2014-15 Flames: Start of something big, or one-year fluke?

[Igster]

When it comes to the results on the ice, the 2014-15 season for the Calgary Flames has to be considered a tremendous success.

Expected by many to be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference at the start of the regular season, the Flames finished with 97 points to end what had been a run of five straight seasons without making the playoffs, and then won their first playoff series since 2003-04 when they eliminated the Vancouver Canucks in the first round.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-...one-year-fluke

[Erick Estrada]

It's impossible for an NHL team to fluke themselves into the playoffs over an 82 game schedule let alone win a round in the playoffs. Sure they could miss the playoffs next year because the top 16 spots are not given to anyone just ask the Kings but that doesn't mean this season was a fluke.

[Schultzie]

I wouldn't say it was a fluke, but I don't expect the team to do quite as well next year. Perhaps just missing the playoffs, with a few players coming back to Earth production-wise.

[IgiTang]

I don't see why the Flames can't do better than last year or at least match it.

There aren't going to be dramatic changes..

Maybe solidifying our D so we don't go into the playoffs thin on the back end.

Perhaps a couple bigger bodies upfront to control possession down low a bit better.

Sure, guys like Wideman are likely not going to have career years again, but that doesn't mean someone else won't.

But I simply can't see the team fall off so much that they are worse next year.

[ForeverFlameFan]

No fluke.

[Vinny01]

I do think the Flames are missing 2 top 6 forwards and 1 more 3-5 Dman from being a threat for home ice next year. If they stay the course they will be in a fight to make it but still have a good chance.

[Resolute 14]

False dichotomy. This year - last year, actually - was the start of something. How big it gets will depend on the long term management of the team by Burke, Treliving, Hartley et al.

The seeds have been planted. There may be a drought along the way, but smart management will nurture it.

[Armchair Quarterback]

I don't think you can call it a fluke when you simply exceed expectations. What irritates me the most is statements like this:

For all of the success the Flames had this season there was always a "how are they doing this" element to a lot their wins, and that even continued in the playoffs. They were consistently outshot and outchanced on most nights, and no matter how far down they seemed to be in games heading into the third period they almost always seemed to find a way to come from behind and either send the game to overtime and earn a point, or end up winning it.

First, we didn't lose many overtime points (Calgary only lost in OT 7 times this year which is a major improvement from earlier seasons). Our scoring differential was also pretty high this year. Many of our games were won by fairly significant margins.

At times this season Calgary looked weak defensively and had weak puck possession, but it should be pretty plain to see that this Flames team is very dangerous offensively. If we keep the core of players we currently have, I don't see how this is going to change.

[smiggy77]

Keep in mind that the Flames have been hot since the second half of the 2013-2014 season, essentially since that first line brawl with the Canucks.

Just looked it up, the Flames finished that season 22-13-0 after that Jan 18, 2014 game against the Canucks (winning % 0.629). Not a fluke but definitely some roster holes they can improve on. Start to something special folks.

[heep223]

Thanks Torts!

[#-3]

They are going to have to continue working pretty damn hard to repeat this level of success.

With the age of their group improving is certainly possible.

But with how tight their games were, and how hard they worked to stay in it.
A step back is also vary possible.

[Armchair Quarterback]

Originally Posted by heep223

Thanks Torts!

And thanks to Hartley for trolling Torts right out of the league.

[Enoch Root]

Like Resolute said, false dichotomy.

Definitely not a fluke - they built a great deal this year and made huge progress. And they were fully deserving of their success.

Having said that, progress is rarely linear. They know they need to keep building and it is entirely possible (though by no means certain) that they don't have as much success next year.

Irrelevant though, in the grand scheme of things. What matters is that they keep building for the future. Next year's success (or lack thereof) will be just like this year's - whatever we get is a bonus.

[metal_geek]

A few of those "unlikely comeback" points would be cancelled out by the just as unlikely 8 game losing streak. People keep forgetting and saying "take away 3 crazy comebacks and they are not a playoff team". That 8 game streak was just as unlikely so even if next year they don't find those magical 6 points, they turn an 8 game skid into a 5 game skid and we're in the same spot.

I know it's not that simple but if people are gonna use the chances of repeating the comebacks as a reason to miss next year, i think it's fair to ditch the 8 game skid as just as unlikely to happen.

[Enoch Root]

Every single team in the league won a few they didn't deserve and lost a few where they deserved better.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

False dichotomy. This year - last year, actually - was the start of something. How big it gets will depend on the long term management of the team by Burke, Treliving, Hartley et al.

The seeds have been planted. There may be a drought along the way, but smart management will nurture it.

I am guardedly optimistic about next season. Having lived through the Young Guns era, I struggle to truely think we have turned the corner.

Colorado's big drop this year feeds this paranoia I have about regression of the team next year.

I hope against hope that it is just my mind playing tricks on me.

[Buff]

There will be setbacks or hiccups along the way. Like I said in another thread, I'm approaching the future with guarded optimism. The future looks bright, but I don't want to set myself up for disappointment by expecting improvements each year. Anything can happen. The Flames make their own future, but 30 other teams are also trying to make their own future brighter. The west is a tough conference. The defending Stanley Cup champs just missed the playoffs. Each year good teams will miss the playoffs.

As long as the team has that Never Quit attitude it played with this year, I'll be fine with a small road bump here and there. That said, I feel like the Flames have a strong chance to have another good regular season and make the playoffs again next year.

[DoubleF]

Unless our winning percentage last year was less than .500, not a fluke.

[GranteedEV]

A few months back I made a thread comparing the Flames to the 2011 Ducks. I still feel that was the closest comparable. The Ducks didn't become a true contender until now, four years later with the Kesler for Bonino/Sbisa trade, and indeed missed the 2012 playoffs but sustained upward trajectory.

Reality is the Flames have some good pieces but genuine rebuilding is still a process. As much as we all laugh at the cluelessness of corsi/fenwick-obsessed writers, it's no doubt a fact that this year's team had some holes in its makeup that will take time to fill. It doesn't mean the Flames are a bad team, and honestly I'm predicting 100+ points next year, but I do think we as fans shouldn't expect the team to make rapid strides. We'll probably still get owned by teams like St. louis and Anaheim next year but shouldn't be discouraged.

[Trojan97]

As Resolute said, this team has been on a play pace pointswise since the Vancouver line brawl on Jan.18, 2014.

We're still a fringe playoff team until a solid second scoring line develops but, as has been stated many times already, half the league is a fringe playoff team these days. We're in a great spot going forward.