Comparing the Flames of 2019 vs. 2022

[TheRealPepman]

2018-19 Record through 57 games:
34-16-7 (Home: 17-5-5 Road: 17-11-2)

2021-22 Record through 57 games:
35-15-7 (Home: 17-5-5 Road: 18-10-2)

2018-19 Lines:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett-Jankowski-Neal
Mangiapane-Ryan-Hathaway

Giordano-Brodie
Hanifin-Hamonic
Välimäki-Andersson

Smith
Rittich

2021-22 Lines:
Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Dubé-Ružička-Toffoli
Lucic-Monahan-Lewis

Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov-Gudbranson

Markström
Vladař

2018-19 Highlights:
* Emergence of Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm as top line (Lindholm acquired prior to season with Hanifin for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and the rights to Adam Fox)
* Career highs in goals, assists, and points for many players
* A million in-game comebacks
* 2nd-best Flames team ever, record-wise (50-25-7 or 50-32 in the end)
* #1 in Pacific Division, #1 in the West
* Giordano, the Norris winner
* Strong award cases: Peters for Jack Adams + Gaudreau for Hart
* Jarome Iginla's jersey number retired

2021-22 Highlights (so far):
* 10-game winning streak
* 11 straight wins at home
* Emergence of Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk as top line
* Markström with league-leading six shutouts
* #1 in Pacific Division
* Strong award cases: Sutter for Jack Adams + Lindholm for Selke + Gaudreau for Hart
* Made a major in-season trade for once, acquiring Tyler Toffoli

This 2022 team is more disciplined and more talented. And they actually have an elite coach and a consistently excellent starting goalie (Sutter and Markström vs. Peters and Smith). And they're the kind of team that emphasizes strengths and logic well. For example, they don't really emphasize winning extra period games or they're always on the wrong side of comebacks. And that's fine. They'd rather ideally play with clear roles and structures in mind for 82 games straight. It's rare that they screw up the plan. I like them for sure but I'm cautiously optimistic because of what happened vs. Colorado. I hope for the best for our boys though.

2019's team had some 2022 players that were younger though so there was that.

I'd love to know your thoughts on the last two great Flames regular season teams. Maybe there's something you'd like to share that some of us haven't thought of. I'll say this though: I thought the Flames peaked after 2019. Little did we know, they had more in the tank.

(I hope I didn't jinx lol. I'm just curious. GFG!)

[djsFlames]

I hope there are no comparisons whatsoever beyond 82 games.

[TheIronMaiden]

Out
Peters, Frolik, Bennett, Jankowski, Neal, Ryan, Hathaway, Giordano, Brodie, Hamonic, Smith and Rittich

In
Sutter, Coleman, Dubé, Ružička,Toffoli, Lucic, Lewis, Kylington, Tanev, Zadorov, Gudbranson, Markström and Vladař

[FBI]

League leading 8 shutouts but I appreciate the post.
I’m like all you guys, cautiously optimistic but spurned by the flames in the past.

[activeStick]

This year's version is way, WAY better at checking and being responsible defensively and much, MUCH more physical. Goaltending is also much more reliable and consistent. Three essential needs for strong post season performance.

[the-rasta-masta]

I couldn't believe how many games they outscored the Mike Smith problem in 18-19. He was garbage until the last bit of the season and then amazing in playoffs suddenly.

This year feels different. Really need that #1 line to keep it up in the playoffs and I have no doubt we can make noise. It feels like our team will be the one to grind the other team down with physicality rather than what happened three seasons ago.

[sa226]

One small thing that has stood out to me, over years past, or heck even the rest of the league is that with the lead in the 3rd period the Flames seem to check harder and put their foot on the gas more.

Hockey is generally a game of momentum and with a 1 or 2 goal lead going into the last 15 minutes of a game, you know the other team is preparing an onslaught. I just thought it was part of Hockey how you manage the puck and the game, knowing the other team is going to be coming for you.

The Flames have put on clinics in the 3rd period with a lead. Out checking, out chanceing and out skating teams. Completely snuffing teams out. In a battle of will to win, it seems the Flames almost always come out on top.

The old adage of bend but don't break doesn't seem to apply to this group. They don't even bend.

[scobel]

Size and Goaltending are the biggest upgrade, with a side note of a couple more years experience for the younger players particularly Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Anderson and Hanifin.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

I couldn't believe how many games they outscored the Mike Smith problem in 18-19. He was garbage until the last bit of the season and then amazing in playoffs suddenly.

This year feels different. Really need that #1 line to keep it up in the playoffs and I have no doubt we can make noise. It feels like our team will be the one to grind the other team down with physicality rather than what happened three seasons ago.

While the bit about the regular season is true. There is no doubt that the Flames lost because they had no answer for Mackinnon - Landeskog and Rattenin.

Likewise, they wanted to try and sit on a 1 goal lead going into the third instead of pushing for more.

IIRC Smith was one of the best Flames ( which is how you know you're in trouble).

