Kings Defenseman Drew Doughty out for season

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Groot

Edmonton gets swept by LA round 1. Then we sweep LA round 2. Another double-sweep for the Oil. Amazing. Flames get a great path to WCF, and Vegas misses altogether and has to deal with cap hell offseason.

But we could hope that Vegas brings a 100 million roster to the playoffs and toasts the Flames and the Pacific cause LOL Oilers or something.

This all sounds good but LA has lost twice to the Oilers in the last week.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by dino7c

This all sounds good but LA has lost twice to the Oilers in the last week.

That is my perfect round 1/2 scenario lol, but I'm more than happy to see Oil round 2. I think the Flames take it in 5 at most. I just do not want to see Vegas in round 2, period. Not about Oilers hate or anything, Vegas is the worst round 2 match-up the Flames can take, and if that means Oil get a glimmer of hope (and worst draft pick) then sign me up. And LA lost a 1 goal game and a shootout.

[Mathgod]

Scenario 1: Oilers get pumped in 4 straight to Vegas, each game by a 10-0 score. Knights defeat Flames in round 2.

Scenario 2: Oilers win round 1 easily vs Kings. Flames defeat Oilers in round 2 en route to Stanley Cup championship.

Some on this board would actually choose scenario 1. It's sad, really...

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Scenario 1: Oilers get pumped in 4 straight to Vegas, each game by a 10-0 score. Knights defeat Flames in round 2.

Scenario 2: Oilers win round 1 easily vs Kings. Flames defeat Oilers in round 2 en route to Stanley Cup championship.

Some on this board would actually choose scenario 1. It's sad, really...

How about the Oilers getting pumped and then Calgary beating cheater Vegas?


Really the division leader should get to pick their opponent, now that would be interesting...there should never be a scenario where doing worse gets you a lesser opponent

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by dino7c

How about the Oilers getting pumped and then Calgary beating cheater Vegas?


Really the division leader should get to pick their opponent, now that would be interesting...there should never be a scenario where doing worse gets you a lesser opponent

I don't think you understand how dangerous a healthy Vegas team is with no cap to constrain their bloated payroll.

[Sylvanfan]

Did anyone outside of Calgary think the 14-15 Flames were going to hold onto a playoff spot when Giordano went down? At this point LA has already played 35 games this season without Doughty in their lineup. No question they are a better team with him than without him. But their remaining schedule is as follows:

@ Chicago
@ Colorado
Vs Columbus
@ Anaheim
Vs Chicago
Vs Anaheim
@ Seattle
@ Vancouver

So outside of the Colorado game, only 1 other playoff team left. I doubt many pundits had the Kings as a playoff team this year. They would have been a team that if the were playing meaningful games at this time they would be pleased with the progress they have made. Really the Kings are playing with found money. So like that 14-15 Flames team, maybe they can overcome an injury to their top defenseman and hold off a Division foe to claim that final Pacific Playoff spot. If they go 6-2, the VGK have to go 6-3 to beat them, and Vegas is about to come out of the soft part of their schedule and have to start dealing with some real teams again.

[getbak]

In 2004, Detroit's payroll was $77.8 million. The Flames' was $35.2 million.

In Darryl we trust.

[agulati]

This seemed to be a very likely outcome for Doughty after missing so much time already. It is still a blow for the Kings. I do think the Golden Knights overtake them, especially if Stone is healthy and is expected to return to the lineup soon.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by getbak

In 2004, Detroit's payroll was $77.8 million. The Flames' was $35.2 million.

In Darryl we trust.

Overcoming that kind of discrepancy is the exception, not the rule. And it's even harder to do in today's game than it was in that era.

People actually want (or are indifferent to) harder matchups for the Flames in the playoffs. I actually can't believe what I'm reading.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

I don't think you understand how dangerous a healthy Vegas team is with no cap to constrain their bloated payroll.

I still think, even healthy, they are less than they have ever been. Their chemistry seems shot and their goaltending is at a low. And I suspect they might not be able to just flip a switch on Stone and Patches.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I still think, even healthy, they are less than they have ever been. Their chemistry seems shot and their goaltending is at a low. And I suspect they might not be able to just flip a switch on Stone and Patches.

I want Vegas to make it because I think the Oilers would make quick work of the Kings and be one of the first teams to punch their ticket into the 2nd round. That said I believe the Oilers will beat the Knights as well but likely in a gruelling 6 or 7 game series. I don't think the Knights are a serious threat to win the Stanley Cup this season nor would I worry about the Flames facing them if it came to that. I would rather face the Knights than the Predators quite frankly.

[Toonage]

Kings would give the Oilers a tough series regardless of their current state. Might even beat them in 7. I've said here recently I think they would. The Oilers are not built for playoff hockey.

I'd want to keep Vegas away from us for as long as possible and if they made it in that might only be a single series.

