Which teams have the most pressure this season? - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

EYE_Overstand · 10-01-2013, 09:54 AM

Iginla has a very good shot to get 20 this year and depending on his PP time, 25-30 could happen

iamca · 10-01-2013, 09:56 AM

Pittsburgh. They extended Blysma, Malkin, and Letang.

Getting swept in the second round by Da Brunz and not looking great against the Isles in the first round, the Pens are under the gun.

Cap team with lots of stars, questions surround the goaltending, if they are not strong there will be pressure for changes, but going into the season they are definitely under a lot of pressure.

Fleury is the obvious question mark/scapegoat, but Vokoun is questionable with blood clots and rumors are flying about about bringing in Bryz... that would make things really interesting.

Cali Panthers Fan · 10-01-2013, 10:11 AM

Nobody talking about St. Louis? IMO they spent a fair amount recently to become a contender for years to come. They are still relying on Halak and Elliott to carry the mail in goal and those two have been up and down over the last couple of years. If their goaltending struggles out of the gate they could be behind the 8-ball to start the year, and they would instantly be looking for goaltending solutions.

If they don't go on an extended run in the playoffs this year, I think some big changes will be made.

Poe969 · 10-01-2013, 10:16 AM

I think after signing Kessel and everyone else they've signed, this year has to be a big year for the leafs. They made the playoffs for the first time in a few years and they have to prove that it wasn't just because it was a short season.

I think the pressure is on the leafs more othan most teams and we should be exploiting that on every team we can. The draft is different this coming year in that any team can get the #1 pick so we should be offering help in order to get those first rounders.

CaptainCrunch · 10-01-2013, 10:16 AM

Vancouver - I look at that team, I look at the division, and I think they're into the fall from Grace give our core one more chance GM please stage that the Flames hit a few years back. I think they'll make the playoffs but I think they'll be in the bottom sphere of playoff games.

Questions - Was Loungo the right guy to keep? Are the Sedin's moving into the decline stage of their career? Can Kesler shake off his injuries and return to being a solid player who doesn't just feast on weak teams? Is Torts the right guy for the job?

Edmonton - Does another non playoff year with a few points worth of progression save Kevin Lowe's job? Will their injured centers return in time to save the season? Is Dubnyk in fact a quality NHL starter? How does this team react to Eakin's no nonsense accountiblity?

Toronto - Was last year a fluke due to a shortened season? Did they keep up to the other teams in their conference in terms of talent? Are their goaltenders ready to take that step up? Does their cap issues impact their season? Can they sneak up on teams anymore or are they a target?

Montreal - Same questions as above in normal versus shortened season? Did they do enough to address their size issue? Can the his team mates stand Subban for a lengthier season? Can Subban live up to his award winning season?

Cali Panthers Fan · 10-01-2013, 10:26 AM

Some of you guys need to see some media outside of Canadian markets. You'd think they were the only teams that had pressure to win or something.

(yes I know there is always pressure to win in Canada)

c.t.ner · 10-01-2013, 11:03 AM

I feel that as of today, Edmonton has the most pressure overall. If they struggle out of the gates there is going to be a lot of questions on the young core. It'll be very interesting if they don't make the playoffs this year as I think you'll see one of core members shipped out for some veteran skill.

Outside of some of the others, I think Carolina has a tonne of pressure to turn things around with the talent they have assembled. The Staal brothers, Semin, Skinner and Cam Ward have to produce for that team to regain their fan base and excitement from a few years ago.

I also think Phoenix has a tonne of pressure to at least improve on their previous seasons. You can't finally resolve the ownership issue and then post a stinker of a season and expect the fans to come back.

FlamesAddiction · 10-01-2013, 11:21 AM

Columbus must be starting to really feel the pressure. They seemed to have burned up most of the good will they had when they entered the market and have made some pretty drastic retooling moves. The owners must be starting to squirm a little.

ricardodw · 10-01-2013, 11:25 AM

The Blues are in the same spot as the 2009-10 Flames when the Flames signed Bouwmeester.

They have made the playoffs the last couple of years and been knocked out in the first round.

They are both very physical team that would need to add skill.

They have added Bouwmeester same as the Flames added Bouwmeester,

They have added ageing high scoring centre Roy Flames added Jokinen

They have lost skilled high scoring wingers MacDonald - Flames lost Cammalleri.