Imo the big difference should be Coleman, Lucic, Lewis and Tiffoli. Guys who know what it takes.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

While the bit about the regular season is true. There is no doubt that the Flames lost because they had no answer for Mackinnon - Landeskog and Rattenin.

Likewise, they wanted to try and sit on a 1 goal lead going into the third instead of pushing for more.

IIRC Smith was one of the best Flames ( which is how you know you're in trouble).

Imo the big difference should be Coleman, Lucic, Lewis and Tiffoli. Guys who know what it takes.

Hot take, but I think if they don’t add Makar, we win that series.

[Gaskal]

On 960 yesterday they were comparing which team would win a playoff series against the other and it was Darryl by a landslide. This team would have embarrassed the 2018-19 Flames team.

[joejoe3]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Out
Peters, Frolik, Bennett, Jankowski, Neal, Ryan, Hathaway, Giordano, Brodie, Hamonic, Smith and Rittich

In
Sutter, Coleman, Dubé, Ružička,Toffoli, Lucic, Lewis, Kylington, Tanev, Zadorov, Gudbranson, Markström and Vladař

So... is 21-22 Monahan = 18-19 Neal in terms of production vs expectation?

[Vinny01]

Good thread idea! I have a few initial thoughts

1. The way the team has played this year vindicates this 2019 team. We had many on this board trolls and non-trolls state repeatedly the 2019 season was an absolute fluke and this team was never as good as their record and would never be that good again.
2. We had many people on this board say with every chance they could that the flames do not have elite talent but this years team has proven that we have at least 3 elite forwards.
3. The Hurricanes trade prior to the 18/19 season has continued to be a transformative deal that is the key part in the team being at the top of the league both years. Lindholm and Hanifin have been fantastic.

Why 22 will be different than 19

1. Peters isn’t even close to Sutter. Bill Peters was a garbage hire and proved his lack of experience as he had the team sleepwalk their way into the playoffs. Darryl is not letting that happen
2. Cup experience. This team had zero cup winners in 2019 and now they have added Lucic, Coleman, Lewis, Toffoli among others to this team
3. Goaltending. Smith and Rittich were a mid pack tandem in 2019 but the Flames now have an unquestionable elite number 1 in Markstrom. Marky by all accounts is an unbelievable teammate and leader where Mike Smith blames everyone but him for his issues.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by joejoe3

So... is 21-22 Monahan = 18-19 Neal in terms of production vs expectation?

Production? Maybe though I think Monahan has more in the tank. But Monahan is more useful elsewhere, despite the criticism he’s gotten this year. He takes faceoffs well, still. He is no Coleman or even Lewis but he defends 100X better than Neal.

[The Cobra]

The 2018 team was quite lucky based on the advanced stats and it shouldn’t have been a big shock when they finally fizzled.

This team is every bit as good as it’s record. We have every right to expect some playoff success.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by joejoe3

So... is 21-22 Monahan = 18-19 Neal in terms of production vs expectation?

Monny has certainly had his issues this year, but he’s head and shoulders above Neal.

[tvp2003]

Post all-star break, that team was pretty average and couldn't score. I recall the top line struggling to be consistent (partly because Monahan was injured I think it turned out); our best line down the stretch in terms of secondary scoring was the "fourth" line of Hathaway-Ryan-Mangiapane. That simply wasn't good enough.

Current team is deeper, more skilled, better defensively, better goaltending, and much better coached.

[Enoch Root]

The 18/19 team was exciting.

Tis team is legit.

[Boreal]

The biggest thing is that 18-19 deal was mentally weak, like the teams before them. They would wilt, if not collapse, in the face of adversity.

This was always perplexing to me when the 14-15 team was so resilient. Treliving wanted the core to grow and leadership to emerg. Hartley’s exit was part of this growth, but Gluegun was evidence that it failed and would not happen independent of strong coaching.

The Colorado collapse was evidence that Peters was also a failure because, as he was later exposed, he’s a fraud and joke of a coach who can’t reciprocate respect with players.

Geoff Ward was a cheap stop-gap after the Peters fiasco.

Sutter is a master at in game adjustments, he reciprocates respect in players, but the style of play he coaches is demanding, and has a shelf life, and requires the right personnel

Play physical, hard forecheck, win 50/50 puck battles for possession, & with maximum effort, enough skill & goaltending on the roster it maximizes a team’s chance to win most nights.

One thing is clear to me. They aren’t mentally weak, and they won’t be pushed around.

[Phaneufenstein]

A number of factors why this year's team is better:

- team play is miles better under Darryl. It plays as a unit instead of a collection of pieces. It's quite evident that everyone has their defined role and plays it well.

- defensive play is much stronger. 2019 team had GA/G of 2.76, while this year it's tracking to be 2.45. Interestingly the GF/G has not suffered and trending to be the same at 3.52 this year, identical to 2019.

- Size, you can't teach it. Love the fact that we are the "goon" team that everyone doesn't want to play instead of being on the receiving end of the same by teams like Anaheim for so many years.