NHL'15 season simulation - Flames have best shot at McDavid - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

MissTeeks · 10-01-2014, 08:33 AM

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/n...boston-bruins/

Quote:

If the video game prediction holds true, 2015 will bring the first repeat Stanley Cup champion in 17 years.

According to a full simulated 2014-15 NHL season on Ea Sports’ NHL 15, the Los Angeles Kings will reclaim their status as the league’s best team, defeating the Boston Bruins in a six-game Stanley Cup final waged between two perennial powerhouses.

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The simulation’s individual results include a Selke Trophy victory for the Kings’ Anze Kopitar and a repeat sweep of the Art Ross, Hart and Ted Lindsay trophies by Sidney Crosby — the game’s top-rated player. The Calgary Flames are predicted to finish first in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes (i.e. last overall).

Ashasx · 10-01-2014, 08:35 AM

edit: post now irrelevant

greyshep · 10-01-2014, 08:37 AM

ninja edit

saillias · 10-01-2014, 08:42 AM

I really don't think we're getting McDavid. Don't underestimate how good the loser eastern teams + Edmonton are at being bad.

the_only_turek_fan · 10-01-2014, 08:45 AM

The Flames won't even be a bottom 5 team.

Ottawa, Carolina, Edmonton, Buffalo, Winnipeg, Florida are all terrible.

ComixZone · 10-01-2014, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saillias

I really don't think we're getting McDavid. Don't underestimate how good the loser eastern teams + Edmonton are at being bad.

Don't underestimate just how good the Western conference is.

Also, because the East has more purely bad teams, the points are more likely to be spread around the conference - whereas we seem poised to get absolutely buried by a powerhouse division and conference.

Samuelsson · 10-01-2014, 08:47 AM

Yeah, I think this one's Buffalo's.

Providing they do an 'us' and attempt a rebuild nicely, their centre core could looks pretty good (providing they do get McDavid) - him to go along with Reinhart, Grigorenko, Girgensons and the current Ennis and Hodgson.. sets them up nicely.

Poe969 · 10-01-2014, 08:50 AM

IMO there are a lot of rose coloured glasses being worn around here. I don't see how the Flames are going to be good enough to play their way out of the bottom 2 in the league. Some of the teams that people think are going to finish lower than us are kind of head scratchers for me.... The Flames are going to be fun to watch but I still think they'll get destroyed in the west. As comix said, everyone is bad in the east so some bad teams are going to beat other bad teams. In the west, most teams are good and as much as I hate saying it....I think the no good oilers will finish ahead of us.

FlamesAddiction · 10-01-2014, 08:50 AM

I think Buffalo will be the only purely bad team this year.

I predict that there will be about 5 other teams (likely Calgary, Edmonton, Carolina, Ottawa, Florida) that will probably all be within 5 points of each other at the bottom of the standings and jostling for draft position all year.

devo22 · 10-01-2014, 08:52 AM

Doubt the Flames will get McDavid, some Eastern teams will be really bad and I doubt anyone outsucks the Sabres. Won't shed a tear if we miss McDavid and get someone like Hanifin instead.

ComixZone · 10-01-2014, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think Buffalo will be the only purely bad team this year.

I predict that there will be about 5 other teams (likely Calgary, Edmonton, Carolina, Ottawa, Florida) that will probably all be within 5 points of each other at the bottom of the standings and jostling for draft position all year.

Buffalo has a more mature group of younger players looking to make an impact than our roster does. I honestly think their roster is stronger than ours now, and they play in a significantly worse division/conference.

I'm with Poe on this one, I don't see a world in which we draft outside of the top 3.

Ozy_Flame · 10-01-2014, 08:54 AM

Flames would have to have a severely injury-riddled season to get into the Top 3, let alone the first overall pick.

Even then, they'd only have a 25% chance of getting it.

Tinordi · 10-01-2014, 08:57 AM

Meh, if there's a year to suck, this is the year to do it.

Have to think we'd emerge as a contender with a center depth like McDavid/Eichel, Bennett, Monahan and then smart drafting for depth players. Gotta break some eggs to make an omelette, so-to-speak.

jg13 · 10-01-2014, 08:57 AM

Teams worse than us Buffalo

Teams in our range Ottawa + Edmonton + NYI + Carolina

Teams that should be better than us Florida + Arizona + NJD + Nashville

I have to think Buffalo picks 1st OA, but wow i hope this simulator is right

saillias · 10-01-2014, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Don't underestimate just how good the Western conference is.

Also, because the East has more purely bad teams, the points are more likely to be spread around the conference - whereas we seem poised to get absolutely buried by a powerhouse division and conference.

Eh, those teams are going to be exhausted playing each other all the time too. On paper they should stomp us but history says these super powerhouse teams often come to Calgary and have an off-night, play the back-up goalie etc

PeteMoss · 10-01-2014, 09:12 AM

I'm of mixed opinion. The Flames with league average goaltending last year would have been above the Vancouvers and Winnipegs of the world (although goaltending was an issue for them as well).

With Ramo and Hiller I would expect better goaltending over the Berra/McDonald/Ortio games of last year.

On the other-hand losing is demoralizing and I'm not sure you can expect the same all out effort two years in a row, particularly when you just can't score. Giordano also played at an all-worldly level last year, can he keep that up? If he regresses to being just a 'good' defenseman, the team's level of play will drop.

I do agree with Tinordi though. If you're going to suck, do it this year. A group of forwards between the ages of 18-21 consisting of Bennett, Monohan, Gaudreau and McDavid/Eichel would be the envy of the league.

Huntingwhale · 10-01-2014, 09:12 AM

I don't see how Buffalo doesn't win the sweepstakes. Their team will probably bottom out worse then ours. And they also have the STL pick (which will be a later one most likely) and the NYI which well be an early one unless a miracle happens.

Wastedyouth · 10-01-2014, 09:15 AM

Even if we pick outside of the top 5. Dylan Strome is rated 9th and he is really really effing good

devo22 · 10-01-2014, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jg13

Teams worse than us Buffalo

Teams in our range Ottawa + Edmonton + NYI + Carolina

Teams that should be better than us Florida + Arizona + NJD + Nashville

I have to think Buffalo picks 1st OA, but wow i hope this simulator is right

I'd scratch the Isles from that list. They have to play lights out in order to save some face after the Vanek deal and they'll also want to sell tickets in Brooklyn. With Halak, Grabovski and Kulemin coming in plus their young talent breaking through (Strome, maybe Reinhart and Dal Colle), I doubt they'll be down there.

My bet for the worst 5 teams is on Buffalo, Calgary, Ottawa, Carolina and Edmonton/Florida ... probably in that order.

Street Pharmacist · 10-01-2014, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devo22

I'd scratch the Isles from that list. They have to play lights out in order to save some face after the Vanek deal and they'll also want to sell tickets in Brooklyn. With Halak, Grabovski and Kulemin coming in plus their young talent breaking through (Strome, maybe Reinhart and Dal Colle), I doubt they'll be down there.

My bet for the worst 5 teams is on Buffalo, Calgary, Ottawa, Carolina and Edmonton/Florida ... probably in that order.

Plus the isles don't want to have handed Buffalo a top 5 pick