What Are You Looking Forward to Most For the 17/18 Season?

[Charsiu]

Originally Posted by Gaudfather

Good start to the season
Bennett taking it to a new level.
Gio and Hamilton competing for the Norris.
TJ Brodie wheeling and dealing, given his new sidekick.
Mike Smith having his best year ever at age 35.
Johnny and Mony making people forget about players named McJesus and Drysaddle.
Troy Brouwer earning at least 50% of his salary.
Jaromir Fricken Jagr
Glen Gulutzan victory celebration punches.
Tkachuk having a sophomore surge.
Flames going 5-0 against the Oil.

Other than that, not much.

I love the overwhelming optimism about everyone save for Brouwer, who at this point you only expect a 50% performance haha.

[Monahan For Mayor]

Im mainly interested to see Tkachuks skating, and if Bennett has bulked up any.

[MacDaddy77]

Winning in Anaheim and hoisting the cup

[Bingo]

These things get repetitive by nature, but I'll chime in with a different wrinkle

Looking forward to the games within the game this season because of the Flames sudden depth on the blueline. For most of last season the Flames had a pairing and a defender to deploy against teams with two great lines, with Wideman getting exposed. In the final quarter of the season and playoffs they upped that to two pairs, but it was still a cat and mouse game with getting Engelland and Bartkowski on the ice for periods of time.

Do you put them out there with Backlund's line to ensure there is no damage? Or do you keep the Backlund line to go with Giordano and Hamilton so you can dominate and push for a goal? Such a juggling act for Gulutzan.

This year it's Giordano and Hamilton followed by a upgraded 2nd pairing from the final quarter and a trickle down that sees Stone on a third pairing. Stone isn't a lights out defenseman but the trickle down effect is going to make watching Flames hockey fun this season, especially if Kulak can show improvement through the season.

Less tire fire shifts, and more flexibility to stack the top two forward lines with the top two pairings without being scared spitless of what that third unit will do with the scraps.

[Toonage]

Curious to see if the Wideman Effect is still a thing now that he's gone.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

These things get repetitive by nature, but I'll chime in with a different wrinkle

Looking forward to the games within the game this season because of the Flames sudden depth on the blueline. For most of last season the Flames had a pairing and a defender to deploy against teams with two great lines, with Wideman getting exposed. In the final quarter of the season and playoffs they upped that to two pairs, but it was still a cat and mouse game with getting Engelland and Bartkowski on the ice for periods of time.

Do you put them out there with Backlund's line to ensure there is no damage? Or do you keep the Backlund line to go with Giordano and Hamilton so you can dominate and push for a goal? Such a juggling act for Gulutzan.

This year it's Giordano and Hamilton followed by a upgraded 2nd pairing from the final quarter and a trickle down that sees Stone on a third pairing. Stone isn't a lights out defenseman but the trickle down effect is going to make watching Flames hockey fun this season, especially if Kulak can show improvement through the season.

Less tire fire shifts, and more flexibility to stack the top two forward lines with the top two pairings without being scared spitless of what that third unit will do with the scraps.

To expand a bit on this...

Last year, Gulutzan had Brodie out against McDavid at times, because Brodie could skate with him. I liked the matchup, but it put pressure on Stone.

Now that Brodie is with Hamonic, those two are custom-built to face McDavid. And if they can shut him down, that leaves Giordano-Hamilton to be used in a more offensive vein against any of the other lines the Oil can muster.

I am really looking forward to this matchup and how Gulutzan deploys the D partners, both against the Oilers in particular, as well as the league in general.

Having two top pairings like that provides so much flexibility - especially on the road, when you can't always get your top pair out against the opposition's top line.

[DJones]

Being a legitimately good team. No struggles, no luck involved, no playing from behind.

Just being a team that's hard to play against and regularly outplays the other team.

We've seen flashes but I don't think we've been there in a very long time.

[Weitz]

To be fair the flames didn't have Stone when they played the Oilers so it was mostly Wideman or others that were exposed.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

To expand a bit on this...

Last year, Gulutzan had Brodie out against McDavid at times, because Brodie could skate with him. I liked the matchup, but it put pressure on Stone.

Now that Brodie is with Hamonic, those two are custom-built to face McDavid. And if they can shut him down, that leaves Giordano-Hamilton to be used in a more offensive vein against any of the other lines the Oil can muster.

I am really looking forward to this matchup and how Gulutzan deploys the D partners, both against the Oilers in particular, as well as the league in general.

Having two top pairings like that provides so much flexibility - especially on the road, when you can't always get your top pair out against the opposition's top line.

Won't forget Wideman getting called for that penalty shot early in the season ... good example.

As I said though it's also about the forwards. The Backlund line won't have to carry the 2nd and 3rd pairings with their possession game as often. They can use their magic for generating offence instead of spray foaming a tire fire.

[Lumby Lager]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

To expand a bit on this...

Last year, Gulutzan had Brodie out against McDavid at times, because Brodie could skate with him. I liked the matchup, but it put pressure on Stone.

Now that Brodie is with Hamonic, those two are custom-built to face McDavid. And if they can shut him down, that leaves Giordano-Hamilton to be used in a more offensive vein against any of the other lines the Oil can muster.

I am really looking forward to this matchup and how Gulutzan deploys the D partners, both against the Oilers in particular, as well as the league in general.

Having two top pairings like that provides so much flexibility - especially on the road, when you can't always get your top pair out against the opposition's top line.

This never happened.

I would have to say I am looking forward to playing the oilers this year, losing every game last year was embarrassing! It is time to smack them back down the ladder a few steps!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Weitz

To be fair the flames didn't have Stone when they played the Oilers so it was mostly Wideman or others that were exposed.

You are correct, it was never Stone as the partner when Brodie faced McDavid.

The point stands, however (even more so, I would argue).

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

You are correct, it was never Stone as the partner when Brodie faced McDavid.

The point stands, however (even more so, I would argue).

Yeah the story only gets better, the Flames never faced the most dangerous player in the Western Conference with that last quarter team with a bolstered 2nd pairing.

[Huntingwhale]

The Flames finally, after 14+ years, winning a god damn game in Anaheim and being free of the ####tiest losing streak in all of pro sports.

Whomever scores the winning goal, I will personally lobby to have their jersey erected as Forever A Flame.

[Muta]

I'm excited to see Tkachuk hopefully take another step towards being an elite player / agitator / annoying bitch against other teams on the ice.

Also super interested in seeing how Kylington develops this year. He's our biggest wildcard and I'm rooting for him.

[wireframe]

Giordano having another Norris caliber season and finally getting some attention in the league.

[Strange Brew]

Looking forward to hockey, winning in Anaheim and our good young players becoming great.

[JBR]

Jagr at the victory celebration at Olympic Plaza.

[Timbo]

Maybe just maybe we win a coaches challenge this season

[Flash Walken]

50 goals from Monahan

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Things I'm looking forward to:
-watching one of the best constructed defenses in the league
-the continued maturation of the young core. I'm expecting a bounce back for Gaudreau and a breakout for Bennett, Tkachuk and a Ferland
-the potential for some surprises. Jankowski and Foo are the most likely to surprise but a mid season callup and surprise from a guy like Poirier, Shinkaruk, Klimchuk, or Andersson could be refreshing
-Smith. I love big goalies and I love the idea of Smith moving the puck. Excited to see if we can finally get some more consistent goaltending. I think some have underrated him