Post Preseason Expectations

[lanny9]

I actually think we are going to take a step back this year, I feel we overachieved last year with what we had. Some will say there may be weaker teams in the east but there is weaker overall competition in the east vs the west. I don't think teams will overlook the Flames this year like they seemed to last year either, their coaches will warn them in advance.

[djsFlames]

If kids that want to play are given some of the reigns then there will be improvement. If they're pushed down to the farm and we go ahead with a lineup of vets then it'll be a longer season than last year. There's a reason we've fared better in recent years whenever injuries pile up. Kids bring energy, passion and skill.

[Sylvanfan]

The teams highest paid forwards are David Jones and Jiri Hudler. They are going to struggle to score goals. Last year I was pretty surprised with how much they were able to score especially in the second half. Giordano also put up real abnormal numbers for him, and I think he will be in tough to duplicate those.

This is easily a bottom 3 team, and I think they finish there.

[Vedder]

I think it's pretty clear that the Flames are a bottom 3 team in the West. Out east, the Panthers should be better this year and NYI should be substantially better, while Carolina is probably worse. So yeah, bottom 5, with the potential to be bottom 2 with a decent chance at McDavid. Hoping for better though.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Giordano also put up real abnormal numbers for him, and I think he will be in tough to duplicate those.

Giordano's ppg numbers might be tough to duplicate, but he missed just over 20% of the season, so he could take a step back in his ppg production and still have the same, or even greater, overall impact on the team's season.

[kyuss275]

I think even with hard work they are looking like a bottom 5 team. Think flames and oilers will be battling it out for the 3-4th pick position. Oilers probably take 3rd because I doubt Hartely will tolerate a team coasting for the last couple of games.

So I guess my prediction is 4th worst but moving in the right direction.

[robaur]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

My money is on Buffalo, Edmonton, and Carolina to still be worse than the Flames this year, so we finish bottom 5, but not bottom 3.

I dont like the Oilers as much as any Flames fan....but they will be better this year than the Flames simply due to that a lot of their players had terrible years last year and cant possibly be that bad again....

Also...I don't know why people keep on saying Buffalo is a bottom 3 team...look at their roster....aside from goaltending...they have a decent roster that should compete somewhat in the weaker Eastern Conference.

I fully expect the Flames to be in the McDavid/Eichel hunt.

Originally Posted by T@T

Rock bottom was 27th and with 35 wins we were lucky to get that low and pick Bennett.

No way this team goes that low again anytime soon.

Can I please have some of that Kool-Aid that you're drinking or the salts you're smelling?

If you think rock bottom is a 77 point season....you've absolutely lost it. Our team is worse than last year.

[McG]

I think we see what we saw in the preseason and last season; some exciting, encouraging moments where we see out of your seat excitement while enduring head scratching moments.

While I won't be cheering for losses, this is a development year where we may not be bottom, but...

I have asked myself what a good season looks like if it isn't playoffs. If we can get McDavid or Eichel and pick up other prospects, including snagging a couple of extra prospects then I'm okay with it.

My expectations might be a bit different after this season though.

I have to remind myself to be patient; the fastest, safest route is to draft and develop with a perpetual focus on getting better.

[bluloc]

They show some improvement and finish 26th.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Is that the same expectation you had before camp? It sounds a lot like mine, and, if so, I think option 3, Hasn't changed them at all, Flames set to improve this year, applies

My opinion hasn't changed, but I don't think the Flames are actually going to improve this year. I just think there will be some tanking going on among teams that ought to finish ahead of them.

[Enoch Root]

I never put much stock in pre-season. And there were no major surprises that would change my view, so I chose the 2nd option.

What the pre-season did confirm for me though, was that Edmonton and Carolina will definitely be part of the suck party, along with Buffalo and Calgary.

[saillias]

I'm starting to see things from Burke's point of view. It just makes me cringe how small some of our top guys are, there's Russell/Brodie getting smoked again, Hudler getting bullied off the puck. The make up of the team has to change, not just by bringing in Bolligs but the top guys can't be all 5'10"

[Itse]

The preseason hasn't changed my expectations, I think the team will improve a couple of spots.

[ricardodw]

I am worried about the longer term implications of missing the playoffs for the young core:

Colburne 19 ahl play off games 2 NHL games (in the Leaf"s org)
Backlund, 13 ahl playoff games in 2009-10
Brodie, 0 pro playoff games
Monahan, 0 pro playoff games
Bouma... 5 ahl playoff games in 2009-10 as a Junior call up

It will be another year at least before these guys get to play in an important game.

Does Gaudreau need to play some games in the AHL to qualify for the playoffs?


When Gaudreau gets sent down it would be pretty close if the NHL team could beat the AHL team in a series,,,, If Brodie and Gio played for the AHL team the AHL team would be favored.

My expectations went down after camp when the Flames direction went with defaulting spots to the veterans.

[Wolven]

No change in my expectations. This team is going to have trouble scoring and in the western conference that is going to translate into a basement position in the league standings. The west is so stacked that I expect the flames to end up below the "bad" Eastern conference teams.

Hopefully we win the draft lottery.

[442scotty]

Fun to watch like last year but finish bottom 3 hopefully with the young guys doing well dragged down by the vets who will be on their way out.

Bottom out year... watch out next year!

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by robaur

I dont like the Oilers as much as any Flames fan....but they will be better this year than the Flames simply due to that a lot of their players had terrible years last year and cant possibly be that bad again....

Also...I don't know why people keep on saying Buffalo is a bottom 3 team...look at their roster....aside from goaltending...they have a decent roster that should compete somewhat in the weaker Eastern Conference.

I fully expect the Flames to be in the McDavid/Eichel hunt.



Can I please have some of that Kool-Aid that you're drinking or the salts you're smelling?

If you think rock bottom is a 77 point season....you've absolutely lost it. Our team is worse than last year.

I have said and heard that 3 years running. Yes, yes they can be that bad again. They shouldn't be, but somehow they keep managing it.

Without major injuries to key players, I expect a marginal improvement this year finishing 22-26th.

[OBCT]

Unless injuries hit the Flames' key offensive players harder this season than last, I don't see them finishing any worse... probably 25th-27th.

I think the loss of Cammalleri will be more or less offset by a mild improvement in forward depth otherwise, and improved goaltending.

This season could end up paralleling last season in a lot of ways.

[schteve_d]

I think we'll be slightly improved from last year but it will be painful at times. I am looking to cheer more for development than I am for success. I'd like to see steps forward from a lot of young guys that I hope have a chance to play (even if it's not the best for standings success). I just want to see that there is hope! I am hunkered down for 2-3 hard years.

80-85 points.

[Freddy]

Monahan, Brodie, Backlund, and Bouma will make the team better in expanded roles, the goaltending tandem of Ramo & Hiller is a marked improvement over last year, and if Gaudreau & Granlund are played strategically to build their confidence I don't think anyone is going to be wondering how to replace Cammy's goals.

I'll go out on a limb and and say we narrowly miss the playoffs.