Another blind and delusional optimist thread? 5 GAME UPDATE

[Fusebox]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

As if some bookie is going to tell me if I can enjoy a game and cheer for my team because he says it's foreordained.

Hey man, go ahead and cheer. I'll be cheering for the team too, I'm a big Flames fan. However, this thread is about expectations for the season. All I'm saying is that it is important to set realistic expectations for the team. We were nowhere near a playoff team last year, and that was before we lost our best forward, best defenseman, and starting goalie.

Nobody had high expectations of us going into the 2003/04 season, but some great team chemistry, combined with great trades got us within touching distance of the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, this season, I think most of us can agree that it will take a lot more than great chemistry and luck in the trade market to push us into contention for a play off spot.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

Hey man, go ahead and cheer. I'll be cheering for the team too, I'm a big Flames fan. However, this thread is about expectations for the season. All I'm saying is that it is important to set realistic expectations for the team. We were nowhere near a playoff team last year, and that was before we lost our best forward, best defenseman, and starting goalie.

Nobody had high expectations of us going into the 2003/04 season, but some great team chemistry, combined with great trades got us within touching distance of the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, this season, I think most of us can agree that it will take a lot more than great chemistry and luck in the trade market to push us into contention for a play off spot.

This thread is not about expectations. It is about being a delusional blind optimist. So it is about hoping for the 5%.

I would also argue about your bookie statement. The goal of a bookie is to get equal action on either side of the bet so no matter the outcome the book profits of the vig. So really the LINE is always a really a reflection of public perception. Public perception is that the flames will finish last so this probably pushes the line down lower than the actual expectation value for the flames.

I think what it takes for us to be competing for a playoff spot is either Berra or Ramo getting hot and a break out season from one of the young forwards and somehow a strong showing from the defense. I think the defense performing well is the most difficult one as it would require both Gio taking a leap to be a legit top pairing guy and Brodie taking a leap. Brodie I think is likely in the next few years to take that leap but I think Gio will always struggle on the top pair and is best suited to beng a number 3 defensemen.

So the delusional optimist says we get a rookie of the year candidate, top 5 goal tending and a semi-legit top pairing defense and we make the playoffs. I like that there is no expectations and no lets blow it up talk. Its hopeful rather than a slow moving car crash.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

I hope you're right. The problem is that we need all of these veterans to have career years in the same year to have any chance of even coming close to making the playoffs.

We don't need all of them to have career years. Maybe a few of the younger players but mostly just solid play especially from veteran players and especially the blueliners. The key IMO will be goaltending. None of this sub .900 save percentage goaltending like last year. The starter and backup are going to have to sport .910+ save percentages or this team to be competitive.

[Lanny_McDonald]

I am going to be blindly optimistic and say that once many of the veterans on the forward lines are sent packing that the youth will step and the team become much more competitive. The first rounders that Feaster recoups for Cammalleri and Stempniak, the 2nd rounder for Stajan, the 3rds for Butler and Smith, and the 4th for Jackman, will all go along way to aiding in the quick turnaround for the team! We're only going to get better!

[Vinny01]

My Father-in-law bet me $20 the oilers would finish 15pts ahead of the flames this year. I feel comfortable with my chances of winning the bet

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Sometimes, its good to just sit back and watch the game and have fun doing so. Its become a lost enjoyment for many i suspect with the advent of the internet and other reasons.

Add the salary cap to that list as well. Too many people treat the game like it is a stock market. Buy low, sell high. Sometimes, one simply has to stop and enjoy the fact that we are able to watch the best hockey players in the world on a nightly basis.

[Gary83]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

My Father-in-law bet me $20 the oilers would finish 15pts ahead of the flames this year. I feel comfortable with my chances of winning the bet

Must assume this happened before he saw last night's Oiler gem.

Haha, stupid Oilers.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

Hey man, go ahead and cheer. I'll be cheering for the team too, I'm a big Flames fan. However, this thread is about expectations for the season. All I'm saying is that it is important to set realistic expectations for the team. We were nowhere near a playoff team last year, and that was before we lost our best forward, best defenseman, and starting goalie.

Nobody had high expectations of us going into the 2003/04 season, but some great team chemistry, combined with great trades got us within touching distance of the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, this season, I think most of us can agree that it will take a lot more than great chemistry and luck in the trade market to push us into contention for a play off spot.

Like I said at the beginning of this thread, I don't have any expectations other than enjoying the games and I don't need you and some bookie telling me how I should think or what I should expect.
Expectations take away from the enjoyment, especially negative ones.

[sa226]

Its a tough one to predict this year because the dynamics of the team have changed so much.

There is less talent and less big names on the team this year but I think the biggest loss that will impact the team is Bouwmeester.

Kipper had an off year. Iginla (God love him) was largely ineffective and didn't really help the team win when we did and Tanguay was pretty much a wash (brilliant in instances, but too lazy and uninterested in others.)

If you buy what management is selling, this group has completely bought into the program and will work hard and compete. If you don't, you don't play. I think that is worth some wins in itelf.