I mentioned this a few years back and got a lot of flack for it. Not much has changed in the years since. The Flames haven't won in Vegas and the playoffs are a bad time to try and exorcise that demon. Its hard enough trying to win once in that building (clearly) let alone possibly needing to 3 times over a week.

Could they do it? Sure, they could do it. This is a pretty special team. But I wouldn't want to invite that challenge necessarily.

[CliffFletcher]

I want a Flames vs Oilers playoff series. Isn’t watching intense, emotionally-invested playoff hockey against a hated rival the best part of being a fan?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I want a Flames vs Oilers playoff series. Isn’t watching intense, emotionally-invested playoff hockey against a hated rival the best part of being a fan?

Would be great I'm not sure it would be worth it if the Flames lose. I suspect the officiating would be terrible.

[I_H8_Crawford]

The Flames have beaten almost every team in the NHL this year. Hoping for one team or another to make/miss to benefit the Flames is IMO useless.

IF (and its a very, very, very big IF) the Flames can continue to play their game, they can beat any team in a 7 game series. I remember celebrating when they drew Col in 2019... 'member how that turned out?

Take each opponent as is, play your game, and move on. That's it. Don't need to root for certain teams to miss, etc for the benefit of the Flames. There is no easy path in the playoffs - Flames fans of all fans should know that.

That being said, I WILL cheer for whatever makes it hardest on Edmonton - so if LAK are going to be without their top D-Man, get Vegas in there instead.

Dream is LAK VGK make it and Edm falls out, but that's not looking likely anymore.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Would be great I'm not sure it would be worth it if the Flames lose. I suspect the officiating would be terrible.

Yep, this why as sweet as it would be to beat the Oilers I'm not so eager to see the Flames play them in the playoffs. Without McAvi not so much but because they have the league's golden boy I could easily see the officiating being as bad as it is in the regular season.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

The Flames have beaten almost every team in the NHL this year. Hoping for one team or another to make/miss to benefit the Flames is IMO useless.

IF (and its a very, very, very big IF) the Flames can continue to play their game, they can beat any team in a 7 game series. I remember celebrating when they drew Col in 2019... 'member how that turned out?

Take each opponent as is, play your game, and move on. That's it. Don't need to root for certain teams to miss, etc for the benefit of the Flames. There is no easy path in the playoffs - Flames fans of all fans should know that.

That being said, I WILL cheer for whatever makes it hardest on Edmonton - so if LAK are going to be without their top D-Man, get Vegas in there instead.

Dream is LAK VGK make it and Edm falls out, but that's not looking likely anymore.

That '19 Flames team sputtered down the stretch... I don't think it would have mattered who they drew in round 1.

That said, it makes perfect sense to want easier playoff matchups and avoid harder ones. Nashville-Vegas-Colorado-Florida sounds like the gauntlet of a lifetime to have to run to win the cup.

Let me put it to you this way, if I offered you Arizona-Seattle-Chicago-Montreal as your 4 playoff opponents, would you take it?

Playoffs aren't about what you "deserve" to accomplish. They are about what you actually accomplish. Flames success is the only thing I ultimately care about at the end of the day, and whatever scenario makes it most likely to happen, is the scenario I'd like to see happen.

Success against weaker teams is never guaranteed. Neither is failure against stronger teams. We all understand that. Nevertheless, you want percentages to go in your favor as often as possible.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Scenario 1: Oilers get pumped in 4 straight to Vegas, each game by a 10-0 score. Knights defeat Flames in round 2.

Scenario 2: Oilers win round 1 easily vs Kings. Flames defeat Oilers in round 2 en route to Stanley Cup championship.

Some on this board would actually choose scenario 1. It's sad, really...

No one would choose scenario 1. No one. Stop telling people what they think and what they should want.

You fear Vegas. Fine, I understand that. Some of us do not.

If you want to go deep in the playoffs, you have to beat good teams. Whether we play Vegas or Edmonton, or LA in round 2, it will be a battle. But first, we need to win round 1.

In the meantime, we can enjoy any Edmonton failures along the way.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Overcoming that kind of discrepancy is the exception, not the rule. And it's even harder to do in today's game than it was in that era.

People actually want (or are indifferent to) harder matchups for the Flames in the playoffs. I actually can't believe what I'm reading.

You don't know that Vegas will be the harder matchup. You don't know that Vegas (or Calgary) will even make the 2nd round.

Any team that wins round 1 and advances is a dangerous team, as they have to be playing at their best to advance.

We have no idea whether or not Vegas will put it all together in the playoffs, after a mediocre season - they might, but they might not.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

You don't know that Vegas will be the harder matchup.

Actually, yes I do. So do you. So does everyone. It's just that some of us are willing to admit it and others aren't.

It would kind of be like if the Flames suddenly added Jack Eichel to their lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs. Would the narrative around here be "I don't know if he can flip the switch"...?