2013-14 Flames Expectations

[Hockey_Ninja]

We are finally in rebuild mode, we haven't done anything significant to improve the team so far and we re-signed Butler....the tank will be strong in this team.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Worst team in the NHL next season and probably the season after. Embrace the suckiness. Own it! This will be much shorter than the crap the Oilers suffered through or the Canucks are headed towards.

[tempz]

Question for everyone, who do you expect to be our leaders this year? Who's our new captain?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by tempz

Question for everyone, who do you expect to be our leaders this year? Who's our new captain?

Butler!

[Roof-Daddy]

I thought playoffs were seeded by division now? As in, no more "11th in the West" or "14th in the West" etc...

Looking at our division, likely 6th or 7th place in the Western Division A (Until they give it a name)

Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose and Vancouver are alll miles better than we are on paper, and Phoenix still has Tippet and the ability to give us fits.

The Oilers? Who knows.

I just want to see a team that competes hard every night, gives the opposition fits in trying to beat us, and has a lot of young players who get better and develop as the season progresses.

[dutch14]

Originally Posted by tempz

Question for everyone, who do you expect to be our leaders this year? Who's our new captain?

I would go with Alternate captains next season, while grooming Monahan...then slap the C on him the following year.

Seems like pretty decent captain material to me.

[Tinordi]

Bottom 3 in the division. And that's just fine.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by tempz

Question for everyone, who do you expect to be our leaders this year? Who's our new captain?

Giordano with the C.

Leaders (assuming they don't get moved before the season):

- Giordano
- Glencross
- Backlund

[djsFlames]

We're gonna be the captainless #sskickers!

IMO Gio or Glencross won't be around past their current contracts, so best to wait until one of the youngsters emerges as a leader and give him the C. Saves the awkwardness of stripping one of them of it if/when another more suitable kid makes a case for it in a year or two. My guess is Monahan, though.

[Machiavelli]

12th to 14th in the west.

[flylock shox]

I actually think they'll be decent next year. I don't think Iginla is a big loss at this stage if his career, nor Kipper given his performance last season, nor Tanguay for the same reason. Bouwmeester's minutes will be missed, but a commitment to team defence can replace his value.

The X factor for this team - and the reason I don't think they'll be any worse than last year - is the fact they'll be well stocked with young guys who actually give a crap.

I reckon they'll finish somewhere in the 7-10 range.

[$ven27]

29th.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by $ven27

29th.

Which team do you view worse than us?

[browna]

Will be interesting to see how this season is going to be spun to those who've plopped down their STH money, and fans in general as far as "hope".

Not so sure I've heard them come out and say "be patient for a couple seasons" just quite yet, and still have a few months of the summer to form something more then we see today, but...

They (Edwards) shot for Shanahan to get a new voice and a bit of a new perspective in there, and lost out. That's a huge blow to the offseason plan IMO.

Retained the GM who was kept around in the first place to get the last out of the core, which are now all but gone...that GM has been given the responsibility to clear house and draft, spend the cap space they have, and and try and shuffle the chairs on the titanic while the team builds back its desirability as a destination.

Same with the coach...a coach meant to coach the last years out of a core that is now gone, and a coach that certainly didn't seem to enamor himself to too many players...a couple of them where shipped out in the same deal. Nevermind the horrible defensive play, considering he inherited much of the same solid if not dull) defensive team Sutter had.

Is all the hype going into this season to be based around the draft picks made last week? Not much else of note to get interested in.

As for the young guys, there's a fine line of playing hard and not giving up game by game; its another (in so far as confidence) to see that constant effort not end up with results more often than not.

[JJsChaos]

Don't do what Edmonton did to their prospects (Cogliano, Gagner, RNH). Let our 2013 draft picks play there 9 games and let them develop properly. Poirier and Monahan on team Canada would be amazing.

No long-term contracts with NMC. I expect shorter contracts and modified NTC.

I think 2015-2016 is our year. If Feaster and co. take their time over the next couple years, this should be a very exciting team. Especially if we win the lottery and get Connor McDavid.

[You Need a Thneed]

5th in the division, sneak a crossover playoff spot.

[Nehkara]

Last in the division, bottom three in the West.

I will be content if the Flames work hard and compete, I know the team won't be very good this year.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Weber and Jones have more talent than our entire d group put together.

I honestly cannot see a single team in the league that is worse on paper than the Flames.

And absolutely zero goal scoring. There are AHL teams with better forwards than them and Jones is going to take time to be any good. No way the Preds finish higher than us. I forgot about the 14 team thing so I see us 13.

[$ven27]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Which team do you view worse than us?

Florida

[Stay Golden]

My expectations are unfortunately low for this team also given this new realignment it will be even tougher to even get in the playoffs. With that shiny turd Butler being resigned the chances are even greater the Flames are not going to come close to making the playoffs.