The Hockey Gods can go #### themselves.

[CSharp]

Flames should think back on those few games they lost to the Ducks, Sharks, and others where they should've won but lost in OT. If they had won those in OT, let's say even 4 of those, the 2 point difference is the difference they had to make it into the playoffs. At the same time, you look at the goals for and against stats. That stat pretty much says it for a bubble team with a team that cannot score on a whim and is also not the best defender in keeping the puck out with Wolf/Vladar tandem skewing the goals against total on the good side. That stats alone pretty much tells you the team is smack dab in the middle of the pack.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Flames should think back on those few games they lost to the Ducks, Sharks, and others where they should've won but lost in OT. If they had won those in OT, let's say even 4 of those, the 2 point difference is the difference they had to make it into the playoffs. At the same time, you look at the goals for and against stats. That stat pretty much says it for a bubble team with a team that cannot score on a whim and is also not the best defender in keeping the puck out with Wolf/Vladar tandem skewing the goals against total on the good side. That stats alone pretty much tells you the team is smack dab in the middle of the pack.

The absolute dagger is the ducks game. One more point and they’re in with a win tomorrow

[Locke]

No matter which way you slice it I think this group, after the performance they put in got a bit of a raw deal.

However, that being said...it was a goddamned TON of fun!

This has been one of the most entertaining seasons in recent history. Yeah, I'd have loved to see this rag-tag group make the show but the sheer fact that they took it all the way to game 81?

That alone was an intermediate-level miracle.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The Flames have 14 OTLs meaning that they are good at hockey, but they are not good at shinny (3 on 3) or all-star gimmicks (shootout).

I really wish our sport was like other sports where you had W-T-L, win is three points, T is one point, L is zero. The regular season is not a knockout tournament, ties should be allowed. The current system just rewards teams who are good at the gimmicky stuff (like the Oilers). But I guess that's the point.

With your point system we are in ninth with one game to go and trail St. Louis by 3, we'd lose the tie breaker too unless you want to change that as well.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

I think this thread is interesting, with perspectives or raw deal, or they need to take care of their own business and look back on the lost opportunities that they could control (like last weeks Ducks game).

When you look at these things in isolation, I'd say everyone is right. Flames did miss opportunities that could have made a difference, but they also got a tone of bad luck too.

Big picture, I look at it these two ways.

1. True, if you don't want some bad luck to cost you a playoff spot, then don't be a bubble team. If you are on the bubble and you hit some bad luck, it potentially becomes the difference of making and not, vs. the difference of maybe home ice vs. not.

That said, I don't think anyone should be faulting this version of the Flames for being a bubble team. We knew they weren't more than that from the get go, in fact, they were better than we assumed, so no need to wag our fingers at them for not being better.

2. So if we look at how things played out for them big picture, I don't know how anyone can say, they didn't get a bum deal or bad luck cost them. Sure, you can find the controllable, where they did cost themselves, but you can look at every team, including the elite, and find those. My view, is did the Flames do enough to have expected to be able to make more often than not, and I think the answer is 100% yes.

In the last 15 games of the season (1 still to be played), where they started that stretch, legitimately in 9th place via Point % - 2 pts behind Vancouver for the last playoff spot, with a game or games in hand on ALL teams they were in a fight with. They have gone 9-2-3 or .750 point percentage (President Trophy winning Jets will end with a .704 point percentage btw). If we replayed the end of the season 10 times, with the Flames maintaining that point percentage, I would almost be certain they'd make the playoffs 9/10 times. St. Louis is a good team, but that 13 game winning streak or whatever it was, combined with some bad bounces would not happen again.

This is not a time to nit pick or micro analyze where this team could have helped themselves, they did what they needed to do. They just didn't get the luck or the bounces across the league or in some of their own games, they deserved and IMO earned better this year.

[Mr.Coffee]

Finish 15th in NHL overall.

Miss playoffs.

#Flameslife

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Finish 15th in NHL overall.

Miss playoffs.

#Flameslife

Seasons not over yet. Can still finish 14th (13th but tiebreaker).

[TheChief]

you know you load up the score and look at team stats for our flames


goals - 30th
shots on goal -6th
powerplay -19th
shooting percentage - 31st
faceoff percentage - 30th
goals allowed - 15th
SOG allowed - 21st
PK - 25th
PM - 25th


Those are some bad numbers. its amazing to me they were able to do what they did. Fun team to watch and it was a great year on the whole.


