Flames 20-21 Predictions: Season Eve Edition

[getbak]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Dube

2. Player with greatest drop off: Backlund

3. Points leader: Tkachuk

4. Goal scoring leader: Lindholm

5. Plus/minus leader: Andersson

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Valimaki - Calder; Markstrom - Vezina; Markstrom/Rittich - Jennings

7. Place in the North Division: 1

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 4

9. First player traded: None

10. Most unexpected development: Monahan wins the Conn Smythe


Bonus: How many points do they finish ahead/behind the Oilers: 26 ahead

[Yrebmi]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Mangiapane

2. Player with greatest drop off: Backlund

3. Points leader: Gaudreau

4. Goal scoring leader: Monahan

5. Plus/minus leader: Giordano

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Calder: Valimaki

7. Place in the North Division: 1st by 6+

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 4

9. First player traded: Derek Ryan

10. Most unexpected development: Sens do not finish 7th.

Flames finish 18 points ahead of the other Alberta team.

[Savvy27]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Bennett

2. Player with greatest drop off: Ryan

3. Points leader: Lindholm

4. Goal scoring leader: Lindholm

5. Plus/minus leader: Andersson

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Lindholm for Selke and Markstrom for Vezina

7. Place in the North Division: 1

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 3

9. First player traded: Rittich

10. Most unexpected development: Bennett outscores Backlund

Bonus: Flames outpace Oilers by 7 points

[Ashes]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Valimaki

2. Player with greatest drop off: Giordano

3. Points leader: Lindholm

4. Goal scoring leader: Monahan

5. Plus/minus leader: Lindholm

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Markstrom/Vezina, Valimaki/Calder

7. Place in the North Division: 1

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 3

9. First player traded: Kylington

10. Most unexpected development: Flames with a Top 5 Powerplay in the league

Bonus: Flames finish ahead of the Oil by 8 points

[8sPOT]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Andersson

2. Player with greatest drop off: Giordano

3. Points leader: Tkachuk (59)

4. Goal scoring leader: Lindholm (29)

5. Plus/minus leader: Andersson (+26)

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Valimaki Calder Finalist, Lindholm Selke Finalist

7. Place in the North Division: 1

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 3

9. First player traded: Gaudreau

10. Most unexpected development: Gaudreau is traded and the Flames still win the division, I guess the return is decent.


Bonus
How many points do they finish ahead/behind the Oilers: 8 points ahead

[VilleN]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Valimaki

2. Player with greatest drop off: Ryan

3. Points leader: Gaudreau

4. Goal scoring leader: Monahan

5. Plus/minus leader: Andersson

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Calder: Lindholm - Selke

7. Place in the North Division: 1st

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 3

9. First player traded: Kylington

10. Most unexpected development: Gaudreau eats a vegetable

Flames finish 10 pts ahead of E=NG.

[ComixZone]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Mangiapane

2. Player with greatest drop off: Backlund

3. Points leader: Gaudreau (then Tkachuk, post-Gaudreau)

4. Goal scoring leader: Monahan

5. Plus/minus leader: Hanifin

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Calder: Valimaki

7. Place in the North Division: 1

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): Win 2 rounds

9. First player traded: Gaudreau

10. Most unexpected development: Gaudreau being traded during the season and going on to win the Stanley Cup with the Flyers.

[bax]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Andersson

2. Player with greatest drop off: Backlund

3. Points leader: Gaudreau (61)

4. Goal scoring leader: Gaudreau (27)

5. Plus/minus leader: Giordano (+21)

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): N/A

7. Place in the North Division: 2

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 3

9. First player traded: Kylington

10. Most unexpected development: Lindholm struggles to produce offense with his new responsibilities in center


Bonus
How many points do they finish ahead/behind the Oilers: 6 points ahead

[FlamesAddiction]

1. Player with biggest breakout: Dube

It looks like he will be starting the season in the top 6 and based on the post-season, I think this is a safe choice.

2. Player with greatest drop off: Giordano

Love the guy, but time is catching up. He will be an important player no matter what, but I suspect he will be relied on less this season.

3. Points leader: Tkachuk

This is probably the hardest one to decide on as the big 4 (Monahan, Tkachuk, Gaudreau, and Lindholm) will all likely be close all season.

4. Goal scoring leader: Monahan

5. Plus/minus leader: Lindholm

6. Trophy nominees/winners (list or N/A): Lindholm (Selke), Markstrom (Vezina)

I don't think Valimaki will be close in Calder voting, mainly because offensive stats tend to bias the results for this award.

7. Place in the North Division: 2nd

8. How many rounds in POs (number or N/A): 2

9. First player traded: No roster players traded this season.

10. Most unexpected development: Lucic puts up a respectable season on the 3rd line while getting 15 goals and 15 assists.


Bonus
How many points do they finish ahead/behind the Oilers: 6 points ahead.

[dammage79]

1. Nesterov

2. Giordano

3. Gaudreau

4. Monahan AND Lindholm

5. Andersson

6. Byng: Monahan. Norris: Valimaki. Calder: Valimaki

7. 1st

8. 1

9. Kylington

10. Markstroms 1st season is rather pedestrian. But still has the best season of any Flames goalie in the last decade.