They both have important large scoring RW's that don't play like they are always interested: Stewart and Bourque.

They have a young Norris calibre d-man signed to a huge Long term contract who was a lock to be on the Olympic team Pietroangelo - Flames Phanuef.

Both have the best defense corp in the league on paper: Pietroangelo-Bouwmeester,Shatenkirk, Jackman, Polak whereas the Flames had Phanuef-Bouwmeester-Regehr-Sarich-Giordano.

Both teams have/had very highly respected no-nonsense defence first coaches - Hitchcock and Brent Sutter.

Both Teams have spent right up to the Cap. and have lost useful players becuase of the Cap.... Flames lost Bertuzzi and the Blues Perron

The Blues , Like the 2009-10 Flames have incredibly high expectations that will almost be impossible to meet.

After a poor start (27-20-8) 62 pts in 55 games good for 8th spot the Flames panicked and blew up the team trading away Phanuef.

4oh3 · 10-01-2013, 11:49 AM

Vancouver Edmonton Boston New York maybe Chicago

OzSome · 10-01-2013, 12:15 PM

I say Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and even the New York Rangers.

Vancouver : with all the aging talents and Gillis keeping Luongo instead of Schneider. Came close of winning the Stanley Cup one year and Canuck fans thinks they can the Stanley Cup every season after that. The Sedins are getting older and they don't have the same supporting cast as before. Kesler is injured all the time while Luongo who hasn't been good in the last few season was kept ahead of Schneider. I still don't understand how TSN rated Luongo as the potential starting goaltender in the Sochi Olympics.

Mineesota Wild : they spend so much money last season with Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. This season is going to be an 82-game season not a shortened season. No more excuses this time.

Edmonton Oilers : 3 first round pick overall (Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov), then signed the young hot shot free agent defenseman Schultz last season. Adding Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner to the mix and Oilers should be scoring a lot of goals. The team got rid of the scapegoat GM Steve Tambellini and Head Coach Ralph Kruger so they need to improve this season and at least make the playoffs.

Toronto Maple Leafs : Every season we hear from Torontonian how good their team are. They are going to make the playoff and go all the way to the Stanley Cup. At the end of the season, they are usually dissapointed they didn't make the playoffs. Last season they made it but didn't last long. Fans and the media were blaming goaltending is the problem. This season they have two goaltenders who can play. Maple Leafs do not have space on their salary cap because they over spend in the off-season. They better make the playoff at least or else GM Nonis will be the first to leave.

New York Rangers : They have some talent but some of them are getting old. With their rival New York Islanders improving and might go past the Rangers this season, Rangers' fans and the media will not be happy if they don't make the playoff this season.

Wolven · 10-01-2013, 12:18 PM

I think just about every team in the league is under some kind of pressure. You would have to put them into tiers.

I'd say the obvious teams with pressure to win the cup would be the Pens, Bruins, Hawks and Kings. Being the recent teams to win the cup and last year's final 4 they are pretty much all under pressure to do it again (perhaps not as much for the Hawks because they just won it).

The Rangers, Canucks, Capitals, Sharks, Leafs, Blues and Wild are all playoff teams that will be under pressure to Win Now and join the first tier of contenders fighting for the cup before they start losing star players and have to look at rebuilding again.

Oilers, Flyers, Canes, Sabres, and Lightning are all under pressure to get out of the basement with their respective teams. They are all spending like competitive teams and have the talent to be in the playoffs and yet were draft lottery teams last season.

Stay Golden · 10-01-2013, 01:07 PM

I think Edmonton has the most pressure their fans expect this to be the year. I'm not convinced the Coilers can deliver with LA, SJ, ANA being added to the mix now.
T.O has to prove to their fans that last year wasn't a flash of lightning.
In Boston i think Iggy has a lot of pressure play wise to prove to the rabid Bruin fans that management did the right thing adding him to the team.

thefoss1957 · 10-01-2013, 01:38 PM

If the Blues stumble out of the block...I could see Hitchcock on the hot seat...Patience has not been a virtue of their fan base recently.

There will be pressure of a different kind for my guys...the Cup holders will have a target on them, and teams will dig in to bring their "A" game, even as the games grind on. Not real pleased to have, potentially, 14 guys from the roster getting extra games with the Olympics...the NHL season is wearing enough.