The biggest thing we were robbed of.... Matt Coronatos playoff beard. Im thinking it would be the best flames playoff beard since John Tonelli, actually I think quite similar. Coronato is giving up a little height and weight to big john though.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by TheChief

PK - 25th

Not in the last month it wasn't. They've given up nothing over these past 4 weeks.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Locke

I've had it at the bottom of my signature all year.

At the end of the day though? Some bad/blown calls, some lax performances against teams we should have beaten, the OTL record and to further rub our faces in the #### St. Louis goes on an unreal murdering streak.

Sure, its not a great team and they vastly out-performed expectations but still...this is a tough way to go down.

So, actually YOU #####ed our season?

Uh….thanks?

[TheChief]

its impossible to quantify but i wonder how many more points we would have if that faceoff percentage was middle of the pack.

[dino7c]

Most things were better in the last quarter...the team slotted way better with Frost and Farabee

[TheChief]

i hear you but nothing about those stats screams im a 94 points team. any other year i feel like thats a lottery teams stat line

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Flames should think back on those few games they lost to the Ducks, Sharks, and others where they should've won but lost in OT. If they had won those in OT, let's say even 4 of those, the 2 point difference is the difference they had to make it into the playoffs. At the same time, you look at the goals for and against stats. That stat pretty much says it for a bubble team with a team that cannot score on a whim and is also not the best defender in keeping the puck out with Wolf/Vladar tandem skewing the goals against total on the good side. That stats alone pretty much tells you the team is smack dab in the middle of the pack.

They didnt lose to the Sharks this season...its actually pretty hard to sweep a team even bottom feeders, they went 4-0.

OT record cost them for sure

[Locke]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

So, actually YOU #####ed our season?

Uh….thanks?

You're welcome for the Draft pick.

I think??

One game. They made it a chase to 81. Damn. Thats impressive.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

The absolute dagger is the ducks game. One more point and they’re in with a win tomorrow

Those things happen (losing to bad teams).

IMO it was the back to back with St Louis. That was the team we needed to beat, and we lost twice to them in the stretch run.

Flames took a step forward this year. I’ll be more mad about mushy middle at the end of next year.

I expect them to improve the team (mostly from within) and make the playoffs next year.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Those things happen (losing to bad teams).

Yup. A lot of good teams lost to the Flames when the Flames had no business beating them.

It works both ways.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by TheChief

you know you load up the score and look at team stats for our flames


goals - 30th
shots on goal -6th
powerplay -19th
shooting percentage - 31st
faceoff percentage - 30th
goals allowed - 15th
SOG allowed - 21st
PK - 25th
PM - 25th


Those are some bad numbers. its amazing to me they were able to do what they did. Fun team to watch and it was a great year on the whole.

Taking a step out...we've now missed the playoffs 3yrs in a row, 4yrs out of the last 5yrs. In the last decade we've made the playoffs 4 times in the last 10yrs, and we've won 2 rounds in that time.

Dovetailing with your stats, a lot went right this year, but we're likely on a down slope still, but not bad enough to drop out of the murky middle.

My wins for the season:
1. My long time thesis that putting a budget in place would force youth into the lineup and push out replacement level players that were overpaid. The process wasn't what I'd like, but the result was a team that did better with a $15 - $20m reduction in spend. For an owner that is focused on breaking even, a budget in place might be a catalyst for the youth movement being longer lasting.
2. The homegrown youth in the line up did better than expected, with Zary, Wolf, and Coronato taking strides forward.
3. More youth on the way next season from the Wranglers

Offseason:
1. Part ways with Andersson before December 2025
2. Avoid the July 1st signings, and focus on vets that didn't get a deal and are looking for a 1yr show me contract
3. Target 20 - 24yr olds in trade that have fallen out of favour with their club
4. Fingers crossed to have a draft like 2024 again
5. Maybe we win the draft lottery and pick 6th...1/200 is still a chance.

[topfiverecords]

They don’t ask how they just ask how many. And are you a west or east team.

[Jaybo]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The Flames have 14 OTLs meaning that they are good at hockey, but they are not good at shinny (3 on 3) or all-star gimmicks (shootout).

I really wish our sport was like other sports where you had W-T-L, win is three points, T is one point, L is zero. The regular season is not a knockout tournament, ties should be allowed. The current system just rewards teams who are good at the gimmicky stuff (like the Oilers). But I guess that's the point.

Like it or not, until the rules change, probably means we need to get better at gimmicky stuff - it was almost an automatic win in the Johnny-Monny days.