How are you feeling about the flames so far?

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Gaudreau, Monahan, and Backlund were all members of the 2015 team that won a round against a 100+ point team. Not sure why you'd omit that year.

It's interesring to think that since that hear though, Mangiapane/Andersson/Hanifin/Tkachuk/Dube/Kylington/Valimaki/Coleman/Pitlick all entered the league.

Omitted as it was 7 years ago and was clearly a fluke as it wasn't done again since.
Canucks were definitely an overhyped 100 + team with their starting goalie hurt.. what happened in the next round? 0 regulation wins.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by dino7c

The Flames have one regulation loss this season Ina game they had 47 shots after not playing for 8 days. Lost on some bounces.

Outplayed the other team 6 straight...which I can't remember happening. Not going to win every game but play hard like this every game and they should cruise to the playoffs

To be fair, if Vegas is taking a step back this year then playoffs are just a couple shades off of automatic in this division for even an average team.

[Bingo]

Not surprising ...

- Team plays with more pace and is pretty solid defensively.
- They generate more shot volume than opponents
- They don't dominate when it comes to scoring chance splits
- Markstrom bounce back

Surprising ...

- Team finishing despite not getting lion's share of chances
- Defense much better at transitioning the puck than I expected
- Depth on the blueline looks deeper than anyone thought

Honestly happy as hell, and when they are playing tight gaps they dominate against teams as the opposition can't get up the ice.

But do feel a correction is likely in order towards the 93-35 point team that they should be.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Fans that said they were a bottom feeder now moving the goalpost and saying "do it in the playoffs". Flames must be doing well.

Here comes Dinooo. Relax bud, nothing has been decided (bottom feeder, average or elite). Its 6 games into the bloody season. And no, nobody is moving the goal posts, the knock on this team is playing well under tight checking playoff style hockey, that hasn't changed.

Colorado is what 2-4? They must be garbage right.

[joejoe3]

Surprising...

4th line Sean Monahan

[heep223]

I can’t remember the team ever starting a season this well. Usually they’re already digging out of a hole come December. So how could I not feel happy and optimistic!

[Flamesfan05]

Everyone is giving full effort. That’s what Sutter does. Hopefully for a cup run before they run out of gas or quit on him.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Not surprising ...

- Team plays with more pace and is pretty solid defensively.
- They generate more shot volume than opponents
- They don't dominate when it comes to scoring chance splits
- Markstrom bounce back

Surprising ...

- Team finishing despite not getting lion's share of chances
- Defense much better at transitioning the puck than I expected
- Depth on the blueline looks deeper than anyone thought

Honestly happy as hell, and when they are playing tight gaps they dominate against teams as the opposition can't get up the ice.

But do feel a correction is likely in order towards the 93-35 point team that they should be.

This is still the biggest worry.

Mangiapane and Lindholm can't keep up this pace forever...need to get others finishing for when those two dry up.

[djsFlames]

Surprsing:

Gudbranson being one of the most effective d-men
Kylington solidifying himself in the top four and flourishing
Ritchie, Lewis and Pitlick being effective on their respective lines
Coleman's immediate impact, with some monster performances including 8 shots vs NY
Monahan's offensive game dropping off a cliff

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Monahan's offensive game dropping off a cliff

I wonder if he got hurt (again) from that high hit in the first game?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Here comes Dinooo. Relax bud, nothing has been decided (bottom feeder, average or elite). Its 6 games into the bloody season. And no, nobody is moving the goal posts, the knock on this team is playing well under tight checking playoff style hockey, that hasn't changed.

Colorado is what 2-4? They must be garbage right.

Plenty of people were writing them off after 2 games...or none

What is the difference?

They are not a bottom feeder

[madmike]

It's early, but the D has looked much better than I thought it would.

Lindholm and Mangiapane will definitely cool off some, but hopefully guys like Tkachuk (who hasn't done a ton) and Monahan can pick up some of the slack.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Here comes Dinooo. Relax bud, nothing has been decided (bottom feeder, average or elite). Its 6 games into the bloody season. And no, nobody is moving the goal posts, the knock on this team is playing well under tight checking playoff style hockey, that hasn't changed.

Colorado is what 2-4? They must be garbage right.

This board was unbearable after the 0-1-1 start people claiming they knew this team would be brutal. I say let the optimistic poster have his moment considering the pessimist group have run roughshod on this forum since early 21

[dieHARDflameZ]

I will eat some crow for sure. I was less than impressed with the off season however watching the way they are playing so far, I am a lot more optimistic than I was previously.

They are playing with speed and as a unit, miles better than what we witnessed prior to Sutter being brought in.

I like it and am back to enjoying watching them play.

[ForeverFlameFan]

So far so good. Could easily lose 5 in a row, could easily win 5 in a row. Coaching matters (as some have pointed out), and the players seem to have bought in. It’s still early but I love what I am seeing so far.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by madmike

It's early, but the D has looked much better than I thought it would.

Lindholm and Mangiapane will definitely cool off some, but hopefully guys like Tkachuk (who hasn't done a ton) and Monahan can pick up some of the slack.

Probably, but Mangiapane has done this for 11 games now, sandwiching a world championships where he had 7 goals and 4 assists in 7 games. Dude is on a lengthy tear.

The longer things go this way, the more we're looking at Johnny, Elias and Andrew being primary threats and Matt and Sean being complementary ones. With Mikael and Blake driving the two-way bus

[NegativeSpace]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Probably, but Mangiapane has done this for 11 games now sandwiching a world championships where he had 7 goals and 4 assists in 7 games. Dude is on a lengthy tear.

With an off-season in between.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by NegativeSpace

With an off-season in between.

Yes.. and?

Still a goal per game in the last dozen.

[Macman]

I've liked what I've seen so far even from game 1. Looks like a different team to me and I also don't see the boring close checking defensive game, the Devils had 30 shots last night.

I think Sutter has really "laid it down" so to speak and the players have adjusted, team also looks a lot more relaxed out there to me.

I agree with there not being much structure or planning under Ward, you could really see that in games, look at how the team struggled with something simple like a breakout.

It's a long season but I like what I've seen so far and I hope everyone can stay relatively healthy and keep winning games.

[dammage79]

Low expectations and they're exceeding them. It's good hockey to watch as well.

The surprises for me are how the spare parts are more effective than the last two seasons combined and we aren't even 10 games in.

Not surprised at Monahan. Sutters building him back up from scratch. I will say yesterday's game was his best game so far which is a good thing. My estimate is he should he back to old awesome moneyhands by game 22.

Overall I'm pretty happy right now with the Flames, they're playing the right way every game, they're getting tested and not crumbling under the pressure and they're giving full confidence to the younger guys like Kylington, Valimaki and Vladar.

I'm really surprised that Zadorov has been munching popcorn but who does he replace RN? Nobody.