Assuming the Flames make the playoffs, who is your preferred 1st round match up? - Page 10 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Huntingwhale · 03-13-2017, 08:21 AM

The media attention for Edmonton would be unbearable, I agree. But in the lockeroom, the Flames can use that as rallying point similar to '04. "Look how everyone is doubting us, it's us vs the world'' mentality. And it would easily be the most satisfying feeling to wipe the smugness from their fans if we win that series. Having said that, it would be the worst feeling in the world if we lost that series. Going online to read about hockey would be unbearable.

The Ducks truly are the team I don't want to face in round 1. I actually think that's a much bigger possibility then a BOA. The only way I'd give the Flames a chance in that is if we somehow get home ice. Unless the Flames actually win at Honda Center later this season, that curse is very much a real thing. All that hard work to make the playoffs would be erased knowing we face the Ducks in round 1. I'm fine with any other match up. Hawks, Sharks, Wild. Flames play those teams hard all the time. But some teams just don't match up well against others, and for us it's Anaheim.

Textcritic · 03-13-2017, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

The Ducks truly are the team I don't want to face in round 1. I actually think that's a much bigger possibility then a BOA. The only way I'd give the Flames a chance in that is if we somehow get home ice. Unless the Flames actually win at Honda Center later this season, that curse is very much a real thing. All that hard work to make the playoffs would be erased knowing we face the Ducks in round 1. I'm fine with any other match up. Hawks, Sharks, Wild. Flames play those teams hard all the time. But some teams just don't match up well against others, and for us it's Anaheim.

The curse is real until it isn't. Eventually, the Flames will begin to win games once again at the Honda Center, and this year—for the first time in nearly a decade—they look to have a team that is actually capable of doing so.

The curse is ending in Game #80.

Torture · 03-13-2017, 09:35 AM

Ducks & Sharks are both skilled and heavy. If we made it past them (which would be a challenge) they'd take their pound of flesh.

Most playoff teams have found another gear for the last half of the season...the Oilers haven't. Would be a media circus and god help us if we lose but they're the easiest route to the second round.

GioforPM · 03-13-2017, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The curse is real until it isn't. Eventually, the Flames will begin to win games once again at the Honda Center, and this year—for the first time in nearly a decade—they look to have a team that is actually capable of doing so.

The curse is ending in Game #80.

The curse is only regular season, though, right? But they will win the next one. These guys can beat Anaheim.

GioforPM · 03-13-2017, 09:37 AM

Can't play the Oilers if they don't make the playoffs. mwahahahahaha.

FanIn80 · 03-13-2017, 09:41 AM

All I know is Brent Burns scares me a little. The guy is a straight-up beast.

Textcritic · 03-13-2017, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The curse is only regular season, though, right? But they will win the next one. These guys can beat Anaheim.

The Flames were 1-2 at the Honda Center in the 2006 Playoffs. They won Game 3 pretty handily, Game 4 was lost in overtime, and Game 6 was a Kristian Huselius goalpost on a breakaway removed from ending the series.

CroFlames · 03-13-2017, 09:50 AM

Worry is a strong word, but Mcdavid concerns me. We've all seen what he can do, and I think he has the ability to kick it up a notch in the playoffs too. He could be a real x-factor.

Truth is, the only way EDM can go deep is riding McDavid and Talbot and if anyone has the ability to carry a club, it's Mcdavid.

Having said all that, I like how the Flames are built and they can match up well against anyone IMO.

GullFoss · 03-13-2017, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Having said all that, I like how the Flames are built and they can match up well against anyone IMO.

Sure...but if the flames have to go through Anahiem, San Jose and Minne/Nashville to get to the finals, they might be too beat up once they get into round four.

Outside of Lucic, Maroon and Kassian...the oilers dont have a lot of muscle to wear the flames down.

CaptainCrunch · 03-13-2017, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Worry is a strong word, but Mcdavid concerns me. We've all seen what he can do, and I think he has the ability to kick it up a notch in the playoffs too. He could be a real x-factor.

Truth is, the only way EDM can go deep is riding McDavid and Talbot and if anyone has the ability to carry a club, it's Mcdavid.

Having said all that, I like how the Flames are built and they can match up well against anyone IMO.

Listening to Friedman this morning and putting my own spin on it.

The problem with the Oilers right now is their secondary scoring has completely dried up. I posted some stats on it earlier. But over the last 20 games Draisatl, Maroon, Eberle and Hopkins haven't provided much secondary scoring. Most of it is coming from McDavid. Their blueline isn't great at generating offense either.

So most teams are going to look at that in the playoffs, and basically say that we're not going to let McDavid be the guy that beats us, and they'll take the chance that the lameness of the rest of the Oilers squad won't be able to carry the team like McDavid did in the regular season.

In the playoffs teams are way more prepared and game planned then they are in the regular season, so don't be surprised if teams completely clog the neutral zone when McDavid steps on the ice and not allow him to wind up.