Certainly, also, Torts and AV will be under a microscope in their new cities.

dino7c · 10-01-2013, 01:42 PM

Why do the Oilers have pressure? if they suck we will just get the old young players excuse, injuries, only getting better....and then next summer will be the usual hype

CaptainCrunch · 10-01-2013, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Why do the Oilers have pressure? if they suck we will just get the old young players excuse, injuries, only getting better....and then next summer will be the usual hype

Because at some point the roofies that are mixed with whatever they call beer at Rexall place will wear out and the fanbase will realize that not only have they been date raped by the Oilers organization for the past 8 years, but there is no light at the end of the tunnel. No hope and no way out.

bubbsy · 10-01-2013, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricardodw

The Blues are in the same spot as the 2009-10 Flames when the Flames signed Bouwmeester.

They have made the playoffs the last couple of years and been knocked out in the first round.

They are both very physical team that would need to add skill.

They have added Bouwmeester same as the Flames added Bouwmeester,

They have added ageing high scoring centre Roy Flames added Jokinen

They have lost skilled high scoring wingers MacDonald - Flames lost Cammalleri.

They both have important large scoring RW's that don't play like they are always interested: Stewart and Bourque.

They have a young Norris calibre d-man signed to a huge Long term contract who was a lock to be on the Olympic team Pietroangelo - Flames Phanuef.

Both have the best defense corp in the league on paper: Pietroangelo-Bouwmeester,Shatenkirk, Jackman, Polak whereas the Flames had Phanuef-Bouwmeester-Regehr-Sarich-Giordano.

Both teams have/had very highly respected no-nonsense defence first coaches - Hitchcock and Brent Sutter.

Both Teams have spent right up to the Cap. and have lost useful players becuase of the Cap.... Flames lost Bertuzzi and the Blues Perron

The Blues , Like the 2009-10 Flames have incredibly high expectations that will almost be impossible to meet.

After a poor start (27-20-8) 62 pts in 55 games good for 8th spot the Flames panicked and blew up the team trading away Phanuef.

the main difference between the two teams is that the blues core is in their prime (all their best players are in their 20s), whereas the flames core at that stage was exiting their prime.

Unless they completely screw up (ie. are not a playoff team) i think there will be no reason for worry or large changes.

ParaguayPlett · 10-01-2013, 02:38 PM

Just arrived back in Vancouver for a quick visit, and there's a tremendous amount of pressure on the team (and very little confidence among the fans).

I see them having a slightly rockier fall from grace than the Flames had after the 2004 run. At least with the Flames the word "dynasty" was ne'er uttered.

There's a curse on this Cascadian city. A deserving one, for years of fan stupidity.

LickTheEnvelope · 10-01-2013, 02:42 PM

Mike Gillis certainly has pressure but I don't think the Canucks do. Pretty much all sports media has them as a mid-pack team, as do most fans out here.

The new coaching is all i'm really interested in this season, I think the core's last big chance is next year.

EDIT:

I'd say the Wild and Blues are a good picks in the west and i'll say the Rangers in the East. Rangers are always expected to be good but they might actually miss the playoffs this year if the Islanders can put it together.

ricardodw · 10-01-2013, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbsy

the main difference between the two teams is that the blues core is in their prime (all their best players are in their 20s), whereas the flames core at that stage was exiting their prime.

Unless they completely screw up (ie. are not a playoff team) i think there will be no reason for worry or large changes.

Steen 29, Roy 30, Backes 29, Jackman 32, Bouwmeester 30, Morrow 34.

all would be core players except for Maybe Morrow.

The 25 and under core is Pietroanglo 23, Shattenkirk 24, and Berglund 25 and Stewart 25..

Oshie and Sobotka are 26.

This is their time. If they are in 8th place come end of January there will be huge pressure to fix what ails them. They no longer have Davidson controlling things and they panicked last year already in a similar spot giving up their 1st and 2nd for Bouw and Leopold.

Maybe they could fix things with a scoring winger to replace Andy MacDonald.... a very similar player to Cammalleri.

In 2009 Bouwmeester was 26, Phanuef 24, Gio 25 Regehr 29, Jokinen 30, Bourque 27, Glencross 26,

Iginla was only 32.