1/10th of the way through a season ...

[Bingo]

and where do you see this team?

Their advanced stats are terrible, but then a goaltender is part of a team, and not a detached entity. Can the goaltending hold up? Will this be a .500 team when the dust settles? Or will possession eventually catch up with them and send them spiralling down the standings?

[codynw]

SV% is unsustainably high. Unless the team starts getting better overall, they're going to come back to Earth sooner or later.

[Passe La Puck]

Originally Posted by Bingo

advanced stats are terrible

So is not looking at the full picture, like you said goalies are part of the team.

[TheDebaser]

I think they'll get better as the year moves forward. I don't think possession will catch up with them because I think their possession stats will start to improve. This team is still obviously outclassed some nights, but I think if the goaltending remains a strength the flames have a good chance to finish 7-10th in the west.

For that to happen they need to improve. They need to play 60 minutes. Our best forwards need to start putting up points and Gaudreau needs to emerge.

I think we'll look back on this first tenth of the season and be very grateful we ended up sneaking away with as many points as we did.

[ResAlien]

Didn't they start strongly last year as well before reality brought them back to earth? It's a long season and a bottom 5 finish sounds about right. It's fun for now though, wheeee!

[burn_this_city]

Too soon still, we'll see how they fare when other teams ratchet up the effort.

[calgarygeologist]

I think 85 points is very plausible for the Flames this year. If Monahan and Stajan can start to put up some points it would really help the team excel.

[Bourque's Twin]

The Flames are capable of finishing higher than Arizona, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. In order to make the playoffs, they will have to also finish ahead of the 2 worst among Dallas, Colorado, Minnesota, and Nashville.

It's possible... Highly unlikely, but possible.

[jg13]

85 PT season, however that could quickly change if Gio/Brodie get hurt.

[bubbsy]

"epic fail" sounded a bit harsh so went with too soon to tell.

Yes, the goaltending has to normalize a bit, but i also think guys like hudler/monahan/glencross will also start getting some goals soon too. the flames, by my estimate, fall into that 10-12th spot.

[PeteMoss]

I went with 'Epic fail' but that is a bit harsh. I don't think they'll go 2-10 in their next 12 or anything, but more wins than losses is unlikely.

[nik-]

I went with epic fall, but epic is a little much. There's going to be a definite drop off because I don't think we've seen real Hiller yet and eventually we're going to get average goaltending.

[Passe La Puck]

They started last year with 5 good games but very questionable goaltending. They have a strong tandem this year, goalies get to feel the puck and get good rest between games. If we want to talk about the unsustainable SV% then don't forget Monahan's low scoring % to start the year.

[GioforPM]

Goaltending will come back to earth a bit. But team D will improve with some more practice and scoring (eg Monahan, Hudler) will come up a bit too. I see last night as somewhata of an evening out. Stole 2 in Chicago, got 1 where 2 was within reach here.

[Poe969]

I'm thinking epic fail and one of the main reasons is because I'm usually wrong and by guessing epic fail it'll mean they make the playoffs.

[mrdonkey]

Sooner or later the stats will catch up. But the Flames have a very good top pairing and goaltending tandem which I believe will keep them out of reach of the truly awful teams. As an aside, I also think Backlund is establishing himself as an elite 3rd line defensive player.

I think when the dust settles the team will be picking top 10 but not top 5.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by codynw

SV% is unsustainably high. Unless the team starts getting better overall, they're going to come back to Earth sooner or later.

Depends, a lot of the shots are from the perimeter. When Chicago battered us most of the shots were from the outside when the goalie was on the post. If the team forces that to happen and the goalie doesn't even have to react at all the save % can remain high, yesterday we allow two shots near the crease and two goals resulted. Not all shots are the same, the goalie could face 100 shots and stop them all if he doesn't have to move.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

Was looking for the "I'm proud of this team" option...

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think we'll be over .500, but not in playoff contention.

I can see a record of 40-36-6 when this season is over. For a team in their second year of rebuilding, that is very impressive.

[cam_wmh]

The limited options, and "epic fall" is too dramatic for my liking.

When I think epic fall, I think Leafs -- playoffs last spring.