Rock Bottom

[djsFlames]

McDavid is on a better PPG pace this season than Reinhart and Dal Colle, and it's not even his draft year yet.

If we're even slightly worse after dumping all these vets, it may just be a blessing in disguise. Gotta pray that Panthers, Oilers, Isles, Sabres gain some ground next season. Although with their respective younger emerging players it's hard to think they wouldn't (then again I thought this year might be a slam dunk in regards to suckage). Would be the best thing that could happen to this franchise, as much as I'm not a fan of losing.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

I think this is the correct attitude to have as a fan of any team.

Clearly you, sir, do not watch many Oiler games.

The Oilers can at least score once in a while.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by codynw

The Oilers can at least score once in a while.

Haven't the oilers been shut out more than us this year?

[JiriHrdina]

Based on contracts expiring this is what the Flames line-up looks like right now for next season

Ramo
??? (probably Berra)

Arguably the worst duo in the league

Brodie-Gio
Wideman-SOB
Smid-Rookie

Ugh.

Hudler-Backlund-Glencross
Jones-Monahan-Sven
Galiardi-Colborne-Byron
McGratton-???-Bouma

Some rookies in the mix there up front: Jonny, Knight, Granlund etc. But this is probably the worst forward group in the league, and by a fair margin.

So I see this team, on paper, being far and away the worst in the league. Frankly it is close to expansion team bad.

They should finish last.

[Erick Estrada]

I hope this isn't rock bottom. I want that to be next year to get McDavid. He will be well worth the suckage as he will equate to more than all the Oilers first overall picks combined and the closest thing the league as seen to Crosby.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

At the start of this year I figured the team would struggle to score 160 goals...it's looking very realistic. I also agree what is being shown right now is what we will likely see for a good year and a half if not more. Which is why rebuilds sound great on paper, but when you suffer through watching it, it can be extremely painful.

Oh my God! Do you remember when the TSN talking heads were proclaiming that the Oilers (the Gagner/Cogliano/Nilsson/Schremp version) were going to be scoring 300 goals per season?

Just had a good laugh.

Not that this has anything to do with this variation of the Flames, but I just remembered that when you mentioned it.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Now that it is becoming trendy for teams oiler themselves and lose on purpose, I wonder how many will next year. Buffalo seems to be signalling they will. I could see Nashville and Florida and Winnipeg taking a run at the title. The islanders are seemingly always in the hunt.

It might be harder to be the biggest loser than to win. Would not being last be rock bottom? Or is there an oh well there is always next year approach for that if you are into it?

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Robo

Haven't the oilers been shut out more than us this year?

Probably, but in this recent stretch they're scoring more than the Flames.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I hope this isn't rock bottom. I want that to be next year to get McDavid. He will be well worth the suckage as he will equate to more than all the Oilers first overall picks combined.

Yup - it is an oversimplification but a successful re-build hinges on sucking at the right time.
The Oilers' best #1 overall pick is Hall and I still think he has big flaws. Yakupov and RNH are below average #1 overall picks.

Islanders got Tavares
Lightning got Stamkos

Oilers got guys not at that level in the years following

Chicago got Kane
St. Louis got Johnson

You gotta suck at the right time!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by codynw

Probably, but in this recent stretch they're scoring more than the Flames.

In this recent stretch I'm scoring more than the Flames and I'm married.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

Now that it is becoming trendy for teams oiler themselves and lose on purpose, I wonder how many will next year. Buffalo seems to be signalling they will. I could see Nashville and Florida and Winnipeg taking a run at the title. The islanders are seemingly always in the hunt.

It might be harder to be the biggest loser than to win. Would not being last be rock bottom? Or is there an oh well there is always next year approach for that if you are into it?

Hard to say but it will be tempting for some bad teams to pull the plug and go for what could be the best player to enter the league since Crosby. Could see a few teams completely sell off at the deadline and ice AHLers like the Flames did last season.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Based on contracts expiring this is what the Flames line-up looks like right now for next season

Ramo
??? (probably Berra)

Arguably the worst duo in the league

Brodie-Gio
Wideman-SOB
Smid-Rookie

Ugh.