Textcritic · 03-13-2017, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Worry is a strong word, but Mcdavid concerns me. We've all seen what he can do, and I think he has the ability to kick it up a notch in the playoffs too. He could be a real x-factor.

Truth is, the only way EDM can go deep is riding McDavid and Talbot and if anyone has the ability to carry a club, it's Mcdavid.

Having said all that, I like how the Flames are built and they can match up well against anyone IMO.

But we have seen time and time again that it is far too difficult for one forward or defenseman to do it on his own over the course of a seven game series. Jaromir Jagr was the best player on the planet by a wide margin in the late nineties and early 2000s, and while he looked amazing dragging the Penguins into the playoffs every year, he was often completely exhausted before the end of the first round.

Huntingwhale · 03-13-2017, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Sure...but if the flames have to go through Anahiem, San Jose and Minne/Nashville to get to the finals, they might be too beat up once they get into round four.

Outside of Lucic, Maroon and Kassian...the oilers dont have a lot of muscle to wear the flames down.

That's not what they think lol. From what I've read, Bennett is Dr. Drai's bitch. Gaudreau is Larsson's. And they will bully us to no end.

All the more reason to face them in round 1.

DiracSpike · 03-13-2017, 10:08 AM

Oilers. Oilers. Oilers.

If you don't want the Oilers you're crazy. Dealing with the media fellating McLovin will be tough but it'd be high stakes exciting series that I think the Flames can win.

Also this thread is crying for a poll

CliffFletcher · 03-13-2017, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Why?

Honestly, I don't want the Oilers at all. And not because we looked like garbage all four games against them. I don't want the Oilers because the media's obsessive fawning over McDavid will be dialed up to 15 when he makes his glorious playoff debut, coupled with that same media's need to justify a decade's worth of hilariously awful prediction's about Edmonton's future will just lead to a grossly embarrassing amount of cheerleading. Sportsnet is going to be completely unwatchable.

Because they're this team's historical rival. Because the intensity will be incredible. And because beating the Oilers in the playoffs is only marginally less satisfying than winning the Cup.

And if you're so concerned about the media fawning over the Oilers, then knocking them out of the playoffs will be that much more satisfying. You don't think the media fawned over Gretzky in his prime? That's one of the things that made beating them so much fun.

CaptainCrunch · 03-13-2017, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

That's not what they think lol. From what I've read, Bennett is Dr. Drai's bitch. Gaudreau is Larsson's. And they will bully us to no end.

All the more reason to face them in round 1.

I think the strategy for the Flames is to force the Oilers to dump the puck in. With Hamilton and Gio and Brodie and Stone on the blueline it means our defensemen will be able to go and retrieve the puck, have a spot of tea, maybe with a nice buttered crumpet and then move it up the ice before a Moroon or Lucic or any of their other big but slow players can get in on the forecheck.

Plus if they dump it in, the Eberle's and RNH's of the world are soft and don't win puck battles.

Watching the Oilers play lately its amazing how lazy and disinterested Draisatl has looked over the last few games. He did the same thing last year when the games ramped up. He faded.

We know that the hockey from game 50-82 is a different beast then the hockey from 1- 49. The Oilers have won 11 and lost 10, maybe they don't have that gear. maybe the hockey they played in the start of the season is as hard as they can go, and they just don't have the ability to elevate their game.

dissentowner · 03-13-2017, 10:21 AM

It doesn't matter. If the team continues to play like they have been they can beat anyone.

Itse · 03-13-2017, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I would rather face them in the 2nd round as first round of the playoffs is where the most upsets happen. Don't want the Flames having first round jitters against that team. Let the Oilers face a playoff battle tested team that's going to take away McDavid's space and expose the rest of the team. Overall though I don't really care who they face as you have to treat the playoffs as four 7-game series you must win and not get fixated on opponents. If I have a preference it may be the Ducks because if they could end that Anaheim curse in the playoffs it could be the makings of another 2004 run.

The whistles also go away more and more in the later rounds. That would favour the Flames.

polak · 03-13-2017, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itse

The whistles also go away more and more in the later rounds. That would favour the Flames.

Gaudreau's head might explode.

Itse · 03-13-2017, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polak

Gaudreau's head might explode.

Meh, wouldn't be much of a change for him. Plus he's not all of our offense.

GioforPM · 03-13-2017, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Worry is a strong word, but Mcdavid concerns me. We've all seen what he can do, and I think he has the ability to kick it up a notch in the playoffs too. He could be a real x-factor.

Truth is, the only way EDM can go deep is riding McDavid and Talbot and if anyone has the ability to carry a club, it's Mcdavid.

Having said all that, I like how the Flames are built and they can match up well against anyone IMO.

Every team has a player or two that you need to be concerned about. The fact that Edmonton has only two and one is the goalie is good news to me. If you play the Sharks you need to worry about a whole host of guys including Burns, Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski. If you play the Ducks you have their tough first line, you have Kesler and his PO performances, etc.