Francis: Flames & Kris Russell are $1.5 million apart on AAV

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The flames have been outrageously fortunate this season when it comes to injuries.

Agreed. Let's hope Flames management is not blaming injuries and bad puck luck for this bad season.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

That's fine, but this team was in or near a playoff spot around Christmas.

What happened in January?

Was Ramo bad? No.
Was Hamilton bad? No.
Wad Giordano bad? No.
Was the team as a whole just not good enough? Yes.

What happened in January?

Anaheim took off, just in time for the Flames to lose three games against them (starting on Dec. 29). The whole Pacific Division has sucked less since Christmas.

Look at it another way: The Flames' goal differential in October was –25. From Nov. 1 to this morning, including January, it was +3.

Last year, the Flames were a playoff bubble team that squeaked in. This year, they're a playoff bubble team, but the bubble burst in October because their top three defencemen were unable to contribute and they had horrid goaltending. If they had played average hockey in October, they'd still be in the hunt for a playoff spot. But they aren't a good enough team to climb out of a hole that deep.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

What happened in January?

Anaheim took off, just in time for the Flames to lose three games against them (starting on Dec. 29). The whole Pacific Division has sucked less since Christmas.

Look at it another way: The Flames' goal differential in October was –25. From Nov. 1 to this morning, including January, it was +3.

Last year, the Flames were a playoff bubble team that squeaked in. This year, they're a playoff bubble team, but the bubble burst in October because their top three defencemen were unable to contribute and they had horrid goaltending. If they had played average hockey in October, they'd still be in the hunt for a playoff spot. But they aren't a good enough team to climb out of a hole that deep.

I agree with everything you said.

And I'd rather be a good enough team to climb out of a hole that deep than to blame the hole.

[browna]

Eastern teams loading up to try and take on Chicago.
Wonder if the Rags would have interest in Russell?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I agree with everything you said.

And I'd rather be a good enough team to climb out of a hole that deep than to blame the hole.

I agree with that, too. However, it takes a pretty damn good team to climb out of a hole that deep. Can't really fault the Flames for not being there just yet. (The difference between the Flames and Ducks is that the Ducks *are* good enough to climb out of the hole.)

Of course, it would be better not to get in the hole in the first place, but we really had a perfect storm of suck in October.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I agree with that, too. However, it takes a pretty damn good team to climb out of a hole that deep. Can't really fault the Flames for not being there just yet.

Of course, it would be better not to get in the hole in the first place, but we really had a perfect storm of suck in October.

Even a middle of the pack PK and PP would probably have the team a few more wins and/or OT loss points, and thats not including the confidence factor that PP goals provide and letdowns that less PK goals provide (to all players, including goalies). And, those have been terrible all year, ranked last or second last as far back as I can remember this season. If the Flames had 5-7 more points right now, trade action may be different.

So there's a few factors.

Back to Russell though...