QOTD: Will the Flames pull out of this tail spin?

[Samuelsson]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

It's at the point where this season is completely in Trelevings hands. There's so many directions he can go at this point.

He can dismantle the team and continue the fall for Mcdavid (even though it's already out of reach).

Make a trade to improve the team while not sacrificing the future.

Waive anyone under-performing in an attempt to re-inject youth into the line-up.

Status quo until the trade deadline to see where the team is at and add/subtract accordingly.

You make a good shout - this could be a major turning point.
Go and add those bigger-named players, or just accept where we thought we would be at the start of the season and trade off whomever we deem surplus to requirements (providing they're not crucial to our team moving forward) for picks etc.

I'd do the latter.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

7 games left in December, I'll be happy if we can go 4-3 on that stretch. We get the Oilers for one of those games, so really, we just need to go 3-3.

They play the Oilers twice before December is over.

[Greybeard]

Agree with Bourque's Twin..... Essentially there are a lot of good teams in the West and NHL. It is very competitive and there are few easy wins. Other teams are loosing too and will continue to do so. When those close to us in standings play each other one of them has to loose and those close to us in standings also play Anaheim CHicago etc. Just stay the course and our work ethic and coaching will keep us competitive. Whether we make the playoffs or not who knows. But we are being entertained and we are heading in the right direction in year two of rebuild.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by codynw

They play the Oilers twice before December is over.

Golden. Then I want us to up it to 5-2.

[troutman]

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western.html

Calgary still at 63.7%, likely due to home games remaining.

Winnipeg with the same number of points is at 46.4%.

Calgary is 9th most likely to make the playoffs. Have to play 7-8 games over .500.

[Caged Great]

Here's calgary's opposition for the rest of the year based off current standings

1st - Anaheim - X3
3rd - Pittsburgh - X1
4th - St. Louis - X2
6th - Detroit - X2
7th - Nashville - X1
8th - Islanders - X2
10th - Leafs - X1
11th - Vancouver - X3
12th - San Jose - X3
13th - Los Angeles - X5
14th - Winnipeg - X2

Half of the games are against the best in the league

Then we also play these against some good teams that are struggling

Minnesota X3
Rangers X2
Boston X2
Dallas X3
Colorado X2

37 of the 50 games are not easier games.

Phoenix X2
Columbus X1
Philadelphia X2
Ottawa X1
New Jersey X1
Buffalo X1
Florida X1
Edmonton X4

[Caged Great]

For reference, 19 of the games the Flames have played against better teams, with 13 against bottom enders.

8-9-2 against the top tier
9-4-0 against the mediocre ones

If those trends continue, they'll get 35 points in the 37 games against the better teams, and 18 against the medicore ones. That would be 89 points at the end of the year.

That doesn't allow for any levelling off in their play.

[ForeverFlameFan]

I think it's safe to say that we will be fighting for a wild card spot the rest of the year.

[Enoch Root]

I don't think I have ever seen more panic from a fanbase over a perfectly typical slump as I have for this one.

Especially considering:

1) they're a rebuild team and the whole season is gravy anyway, and

2) they have been playing well through the skid, against a bunch of hot teams.

Based on reactions, you'd think the whole lot of them had completely forgotten how to play the game.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

For reference, 19 of the games the Flames have played against better teams, with 13 against bottom enders.

8-9-2 against the top tier
9-4-0 against the mediocre ones

If those trends continue, they'll get 35 points in the 37 games against the better teams, and 18 against the medicore ones. That would be 89 points at the end of the year.

That doesn't allow for any levelling off in their play.

Doesn't account for more home games remaining, the schedules of other teams in the fight.

I agree they are in a real dogfight, and could easily fall way south of the cut-off. But unless they do some sort of Oiler-esque tank job, it will be fun to watch.

And if they miss, they draft a really good prospect somewhere between 8-15, get Bennett and Poiriet into the lineup next year, Johnny, Monahan, Granlund, Jooris, Colborne, Ferland, Sven (that's 9 decent forwards already) get better and better, trades are made for some defensive help, maybe Ortio or Gillies turn into something great.

This glass is not half full, it's gonna overflow soon.

[Tron_fdc]

If we are going to make playoffs, we need the injured vets that just returned to start producing. Raymond was a PPG before he was hurt, last night I forgot he even played for the team. Stajan hasn't done much either, at this point I would rather put a motivated Ferland into the lineup. Big Joe has been the only returnee that has shown me that he deserves to stay IMO.

