in a lot of games, they just wont win a lot and its almost exclusively because of the offensive challenges they have exhibited both last season and this training camp.

[Igster]

Like last season, there will be some fun games to watch and some excitement, but agreed with transplant. This is a bottom 5 team. Another high draft pick coming the Flames way. Hopefully their first, first overall pick.

[GreenLantern]

Another bottom 5 finish as some of the young players find themselves at the pro level.

[Jay Random]

I didn't vote, because none of the options quite matched what I think.

I suspect the Flames will finish with about 70-odd points again this year. They'll probably score fewer goals, but on the other hand, they won't have Berra or McDonald welcoming the puck into the net. Hiller and Ramo both look OK, and OK goaltending is an improvement over last year.

However, I expect there to be more than three teams finishing behind the Flames this year. The incentive to get a high pick in this draft is so strong, there will probably be half a dozen teams that decide to just screw it and blow up their rosters before the trade deadline. It may not be easy to finish in the bottom 5 without deliberately tanking, and I don't see the Flames doing that.

If you put a gun to my head and demanded a prediction, I'd probably say that the Flames will do what they traditionally do in bad years, and end up drafting 6th.

[Finger Cookin]

I could see the team showing positive signs of improvement and growth this year, and still ending up bottom six. That's probably the ceiling for them this season.

[Savvy27]

I always let the optimism of a new season get to me. While I think they will take a step by being a better defensive team and enjoy better goaltending, they do appear like they are really going to struggle to score and that is going to make it very difficult to win those one goal games.

[Badgers Nose]

I think they will finish 5-6 worst in the league. A bit better than last year. By end of the season 3-4 youngsters will be full-time NHLers: Granlund, Johnny, Wotherspoon and Ferland.

I also think Sieloff will be this year's Wotherspoon.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

My money is on Buffalo, Edmonton, and Carolina to still be worse than the Flames this year, so we finish bottom 5, but not bottom 3.

[flylock shox]

I think they're probably going to suck out of the gate, get better as injuries bring some more youth into the lineup, get better still as some deadwood is waived or traded before or just after Xmas, have a bit of a tear in February or March, and finish roughly where they did last season. I also suspect it won't be that much fun to watch until more youth gets injected, though JG may be worth the price of admission some nights.

[killer_carlson]

I think Carolina will be in the mix, but I think Buffalo will be better. I can't see Gionta putting up with the kind of crap the team got away with the last few years.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I didn't vote, because none of the options quite matched what I think.

I suspect the Flames will finish with about 70-odd points again this year. They'll probably score fewer goals, but on the other hand, they won't have Berra or McDonald welcoming the puck into the net. Hiller and Ramo both look OK, and OK goaltending is an improvement over last year.

However, I expect there to be more than three teams finishing behind the Flames this year. The incentive to get a high pick in this draft is so strong, there will probably be half a dozen teams that decide to just screw it and blow up their rosters before the trade deadline. It may not be easy to finish in the bottom 5 without deliberately tanking, and I don't see the Flames doing that.

If you put a gun to my head and demanded a prediction, I'd probably say that the Flames will do what they traditionally do in bad years, and end up drafting 6th.

Is that the same expectation you had before camp? It sounds a lot like mine, and, if so, I think option 3, Hasn't changed them at all, Flames set to improve this year, applies

[indes]

Bottom 5 for sure for me. Just no game breakers in our line up and very little offense at all.

[T@T]

Rock bottom was 27th and with 35 wins we were lucky to get that low and pick Bennett.

No way this team goes that low again anytime soon.

[Lanny_McDonald]

It's a transition year, at least I hope it is. Flames will see some of the kids step in and get some experience as the veterans injure themselves throughout the season. Hopefully they make the veterans expendable and we see the likes of Jones, Wideman, Setoguchi and Glencross dealt for anything during the season. The young players will need at least 40 games each, so they may entrench themselves into the lineup like Colborne did, or we'll be going through this same exercise next season and looking at 2014-15 as a lost one. Flames finish 29th.

[Vulcan]

I voted "...set to improve" but last night was a downer. I'd be more confident if more rookies were set to make the team. Also IIRC the Jets are one of the biggest teams in the NHL and they used that last night. Getting Engelland should help us against the big teams and we didn't have Monahan in the line up either. He's getting to be difference maker.

[N-E-B]

Bottom 3 in the league. The team just isn't good enough.

[RyZ]

The team is in for the bottom this year for sure and if they dont pull the youth up for more than 8 games at the end of the season for the token "out of contention cup of coffee" its goinv to be similar next year as well.

[Phil Russell]

Not among the worst of the worst. I think the Flames separate themselves from the Oilers and the other bottom three or four stinkers and finish 24 to 26'ish. Small improvement over last year point-wise. Big strides in terms of moving youngsters into the lineup as the season progresses. That's my reasonable expectation for a successful season.