Assuming the Flames make the playoffs, who is your preferred 1st round match up?

[GioforPM]

If Polak is nervous I'm all for playing the Oilers. Wasn't the Detroit win the signal that the Flames were going to enter a losing streak or something?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by polak

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't want to face the team that swept us.

I think people like to invent excuses as to why they'll struggle in the playoffs but they had our number all year and I'd rather not face them in the 1st round. Would be a lot of fun though and man the bragging rights up for grabs in that series would be nuts. I've never seen a BOA play off series before.

I think the Flames match up well with all of the other playoff teams. Ducks worry me too as they've historically owned us.

I know one thing for sure...

Whoever we face, you'll have a laundry-list of reasons as to why they're a bad matchup and we're destined to lose.

[GioforPM]

They should play the Oilers because Calgary's home ice advantage will demoralize the Oilers.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by polak

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't want to face the team that swept us.

Yes, you are.

But it is probably because the rest of us are overlooking the fact that if the Flames had lost their last three games, and if the Kings had won their last four in regulation, then LA would be firmly entrenched in a wildcard spot, and the Flames would be out.

I think people like to invent excuses as to why they'll struggle in the playoffs but they had our number all year and I'd rather not face them in the 1st round.

Nobody is "inventing excuses." The Oilers are a single line of pop-gun offence with an excellent goalie who will enter the playoffs with one of the heaviest regular season workloads in the past 5 or 6 years. Historically, teams playing under these conditions do not do well in the playoffs.

Regular season series' records are practically meaningless. The Flames have been one of the best teams in the League for well over a month now, and the Oilers have been little better than average. Playoffs are the great equalizer where depth forwards and defensemen tend to get exposed. The Flames have the depth where the Oilers do not. The Oilers will not make it out of the first round, and I don't think it matters who they play.

I think the Flames match up well with all of the other playoff teams. Ducks worry me too as they've historically owned us.

The reality is that the Flames need to get over the Ducks if they hope to take another step. I think this is as good a time to do that as any. This team matches up quite well against every team in the West, and they will be a serious threat to win at least a round.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I know one thing for sure...

Whoever we face, you'll have a laundry-list of reasons as to why they're a bad matchup and we're destined to lose.

Did you read my post?

You'd think that this echo chamber wouldn't be so insufferable when we're winning.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by polak

You'd think that this echo chamber wouldn't be so insufferable when we're winning.

Such a bore.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by polak

Did you read my post?

You'd think that this echo chamber wouldn't be so insufferable when we're winning.

All this winning is getting in the way of some quality complaining time!

[Huntingwhale]

Oilers. As much as I want them to not make the playoffs, they likely will. I've never witnessed a BOA. They think they have our number with the sweep this season. What better place to vengeance then in the playoffs.

But other's are right. If we lose the series, it will feel 10x worse then the season sweep, and the offseason will be unbearable. I won't be able to read about hockey knowing they will smuggly be rubbing it in our faces. But then again the opposite is true if we win. High risk/high reward. Just how it should be.

I'm not worried about any opponent except the Ducks. Christ, all that hard work this season would be for naught if we meet them in round 1 and they have home ice. We'll be lucky to win 2 games. Unless....by some miracle we beat them at the Honda Centre later this season. But that curse is the real deal.

[dino7c]

nobody is easy but

Oilers
Ducks
Sharks

for me

Sure we swept the Wild but that is like Oilers fans bragging about sweeping us, come playoff time it doesn't matter at all.

forget the Oilers SO win that the Flames should have taken in regulation and look at the other 3 games

TERRIBLE goal tending, terrible Wideman...and even still the Flames dominated stretches of those games

[flamesforcup]

I think beating the Oilers would be the highest point of most fans since the 04 run honestly. Up there with the 2015 run.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dino7c

nobody is easy but

Oilers
Ducks
Sharks

for me

Sure we swept the Wild but that is like Oilers fans bragging about sweeping us, come playoff time it doesn't matter at all.

forget the Oilers SO win that the Flames should have taken in regulation and look at the other 3 games

TERRIBLE goal tending, terrible Wideman...and even still the Flames dominated stretches of those games

What is the justification for Minnesota losing the season series against the Flames? Do they have similar built-in explanations?

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Oilers. As much as I want them to not make the playoffs, they likely will. I've never witnessed a BOA. They think they have our number with the sweep this season. What better place to vengeance then in the playoffs.

But other's are right. If we lose the series, it will feel 10x worse then the season sweep, and the offseason will be unbearable. I won't be able to read about hockey knowing they will smuggly be rubbing it in our faces. But then again the opposite is true if we win. High risk/high reward. Just how it should be.

I'm not worried about any opponent except the Ducks. Christ, all that hard work this season would be for naught if we meet them in round 1 and they have home ice. We'll be lucky to win 2 games. Unless....by some miracle we beat them at the Honda Centre later this season. But that curse is the real deal.

I honestly haven't thought of how it would feel if we lost to them because it just can't happen. If it does we will never hear the end of it until we face them again in a playoff series and beat them.

[Coach]

The only thing that scares me about the Oilers is McDavid's ability to receive unwarranted powerplays/penalty shots.

[Par]

Originally Posted by MattyC

The only thing that scares me about the Oilers is McDavid's ability to receive unwarranted powerplays/penalty shots.

This is the biggest factor, with the stupid Wideman effect being real and McDavid not allowed to be touched, the oilers will get at least 4-5 penalties per game.

I would want the Wild or the Sharks, we match up good against those teams.

[edn88]

I'd take the Oilers over Minnesota, San Jose, Chicago (or even Anaheim).

[Yamer]

Nothing gives me a bigger hockey stiffy than thinking about a playoff BOA.

Definitely, 100%, Edmonton.

[calgaryred]

Sharks for sure

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[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

What is the justification for Minnesota losing the season series against the Flames? Do they have similar built-in explanations?

They have been a dominant team...pretty safe to assume they didn't play their best against the Flames, plus they have since upgraded their roster.

Not saying the Flames can't beat them, just that they wouldn't be my first pick and the season series doesn't mean much IMO


all that being said I don't think the Ducks are a great team...they have played the worst down the stretch

[Erick Estrada]

I don't really care. Let the chips fall where they may. This season in particular things are as level as they have been in a long time. The Wild will have a lot of pressure as they have gone all in and Boudreau has to shake his own personal failures in the playoffs so I'm fine with the Flames facing off against them. Maybe the Sharks and Hawks are two teams you would rather not face in the first round but if you are going to upset a top seed the first round is usually as good a time as any.

[Cube Inmate]

These days, the Saddledome crowds are intolerable for even a regular-season Oilers game. I don't want any more of that trash invading and causing off-ice incidents. I'm all for noise, but the EDM crowds are sub-human ####-disturbers.

Let them get knocked out in the first round by SJ, after completing their late-season collapse into a wild card spot. Their fans don't deserve the pleasure of coming to our rink and being a bunch of Richards.