I'd really like to get opinions from people who watch them as much as me, what you see in this team as it sits today, expectations, but mostly the eye test, as some of us have watched this team for 5 years, some 20, some 30.
I'm turning 30 in April, I started really paying full understanding attention since the 95-96 season, through the dark times, through our golden run, through us coming of the lock out favourites and underachieving, ( I was at Game 7 Anahiem with Huselius hitting that post)
What do you consider this team right now? Over achievers? Getting lucky?
I will say I have never seen this team play this level of hockey, crisp passing, control, 3 lines deep scoring, top 4 D we do not worry about. I believe with above average goaltending, this team is actually a contender this season. I have never been this excited for this team before, because it isn't puck luck or playing bad teams on a role, it's a system that works, and it has been the same game after game now.
It (and I know we aren't) but the same when you watch the Blackhawks play, and even when they lose, they are still playing the same way, the same consistency.
I would love to hear what others see because my eyes are just mine.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
Exp:
It's been quite a number of years since the Flames were able to produce 2 scoring lines. Something you don't often see unless the team is in the elite category.
Gulitzan has installed a system that has us playing better hockey in our own end. It took awhile for the players to adapt but I really think we are seeing the results. We deserve to be where we are in the standings.
Goaltending has played a huge part in where we are of late. Elliott is finaly giving us the tending we expected when we signed him. The players play with more confidence when they know their goaltender has their back.
This version is much better than the 2015 team that made the playoffs. We have a more talented roster and a team that I believe thinks they can do some damage in the playoffs.
It's even more remarkable that we are where we are when you consider both Monahan and Gaudreau had very slow starts to season and more importantly finding a rwer that could play on that line. The 3M line has carried this team for a good portion of this season.
__________________
Last edited by Dion; 03-11-2017 at 01:47 AM.
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Dion For This Useful Post:
They are young and over achieving in my opinion. But I'm enjoying every minute of it.
But it's not even the young that is over achieving.
Monahan and Gaudreau are having average season.
Its the Backlunds and Froliks that are stepping up, It's Gio that has stepped up his play, it's Elliot giving just stability back there.
It's not like anyone on this team is playing above their average. You can't call someone to stop being hot. It's everyone being steady. Scoring up and down with a system, defence that is solid and not putting up the numbers anymore. It's consistent, It's not like where you could say "Iginla is carrying this team and he'll cool off, nor a hot goalie. It's consistency.
I see a strong young core that struggles with consistency and is at least 3 important players from being a true contender.
Hopefully needs can develop from current roster, or from within player development system.
I see the best Flames team since 2009 and think they have a great chance at winning a playoff round or two.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmoggyFlamesFan
Does that mean we as flames fans sorely overrate our team?
No overrating at all. Bouwmeester and Regehr both played on the 2006 Olympic Team while Phaneuf was considered one of the top young defensmen in the league. It was perfectly realistic to think all three could be on the 2010 Olympic team.
__________________
The masses of humanity have always had to surf.
They are young and over achieving in my opinion. But I'm enjoying every minute of it.
I think that was much more the case in 2015 than now.
I think the goaltending is riding an unsustainable high right now (any time you're averaging .950+ it is), but the team's success is coming down to a top to bottom buy in to a structured system that allows for success.
Gaudreau has played this well before, and so has Monahan, and the Backlund line have been doing what they're doing for the entire season, so I don't know exactly what's overachieving about it. It's more like playing up to potential.
If they were riding bounces, and just being opportunistic while out-chanced, then I would say otherwise. But that's not the case here, for the most part.
The Following User Says Thank You to djsFlames For This Useful Post:
I think when Burke got hired his vision of a fast, heavy team that can dictate play has been a ground up construction process. The leftovers of the previous regime (Gio, Backs, Stajan, Brodie, Bouma) and inherited building blocks (Monahan, Gaudreau, Ferland) have been augmented with Tre's tireless general management and shrewd acquisitions. The Hartley run showed the core had serious potential, but were still very green with lots of holes. I'm a total Flames homer optimist and think Tre's done such a good job laying the groundwork for a sustainable cap structure that the Flames could follow a Chicago template where they have to sell high on up and coming legit NHL'ers to constantly make room for cheap newbies to compliment the elite paid core that keeps Year to year performance consistently high. Ferland strikes me as a prime candidate to lose for a high draft pick to avoid a long term expensive commitment and keep future cupboards full. Chicago fans must be numb to the loss of exciting complimentary players, but love that they've been a legit contender for a long stretch now. I think big pieces (ie: Gaudreau) could be shuffled in the future and the Flames have the depth in the system to maintain their upwards trajectory. This year I'm excited because it's the first time they're playing the Burke vision of fast, heavy hockey while dictating play with success. GG has them playing a time tested safe formula with enough modern tweaks that they're exploiting some form of league groupthink. I think if the Flames lose in a 7 game war in the Conference Finals my wildest 2017 expectations would be satisfied and would reinforce my intuition that the best is still yet to come.
The Following User Says Thank You to Freddy For This Useful Post:
(ie: Gaudreau) could be shuffled in the future and the Flames have the depth in the system to maintain their upwards trajectory. This year I'm excited because it's the first time they're playing the Burke vision of fast, heavy hockey while dictating play with success. GG has them playing a time tested safe formula with enough modern tweaks that they're exploiting some form of league groupthink. I think if the Flames lose in a 7 game war in the Conference Finals my wildest 2017 expectations would be satisfied and would reinforce my intuition that the best is still yet to come.
I agree, I see this team in the second round, San jose will be tough, if we get past them, I can see us matching Chicagos speed, Mini is just one of those good teams, but nothing really stands out, and I feel like the last time we played them we can do it. Parise nor anyone else there is a stand out playoff performer.
Honestly the only team I am scared of would be LA, I think they would just beat the hell out of us. Or we would show how slow they are, but we dont come out of that a healthy team.
I agree, I see this team in the second round, San jose will be tough, if we get past them, I can see us matching Chicagos speed, Mini is just one of those good teams, but nothing really stands out, and I feel like the last time we played them we can do it. Parise nor anyone else there is a stand out playoff performer.
Honestly the only team I am scared of would be LA, I think they would just beat the hell out of us. Or we would show how slow they are, but we dont come out of that a healthy team.
I have a pretty good feeling about any series that doesn't involve Anaheim holding a home ice advantage. SJ would be a major test though.
The Following User Says Thank You to cofias For This Useful Post:
I have a pretty good feeling about any series that doesn't involve Anaheim holding a home ice advantage. SJ would be a major test though.
Watching Chicago against anahiem the other night, the ducks (Perry and Getzlaf) are a shell of who they used to be, but that could change in the playoffs.
Other than Chicago or LA I am confident as long as our roster stays healthy
Watching Chicago against anahiem the other night, the ducks (Perry and Getzlaf) are a shell of who they used to be, but that could change in the playoffs.
Other than Chicago or LA I am confident as long as our roster stays healthy
On paper they scare me a lot less than they used to, especially with Carlyle behind the bench as well. They have mediocre forward depth, a flimsy defense and only decent goaltending. However, they seem to bring out the worst in our team whenever we play them. It almost seems like a psychological thing at this point.
The Following User Says Thank You to cofias For This Useful Post:
What Do You See In This Team
SJ would be a major test though.