This team will be pretty bad, but results wise I wouldn't be surprised if it is very similar to the past few years. Bad enough to not make the playoffs, but good enough to stay out of the basement.

[strombad]

I have to say, I'm not the biggest Calgary fan, I'm a Chicago fan living in Calgary and I've learned to enjoy the Flames over the course of time, but I don't know how you guys do it. When it comes to my boys, I can't hang out on message boards or pay attention to bookies and all that nonsense, because I just want to enjoy the games. I don't care what the expectations are, or which prospects are developing and which ones are falling behind, don't get me wrong, I enjoy the discussion, but I don't like beating it to death. On the other hand, that's WHY I enjoy coming here, because I'm not the biggest fan, but I do enjoy the Flames, and it really doesn't affect me to make things so clinical with this team.
Every little reaction to what Burke says, or to which prospect isn't up to expectations, or how bad the team might be, I honestly love being a part of it, but I don't know how some of you do it and still love your team and enjoy every game without all that stuff lurking in the back of your mind. Not to say that's a bad thing at all, and this is what message boards are for, to discuss things to death, that's why I'm here! But that said, I just want to say that I have the utmost respect for the casual optimist, it's the way I enjoy my team. Go along for the ride, don't feel that you have to analyse every little nuance that might secretly be a sign of something else, just enjoy the games!
Calgary is going to be exciting this year, they might be bad, but they also might be pretty decent. In the salary cap era, it takes a truly bad team to come last. The way I see it, Calgary has a good coach, a great brain trust, and a load of players with something to prove. Go along for the ride, I promise you'll enjoy it, and they might just surprise.
That's my two cents at least.
Go Flames! ...unless you're playing the Hawks

[Poe969]

The Flames lost their biggest star players and their tallent is not near the level of last years team, they haven't really had time to gel together and build chemistry but at least Glencross faught SOB.

In all honesty, I'm happy that there are low expectations for this year (and a few after) because it'll make watching hockey fun again. If they lose, we'll look at the few bright spots in the game. If they win, we get to make fun of the other team and/or the oilers

[gilligans_off]

Nvm

[dancingoyster]

I agree with Zuke about expectations

At the end of the day, I am just looking forward to see something new. Since '04 it has been high expectations and 8 - 10th place finsihes using the same formula.

I hope to curb my expectations (both positive and negative) and just enjoy witnessing how this "new and unknown" roster plays out.

[FlameZilla]

Teams win hockey games – not individuals. This is the first season in over a decade where the Flames don't have a legitimate individual superstar, or a 'core' of stars. Collectively our team this year doesn't have a big name to hoist them on their shoulders & be expected to carry them into the playoffs & beyond.

Anything is possible & I'm prepared for the worst, but with a collective spirit & a coach that's willing to roll 4 lines filled with youthful exuberance we might all be in for a surprise. Probably not, but anything a possible. I'm really looking forward to seeing what some of these new faces have to offer, win or lose.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by carom

There is some serious potential for Ewing theory karma with the flames this year. I'm not putting money on it, but it will be interesting to see how the year plays out without the superstars of the past.

After watching how they finished out last year, I could buy that if we had an answer in goal. Really that is our only shot at a competitive year is if we have a goalie prove themselves to be a real #1 nhl goalie.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

After watching how they finished out last year, I could buy that if we had an answer in goal. Really that is our only shot at a competitive year is if we have a goalie prove themselves to be a real #1 nhl goalie.

Really, we can't possibly have worse goaltending this year than we had last year. Kipprusoff was 43 out of 45 Qaulified goalies in GAA, 44th out of 45 in Save percentage. Joey McDonald was slightly better in each category, T-34 in save percentage and 37th in GAA.

Also, the Flames did not lose either of their top two forwards from last year (Stajan & Stempniak)

Frankly, I think that if the goaltending can be decent and the team can form some good chemistry and have fun out there, we could be a playoff team.

Either way, I don't think the team is going to be worse than last year, where they finished only 6th last.

[landshark]

The year that the Sharks and the Flames met in the wcf, absolutely nothing was expected of the sharks. The previous year the wheels completely fell off. The captain was traded at the deadline and the team finished last in the Pacific. Anyone predicting a visit to the WCF that season were purely delusional, but they were right.

Far crazier thing have happened than the flames making it to the post season this year.

[CSharp]

The worst thing that can happen to this team, again, is that they come in around 9th to 14th in their conference and/or ranking anywhere but dead last by the end of this season.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by CSharp

The worst thing that can happen to this team, again, is that they come in around 9th to 14th in their conference and/or ranking anywhere but dead last by the end of this season.

there is a difference in finishing in 9th with an old veteran team and finishing 9th with lots of young guys in the lineup.

this is the kinda talk that stops hockey from being fun, cheering for the team to lose

[Bertuzzied]

Well no matter how crappy we are, we will still finish ahead of the Something Special Team from up there.

If Ramo plays 80% of how Kipper played the first year with us, we will make the playoffs.