I've been saying all along this team will fight it out for the last 2 spots in the playoffs, which is a HUGE step in the rebuild. Young teams need to learn how to lose, and that's what we're seeing right now. Even if they finish just out of 8th, I'm still happy. We need to see progress.

No way were they finishing the season with home ice advantage.

[GioforPM]

Stajan hasn't done much either, at this point I would rather put a motivated Ferland into the lineup.

Stajan has the same points in the 4 after his return than Ferland (who I really like) has while he was here. And more to the point, he's a centre (with an above 50% average since his return). Ferland isn't his replacement - a centre would be.

[CSharp]

If they do or don't, it really doesn't matter. What matters most is that they stay the course for a good rebuild. If Treliving makes a knee jerk reaction and go for short term success to make a push for the playoffs, it'll be the worse mistake. Everyone know how good the rookies and prospects can be. Everyone needs to just stay the course and transition the team for the future. I'd hate to see more veterans getting injected and the team fails even more.

If the Flames tank, that would be good. If they make the playoffs that would be good as well. But if they're fighting for 8th place come trading deadline, I sure's hope they don't give it much effort. 7th through 14th spot in the conference is the worst spot to be in.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Stajan hasn't done much either, at this point I would rather put a motivated Ferland into the lineup.

Stajan has the same points in the 4 after his return than Ferland (who I really like) has while he was here. And more to the point, he's a centre (with an above 50% average since his return). Ferland isn't his replacement - a centre would be.

A center like Colbourne?

My point is there are plenty of players we can shuffle around, allowing us to call up a guy that brings more to the team than Stajan right now.

Vets need to be better. Bottom line.

[GioforPM]

I don't want Colborne at centre, thanks. He's a better winger, and has been good since his return.

Stajan has been just fine as a 4th line centre. Good on the draw, which is what you want in a 4th line centre because they can avoid being trapped in their own end more, and he's been hitting well. Raymond hasn't been great.

The streak isn't on the vets.

[Tron_fdc]

Well that's where we disagree. Stajan hasn't shown much, and neither has Raymond. Hence their 9 minutes of icetime vs Chicago.

You think it's a coincidence that our slide coincides with their return? Because I don't.

[Poe969]

I'm pretty sure Burke should do a full on forensic study of the team to see if they are in fact visually improving and if he feels it's right then he should fire Hartley and take over as coach.

lol the oilers suck.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Well that's where we disagree. Stajan hasn't shown much, and neither has Raymond. Hence their 9 minutes of icetime vs Chicago.

You think it's a coincidence that our slide coincides with their return? Because I don't.

I do think so. You have to point to actual things that happened in the game. Otherwise you can just as validly say the Flames lost because the weather got warmer in Calgary or the price of gas dropped below 95 cents. Both happened at the same time as well.

The fact they only had nine minutes reflects only that they play on the 4th line. It also means they weren't on the ice for the largest parts of the game where the Flames were outplayed. You really think Corbin Knight, Sven Baertschi and Michael Ferland (who got the same kind of time)prevent those losses?

IMO The Flames lost last night because Chicago is a hell of a team. They lost in Pittsburgh because of the first couple minutes, in which Monahan's line wasn't ready for the start against the big line. They lost in Buffalo because of a couple huge defensive gaffes (after soundly outplaying the Sabres). And Toronto has been a handful for their last bunch of opponents.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

1) they're a rebuild team and the whole season is gravy anyway, and

Not singling you out but I am so sick of seeing this line. What is "gravy" supposed to mean in this context? Why is this whole season gravy? Is this somehow implying the whole NHL season was just a writeoff for the Flames org? BS.

PS I don't even like gravy.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by saillias

Not singling you out but I am so sick of seeing this line. What is "gravy" supposed to mean in this context? Why is this whole season gravy? Is this somehow implying the whole NHL season was just a writeoff for the Flames org? BS.

What were your expectations for the season?

Anything above expectations is, well, gravy. Pretty straightforward.

But that doesn't mean the season was a write-off. It simply means that the organization is/was focused on other things, specifically development, culture, work habits, etc. The development of many of the prospects is going better than even the most optimistic could have hoped for. Also having the team have enough success that they are in the playoff picture? GRAVY!