2013-2014 Flames are they that good? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

jg13 · 03-24-2014, 11:38 PM

With the way this team has competed night in night out we've seen improvements in the play of nearly everyone on the roster, is there one explanation or is it due to a number of things happening?

Is it because of Hartley? Is it simply work ethic? Is the leadership group responsible? Is it rookies trying to compete for a job?

Teams going into a game against the flames know they have to work the entire 60 minutes otherwise they are going to get out worked and likely lose, I haven't seen this from a flames team in the past decade and we're getting recognition league wide. This team finally has an identity and it appears that it's not going away anytime soon.

Moving into next year if we draft well, our prospects continue to develop, we add a piece here and a FA and the coaching staff remains the same, I see no reason why we don't finish 9th or 10th in the West.

I feel like this team is overachieving and it is no fluke. Everything is coming together in year 1 and we as fans should be ecstatic.

Tyler · 03-24-2014, 11:40 PM

Galiardi, Wideman and Jones are either sitting or hurt. I think this has been a huge help in improving our team

Red Slinger · 03-24-2014, 11:43 PM

In a weird way this has been one of the most satisfying seasons in a long time. But I don't think this roster is for real, nor do I think they'll make the playoffs with this team next year.

Hartley deserves a tonne of credit and so do the players for buying in. But we used to see a similar phenomenon in the gulag up north: they'd be way out of a playoff spot, the pressure would be off and suddenly they'd play really well while other teams also started to not take them as seriously as they should. The expectations for the next season would be high (relatively speaking) and the young team would buckle under the pressure.

I'm not saying the Flames are in exactly the same spot as the Oilers were in their 1st (or was it 2nd?) rebuild but they just don't have the talent to make any noise other than for a few short spurts in the season. With a couple years of injectiing some more talent and size to the roster, then I think they'll have a real chance to compete as long as the culture of the team is the same.

GGG · 03-25-2014, 12:05 AM

No they arent good.

5 on 5
28th in shot for / 60 in close games
23rd in shot differential / 60
12th in shots against / 60
PDO is 29th which means we are somewhat unlucky or we have consistantly worse than average goaltending and shooting percentages.

Now advanced stats only show part of the picture but this shows a team that is one of the worst in the league at generating 5 on 5 offenses. On power plays our shot differential is bad as well. To me this suggests a lack of skill (which we already knew) but what it also suggests is that this team as it is currently playing is about as good as we can expect. Without adding talent this team wont get better.

That said this is the most enjoyable season since the trade deadline in Keanans kast year.

PeteMoss · 03-25-2014, 12:27 AM

I wonder if those numbers have improved in the 2nd half? The shots against have definitely decreased as the season has progressed.

No offence intended to GGG, but I do love how counting shots is considered advanced stats in hockey. We've got a loooooooooong way to go in hockey stats to get to really meaningful (I.e. Not common sense) numbers.

4oh3 · 03-25-2014, 01:14 AM

First year of a rebuild. I'd keep Hartley for a while. Let prospects develop acquire assets. I mean for me this year doesn't suck the expectation was to be dead last 10 points behind the 29th seed and look how were doing it's an easier pill to swallow when those are your expectations compared to your GM guarantee the playoffs

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saskflames69 · 03-25-2014, 01:16 AM

No, and if you're using the 8-1 win as an example, the explanation is simple: Edmonton is no good.

jg13 · 03-25-2014, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saskflames69

No, and if you're using the 8-1 win as an example, the explanation is simple: Edmonton is no good.

That is obvious the heat could beat the oilers. I was talking more do about the wins of Anaheim, Dallas and the sharks as of late.

TheDebaser · 03-25-2014, 01:31 AM

If we had a first line we might be good.

saskflames69 · 03-25-2014, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jg13

That is obvious the heat could beat the oilers. I was talking more do about the wins of Anaheim, Dallas and the sharks as of late.

A few wins here and there does not make this team "good" - the Flames are still one of the worst teams in the league statistically.

Their team chemistry and the amount of effort they put into every game is what makes them stand out from the rest of the basement.

Travis Munroe · 03-25-2014, 01:35 AM

We are 2 stars away from being "that good"
The bright side is that we have players in the system that could be one of these stars in a short period of time!

djsFlames · 03-25-2014, 01:49 AM

My hope is in Johnny. I think he's the most special prospect we've had in the system since St.Louis, before allowing him to run off to Tampa like imbeciles.

Giordano and Gaudreau will be 2 of the big stars that'll help turn us into true contenders. We'll need another couple "elite" types. If we don't find them in the next couple seasons, you might have to take Giordano off that list, as he'll be getting a little too far up there in age to continue being a top guy. So if we can catch lightning in a bottle with 2 of Monahan, Baerstchi, Poirier, Klimchuk, Granlund, this year's 1st and next year's 1st, then we could really have something in the next few seasons.

