[News] Eric Francis piece: "The Case for why the Flames will make the playoffs"

[Flacker]

If Francis thinks so? We are boned...

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by tfi racing

Making the playoffs? Yeah,why not. Actually winning more than one game in the first round? Not very likely...

Please expand on this.


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[FlamesAddiction]

Considering the rate we would have to win at to make the playoffs, we would be going in as probably one of the hottest teams. Not likely to happen, but here's hoping.

[activeStick]

If they can get their PP out of the bottom 10, they might have a chance. If not, it will continue to lose them games and they'll miss primarily because of it.

[undercoverbrother]

Nice try Francis, I still ain't clicking your link.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by Philly06Cup

Anyone who talks about (road) wins or points without the context of games played just doesn't understand how standings work.

OK. How's this?

Road points percentage will take into account games played, right?

San Jose: 45.83%
Anaheim: 50%
Edmonton: 61.5% - Surprised me!
LA: 31.81%
Vancouver: 31.81%
Calgary: 53.33%
Arizona: 37.5%

So, second best road points percentage in the Pacific Division...

Let's add the Central:

Chicago: 54.16%
St. Louis: 35%
Minnesota: 45.83%
Nashville: 33.33%
Dallas: 38.46%
Winnipeg: 30.77%
Colorado: 50%

So, third best road points percentage in the Western Conference, one of only three Western Conference teams above .500 on the road, and have the most road wins in the league, which you cannot take away from them.

If they keep that up, and turn it around at home, it is the making of a playoff team, especially as most of the more recent games were on the road, hopefully being more indicative of current play and thus expected future play.

[zukes]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

This was similar to what some were saying about the Jays in June. Tulo wasn't going to stay hitting below .200, Martin was going to start to hit, etc. Once they got back to career average, the team was fine. Similar here: It makes sense that players will get back to their average, or at least close to it, which will bode well for the future.

And getting back to their average is likely the least we can expect as that would mean their season is below their normal. If they finish the year with their average NHL stats then they are all going to get hot over the last 3/4 of the season, which would be fun to watch!

[442scotty]

Anything is possible I guess... We have played the most games. Once everyone catches up we will be in 30th place. All I want is entertaining hockey... Not boring wins... Entertaining wins please

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Nice try Francis, I still ain't clicking your link.

Good call. Reminds me of this thread

[heep223]

I actually don't give a #### if they're entertaining or boring, just win. On the other hand, if they're losing, I want entertaining losses. That's why this season has been so frustrating - they're losing in the most boring ways possible.

[CroFlames]

If the Flames had nothing but 1-0 victories on their way to a Stanley Cup, I would not be complaining.

[Red]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

OK. How's this?

Road points percentage will take into account games played, right?

San Jose: 45.83%
Anaheim: 50%
Edmonton: 61.5% - Surprised me!
LA: 31.81%
Vancouver: 31.81%
Calgary: 53.33%
Arizona: 37.5%

So, second best road points percentage in the Pacific Division...

Let's add the Central:

Chicago: 54.16%
St. Louis: 35%
Minnesota: 45.83%
Nashville: 33.33%
Dallas: 38.46%
Winnipeg: 30.77%
Colorado: 50%

So, third best road points percentage in the Western Conference, one of only three Western Conference teams above .500 on the road, and have the most road wins in the league, which you cannot take away from them.

If they keep that up, and turn it around at home, it is the making of a playoff team, especially as most of the more recent games were on the road, hopefully being more indicative of current play and thus expected future play.

Getting wins on the road is supposed to be harder. Flames have done well there so far. And since they have played more on the road, that should bode well for them when they start to play better at home.

I think they deserve some credit for their road record thus far.

[TheoFleury]

Francis always goes against the grain. Can't be negative anymore because 90% of the fans are down in the dumps.

[mdubz]

Francis just getting attention, as usual. Negative articles for attention when the team is playing great, and positive articles when the team looks bad.

[bubbsy]

the flames have played tons of games, about 3-4 more than almost the entire league, including plenty on the road, with the longest road trip of the year, as well as plenty of back to backs.

does anyone know off hand if our schedule remaining has any indication of being better (ie. more/longer homestands, less back to backs, etc)??

I am still pretty meh on this team. Defensively better, solid goaltending, and a better PK for sure. However, the offense is almost non-existent. It feels like i'm cheering for the wild from a decade ago, but without gaborik in his prime. I hold hope that gaudreau spending the 6 weeks watching the game from afar, allows him to come back with a fresh start to the year. Hopefully if he can come back and creating offense on the top line, it allows other guys/lines to fall better into their lines/roles, hopefully resulting in them starting to get going offensively.

Maybe it's just me, but this team's offense from past years has been based on quick transition and breakouts. Yes, that included for the most part, long distance passes, springing our cheating forwards. What it also created, was the opposition to scramble to get back in position, which created opportunities for our D guys to join the rush and be a heavy part of the offense.

the offense now is a much slower transitioning one. Nothing starts without the d going d to d, and then expecting the forwards to be able to carry the puck through the neutral zone where the opposition has already been able to position themselves in ideal defensive positions.

Gaudrea, monahan, giordano, brodie haven't just started to suck this year. However, the new system, for better or worse, doesn't allow for them to rely on skillsets that perhaps made them successful offensively in past years. So far, they have not been able to really adjust and create a new means of being effective. If this doesnt change, the season will continue to go as it has... Rely on playing a boring defensive style, hope the goalie can make some big saves night in and night out, and hope to bang in a goal or 2, and try to win 1-0, 2-1 every night.

I think all the games in hand have made the flames look better than they are in the standings (yet they are still 25th, and so it could definitely get/be worse), but they are fortunate in that the rest of the western conference has not really been able to pull away.

Perhaps it's the eternal pessimist in me, but what i see is a team that is showing they'll get out of the basement, but are likely still not a playoff team, and are drafting in and around 10th overall.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

He must be gel'n.

Like a felon.

[dino7c]

Oilers were what 9-3? now they are 12-10

they are falling off a cliff, Flames really need to start winning home games before we get into the playoff convo though

[getbak]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

the flames have played tons of games, about 3-4 more than almost the entire league, including plenty on the road, with the longest road trip of the year, as well as plenty of back to backs.

does anyone know off hand if our schedule remaining has any indication of being better (ie. more/longer homestands, less back to backs, etc)??

The have a lot of home games coming up. 16 of the next 24 games are at home. Of the 8 road games in that time, most are in the Division. The furthest they travel over the next 7 weeks is to Dallas.

They have one back-to-back in December (Arizona-San Jose), and three in January. The first one in January is a home-and-home against Vancouver, so that shouldn't hurt/help either team. The second is a home game followed by a game in Edmonton the next night. The third is Toronto-Montreal the week before the All-Star break.

February is another big travel month, but they only have one back-to-back after the All-Star break (Tampa-Florida at the end of February). From March 9 until the end of the season on April 8, they play every other night.


If they want to get into the playoff picture, they need to string together a good streak at home, starting tonight.

[Philly06Cup]

Flames are 3 games under. 500 for points%. That is last in the West. That is the real picture of where we are. Period.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Flames are 29th in the NHL by points %.

The two teams behind the Flames in the west each have FOUR games in hand. They can both post losing records and be sub-.500 by points, and they will still pass the Flames, leaving us last in the conference.

Realistically, by the time the games in hand play out, we should be 29th in the league.

We may make progress, but right now we are actually nowhere near the playoffs.

Francis is a tool.