Hudler-Backlund-Glencross
Jones-Monahan-Sven
Galiardi-Colborne-Byron
McGratton-???-Bouma

Some rookies in the mix there up front: Jonny, Knight, Granlund etc. But this is probably the worst forward group in the league, and by a fair margin.

So I see this team, on paper, being far and away the worst in the league. Frankly it is close to expansion team bad.

They should finish last.

I would argue that the Flames might use a compliance buyout on Jones or Galiardi if they can't move them to make room for some farm hands to come up.

I would think that they will also try really hard to move SOB and Wideman at the deadline of the draft to make room for Wotherspoon or Billings or even Seiloff if he recovers sufficiently.

The Flames will definately have to bring in some free agent help just to hit the cap floor though.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Robo

Haven't the oilers been shut out more than us this year?

Both been shut out 6 times...they have 19 more goals in 2 more games.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Locke

In this recent stretch I'm scoring more than the Flames and I'm married.

Ha that made me laugh

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Yup - it is an oversimplification but a successful re-build hinges on sucking at the right time.
The Oilers' best #1 overall pick is Hall and I still think he has big flaws. Yakupov and RNH are below average #1 overall picks.

Islanders got Tavares
Lightning got Stamkos

Oilers got guys not at that level in the years following

Chicago got Kane
St. Louis got Johnson

You gotta suck at the right time!

I agree that the Oilers got their 1st overall picks at the worst time of the last decade while the Flames are kind of doing it at the right time although the Oilers are still sucking themselves into contention.

Yeah and as much as I like Monahan he's not likely going to be the game changer that McDavid should be. If the Flames were to get McDavid fans will look back at this short term pain as well worth it. I just hope Burke doesn't try to do too much this offseason to quick fix the team into playing themselves out of the equation for first overall.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Based on contracts expiring this is what the Flames line-up looks like right now for next season

Ramo
??? (probably Berra)

Arguably the worst duo in the league

Brodie-Gio
Wideman-SOB
Smid-Rookie

Ugh.

Hudler-Backlund-Glencross
Jones-Monahan-Sven
Galiardi-Colborne-Byron
McGratton-???-Bouma

Some rookies in the mix there up front: Jonny, Knight, Granlund etc. But this is probably the worst forward group in the league, and by a fair margin.

So I see this team, on paper, being far and away the worst in the league. Frankly it is close to expansion team bad.

They should finish last.

You've got some positions mixed up. Plus not way SOB gets moved into the top 4, nor Galliardi gets resigned. Sven is a left winger, Jones would be on the right. Glencross left.

McGrattan*

But yeah, it won't be a good team. Expect a UFA signing or two by Burke. One for a top 4 d-man fill in, one for a top 6 forward, I'm thinking.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I agree that the Oilers got their 1st overall picks at the worst time of the last decade while the Flames are kind of doing it at the right time although the Oilers are still sucking themselves into contention.

Yeah and as much as I like Monahan he's not likely going to be the game changer that McDavid should be. If the Flames were to get McDavid fans will look back at this short term pain as well worth it. I just hope Burke doesn't try to do too much this offseason to quick fix the team into playing themselves out of the equation for first overall.

Did the Oilers get their picks in the wrong years? Or did their players just develop poorly due to the fact that they're playing for Edmonton? If Edmonton got Stamkos would we be hearing about his struggles right now and hearing about how good Hall is playing in Tampa?

[AcGold]

With how well Monahan carries himself and his ability to think about the game I'd say he probably will be a game changer in a few years. If he can get over ~220 pounds he'll be a serious force, it'll be hard for him to be anything but a game changer.

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I hope this isn't rock bottom. I want that to be next year to get McDavid. He will be well worth the suckage as he will equate to more than all the Oilers first overall picks combined and the closest thing the league as seen to Crosby.

is he really that good? I haven't really seen anything from him but I am skeptical.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by codynw

Did the Oilers get their picks in the wrong years? Or did their players just develop poorly due to the fact that they're playing for Edmonton? If Edmonton got Stamkos would we be hearing about his struggles right now and hearing about how good Hall is playing in Tampa?

I think its a bit of both. The Oilers didnt get 'complete' players, they got small, skilled offensive players that they figured would eventually learn the defensive side of the game.

And then they threw them to the wolves and didnt teach them the defensive side of the game and didnt have any players who could.