Monahan is looking like a solid core guy, but whether he becomes one of the cornerstones of a successful Flames team is yet to be seen. We need that handful of truly outstanding players if we're going to make our way to the top.

formulate · 03-25-2014, 02:10 AM

The biggest reasons this team isn't a bottom-2 team (in my opinion) are:
-Collective work ethic (probably attributed to Hartley)
-Team chemistry (or call it dressing room 'closeness')
-Mark Giordano
-Big improvements from guys like Byron, Backlund, and Brodie.

Will it continue, or improve, next season? Maybe, maybe not. But I don't see the team becoming a legitimate contender without some high end skill, both defensive and offensive. The next two drafts are obviously key, as well as the development of current prospects and young players.

Go Flames Go!

FireGilbert · 03-25-2014, 02:37 AM

It has been a much better season than expected. I fully thought the Flames would be flighting with Buffalo for worst in the league, would regularly get blown out and would win a total of zero games against the California teams.

Of course there have been some bad stretches but I see a lot of promise for the future and a possible playoff spot in 2 or 3 years. Also, I agree that the Flames could be fighting for 9th or 10th next year. I would pick them ahead of Vancouver, Edmonton and maybe Phoenix next year putting them 4th or 5th in the Pacific.

FlameZilla · 03-25-2014, 02:41 AM

We're the 5th worst team in the NHL this season, so no we're not that good.

However, I really don't think we'll be a bad team for much longer. Why?:

-good drafting has paid off
-patience in developing prospects is paying off
-players are being held accountable; there are no/few 'passengers' on this team

I don't think we'll be drafting McDavid next season.

jg13 · 03-25-2014, 02:44 AM

In our last 24 games we've only lost 2 games by more than 1 goal I think that is a pretty awesome stat.

ForeverFlameFan · 03-25-2014, 03:02 AM

I guess I am the only one that thinks we will do alright next year, and actually make a decent shot at making the playoffs.... Berra is gone, he accounts for many of the losses that we had. Let in too many goals at the wrong time, was inconsistent. I think a Ramo-Ortio duo will have us win a lot more games next year. Not to mention, Ramo is above .500, and Ortio will only get better and be a legit back up goalie, being able to step it up on back to back games and such.

Our defense is doing really well. With the addition of Wotherspoon, we probably won't resign Butler if we are going to use Wideman instead, (I wouldn't mind signing Butler if we wanted to). And the possibility of going after Ekblad would be even better. If that guy is NHL ready, then I would trade our first rounder for next year if that's what it takes. If not our first, our second rounder.

We are one of the top teams in one goal games. We didn't have the chemistry at the beginning of the season, with all of the acquisitions and trades that occurred prior to the season (Russell, Colborne, Smid).

Now there is something that has changed... Everyone is playing as a team, the chemistry is there. Hartley is handling this group of young guys very well. Extend that contract please, he is the right coach for this team.

Don't be surprised if our team makes noise next year, our guys are now learning Hartley's system of playing your hearts out every game. We can all see the results of that. California will be strong next year, but I think the Flames can steal the fourth spot, kicking out the Coyotes out of the picture. Call me crazy, but I am feeling good next year. There are a lot of UFA's that we can go after.

Vinny01 · 03-25-2014, 07:37 AM

Very satisfying year 1 of the rebuild. I feel unless some game breakers are brought I. THis summer the team takes a step back next year and I am fine with that considering the prize for last place could mean McDavid or Eichel.

Total team buy in for the whole season is a huge reason they over achieved. Credit for that goes mostly to Hartley who has preached and teached all year. Gio taking a huge step from being a decent 2-4 guy to legit #1 helps. Russell, Backlund, Huddler all having strong years has helped. Monahan proving to be the real deal has been another factor

PeteMoss · 03-25-2014, 07:39 AM

I posted something similar in a Sven thread, but last year at this time:

Monahan, Colborne, Knight, Poirier and Klimchuk weren't in the organization
Granlund was a giant question mark playing in Finland
Reinhart was having a terrible year with the Heat (may have been up with the Flames on this exact date, but the point stands)
Agostino & Hanowski were in college, Wotherspoon was in the WHL

Add in another good college season from Gaudreau, Arnold and Gillies and Jankowski moving to centre (and taking a step forward) and a lot of good things have happened in this organization for the future (to offset Sven's downturn)

Erick Estrada · 03-25-2014, 07:43 AM

It's been very encouraging but lets not get ahead of ourselves as the Flames are what the standings say they are and it's not very good. Warrener was saying while their play has been great as of late that it wont translate into next season because players are playing with no pressure and nothing to lose. Come game one of the 2013/14 regular season the points matter again and players grip the stick more and overthink things. I believe this is true because we have seen a lot of teams win in garbage time that haven't translated into the next season.

All of that said as long as they keep up the work ethic and gradually infuse talent there's no reason to think that the team can't gradually improve season over season. The team is still 2-3 years away from playing meaningful hockey in March/April.