Are the Calgary Flames destined to collapse?

[Yoho]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/a...d-to-collapse/

[Gaskal]

Did Lambert sneak into his office and write that nonsense?

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Johnathan Willis appears to think so...
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/a...d-to-collapse/

Jonathan Willis has spent the past numbers of years as an Edmonton based analytics shill. Anything he says about the Flames has to be taken with a large grain of salt.

[Eric]

Giordano, Hamilton, Brodie, Russel, Wideman on defence....

How can this team collapse?

[Locke]

Based on the Poll at the bottom not many people believe him.

Obviously some players are going to take a step back, you likely cant have career years every year, but at the same time you've got players that you're expecting to take steps forward.

Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, Hamilton, Brodie, Ferland, Bouma, Jooris. These are all guys that 'broke out' but are at the stage of their careers where you expect them to continue to improve with the odd stumble here or there.

Maybe Russell and Wideman dont put up career years, maybe Hudler stays even takes a step back.

But at the same time, 'taking a step back' from a career year isnt the same as 'falling off the map.'

[EldrickOnIce]

Not sure you read it

We’ve talked about probabilities, and that’s all we have; I don’t own a crystal ball, so I can’t look into the future and see how this Flames roster will deliver on its potential. Considering all the factors we’ve just outlined, though, I wouldn’t be banking on them to take more than a modest step backward.

They may even prove capable of building on last season’s success.

[FBI]

Besides the stupid title, the article wasn't that bad.. Also telling is 75% thinking we will make the playoffs.

[Weitz]

Yah that article lists both the things they could regress and improve on.

And he qualifies the article by stating if they take one back (which he thinks they could even step forward) it would be a small one.

[JJ1532]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Johnathan Willis appears to think so...
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/a...d-to-collapse/

Does he?

"I wouldn’t be banking on them to take more than a modest step backward.

They may even prove capable of building on last season’s success."

All he reckons(and with no great certainty either) is that we might take a modest step backwards. Yeah, he uses stats as the basis of his argument, but he also does a fair job of taking into account the fact we won't see much of a goalie drop off, Hamilton and Frolik will make a difference and the young guns could well improve.

I think it's a pretty fair article to be honest.

[Huntingwhale]

[Yrebmi]

The Calgary Flames will collapse. ..around the net defensively before blocking a shot then a quick outlet pass going the other way. Just like last year.

Edit. Actually i liked the artical for the most.
Couple errors. 28th would be 3rd worst and previous season not seasons under Hartley.

[Erick Estrada]

I can see a scenario where they miss the playoffs for sure. Any slight regression on last year's performance would likely result in the team missing the playoffs given how tight things are in the conference. It's not out of the question that one or more of Gadreau, Monahan, Hudler suffer a more trying season whether it's injury induced or simply an off year. Also the goaltending situation is highly unstable as if the Flames opt to go with a Ramo/Ortio tandem you can argue they have the less proven tandem than the Oilers. The goaltending wasn't outstanding last season but it was average or even marginally better than average. Any regression here could be disastrous as it's probably a given they aren't going to be as successful at coming back late in games as last year as things like this always seem to even out so it's important that they are leading more games going into the 3rd period and keeping the GAA as low as possible.

On the flip side if the forwards mentioned above improve on last year or at least maintain the pace and some other forwards step up with this improved defensive group it's not a stretch to think that with the similar goaltending they got last year this team could rise to a position of home ice in the first round of the playoffs.

It will be an interesting season for sure.

[Five-hole]

Yeah it's pretty clear many above didn't actually read the article.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Five-hole

Yeah it's pretty clear many above didn't actually read the article.

[nik-]

I'm so bored of this. CORSI is probably the worst thing to happen to hockey since modern goalie equipment.

[The Yen Man]

Isn't he repeating the SAME thing over and over again from what every advanced stat "expert" articles? Yah yah, we get it. Flames would be a bottom feeder in the Corsi Hockey League, where winning games doesn't mean anything, and the cup is handed out based on a combination of how long you hold onto the puck and how many attempted shots you direct at the net.

[Street Pharmacist]

I don't think anyone read the article. Willis basically says if they do "regress" it won't be by much. People see stats and get blinded.

The question the title poses is "Are the Flames destined to collapse?"

His answer was "I wouldn't bank on a big regression"


Is that wrong?

[Yoho]

I take "Johnathan appears to thinks so " out.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I thought the article was excellent and does so well in being articulate about what the stats actually mean, how to interpret the information, and not get too bogged down in endless line after line of numbers.

If all advanced stat articles were written like that one, the average fan would have a much better understanding of things.

I didn't disagree with a single thing he said.

[Finger Cookin]

I just hate clickbait headlines.