What Do You See In This Team

[Monahan For Mayor]

Here's another question, now that the team knows the system what kind of individual numbers can we see from our under achievers next season ? I know the roster will look a bit different.

Gaudreau - 25 - 60 - 85
Mony - 33 - 32 - 65
Bennett - 22 - 20 - 42
Gio - 15 - 30 - 45
Brodie - 8 - 30 - 38
Lazar (career under achiever) - 18 - 15 - 33


I expect that everyone picks it up while guys like triple m line stay consistent with this year, Tkachuk will go up with more PP time.

All in all I predict we finish around the top 5 in gf next season. Which will be great as we've grown exponentially defensively.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Would you take that D core over our current one?

Wouldn't mind Al Macinnis, Gary Suter on this team. Macinnis had a shot that made goalies cringe while Gary could skate a lot like Brodie, maybe better. He had a pretty good shot too.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

Wouldn't mind Al Macinnis, Gary Suter on this team. Macinnis had a shot that made goalies cringe while Gary could skate a lot like Brodie, maybe better. He had a pretty good shot too.

Well of course, and even with Anahiems young kids, they would sell their soul for one more season of a prime pronger and neidermiyer, and beauchiman

[heep223]

2017 cup champions.

[Gaudfather]

What I have liked about the recent eight game winning streak is that this team seems to be getting better each game. They are strong on the boards, winning puck battles and making quick plays. The defensive pairings have been stepping up with offensive contribution while limiting chances in their own end. And there is still room for improvement - the 3rd line can still find another gear. I think this team could outplay the Ducks, Kings and Oilers and would give the Sharks all they could handle. All of this is predicated on Elliott being locked in playoff domination mode which seems to be happening.

If the injury gods are kind to the Flames I can see them pushing to the Western Conference finals.

[Geeoff]

I think the Flames underachieved last year. But hey you can thank Jonas Hiller for Matthew Tkachuk!

[icecube]

Glory.

[Sylvanfan]

I see a team that's looking to emerge as a regular playoff participant. They are moving into that second tier of playoff team as the season progresses. We don't see the first round fodder term thrown around as much now. I don't think they currently have the pieces to push to a top tier type team. They are sort of like what the Nashville Predators have been. A good team who can even have a great season, but short of something to push through.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I see a team that's looking to emerge as a regular playoff participant. They are moving into that second tier of playoff team as the season progresses. We don't see the first round fodder term thrown around as much now. I don't think they currently have the pieces to push to a top tier type team. They are sort of like what the Nashville Predators have been. A good team who can even have a great season, but short of something to push through.

I see us becoming high threat each season, with the regression finally of the big 3 California teams. We are coming in as they are exiting.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by cofias

On paper they scare me a lot less than they used to, especially with Carlyle behind the bench as well. They have mediocre forward depth, a flimsy defense and only decent goaltending. However, they seem to bring out the worst in our team whenever we play them. It almost seems like a psychological thing at this point.

It is a psychological thing. If they would just go in there and not worry about the past, they would run them over. They are fading. Rebuild will commence in 20.

[DazzlinDino]

I think acquiring Lazar was a great addition. I would like to have seen a few more call ups allowing some (skilled) players to get a feel for the team. I think we have guys that can step in nicely on defense if needed. That said, there have been times in the past where the Flames suffered injuries just before or during playoffs and that can affect the outcome in a tough grinding series. Do we have enough skilled guys to come in and keep the ship sailing smoothly if we were to lose 1 or 2 top six?

The coaches have done a good job moving guys up and down the lineup but again key injuries could hurt chemistry or production of our top 6.

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Ive been very excited with this team post all star break. Was really hard on dougie to start the year because i he was ten times better than that. Arguably the best young rh defenceman in the game when hes playing like he can. Now, goaltending has been slights above league average and what a pleasang surprise from ferland, frolik, backlund, and tkatchuk. IMO we arent in the playoff mix without backlund and tkatchuk. Would throw post allstar break elliott in there too hes been on fire. As for how deep of a playoff run? We are a young overachieving team and i can see us getting past round one MAYBE but i cannot see us making it past round two. Considering the way the year started this is such a pleasant EXCITING surprise for a low expectation year. GO FLAMES!

[Enoch Root]

I think that they're over-achieving a little right now (which is fine, that is the nature of a hot streak). BUt I think we're seeing the team that we (mostly) thought this was at the beginning of the season:

a team that is on it's way from rebuilding to contender - a young team that is good, but where the young talent is still not quite ready; pretty solid throughout the lineup but still a couple pieces from great.

Before the season, many of us thought there was a pretty good young team here. Unfortunately, things got so ugly during the first half that it maybe changed some peoples' minds into thinking they didn't have the talent once thought.

But I think it is clear now that that talent is there, and that they are on the path to becoming contenders.

There have been threads discussing when the Flames would emerge as a good team. A lot of us said 2017/18, with 2016/17 being a transition towards that. And I think that is exactly what we're seeing right now.

[Heavy Jack]

Loving the chemistry that's starting to build here - we've seen it with Tkachuk/Backlund/Frolik for the whole year -- seeing it with Gaudreau/Monahan/Ferland the last 8 games and Versteeg/Bennett/Brouwer are starting to look solid. Also mentioned in the Lazar thread that the 4th line has been giving us substantial minutes which has been a big contributor to this win streak. So to answer the title of this thread -- more then anything I am seeing true chemistry starting to build throughout the lineup which is exciting/promising for sure!

[GettinIggyWithIt]

The team was under-achieving early on and over-achieving now. Somewhere in the middle is the real team. They've really started to build chemistry and confidence. I think that they are at least a top 10 team in the league, a legitimate playoff team, and I think they are good enough to surprise anyone they meet once they get in. Goaltending has solidified, D is stronger from 1 to 6, and our forwards are producing by committee. I think next year will be another big step as we see our young players mature and hopefully we make a couple of additions.

I actually think Round 1 will be the toughest round for this team. Last time, a lack of depth and size held them back against a big Anaheim team in the second round. This year, I don't think that difference is so huge against any of the teams. We have more depth and a few heavy guys in the line up that can play that big game in the playoffs. Get past round 1 and I think they'll surprise a lot of people just rolling on confidence, chemistry and youth.

[Roof-Daddy]

I see pretty much what I'd hoped to see this season.

1. A young rebuilding team taking the next step
2. A coach and system that seems like it will be the answer long term
3. A chance at playoffs this year, and a team trending towards being a legit long term playoff threat and maybe even a Cup contender/favorite
4. Stronger goaltending resulting in better overall results

I didn't think BT would be able to round out the top 4 D this season due to expansion, but he found a way and boy did that have a positive effect. It kind of happened right around the same time the team really started to work the kinks out in the system, when the goaltending started to find it's groove and also when they found an answer to help turn the top line back into the threat we've come to expect. It was like a cyclone of great things all coming together at once which of course led to the current 8 game streak. Hopefully the typical injury BS doesn't come in and #### it all up like we've seen in the past.

[CaptainCrunch]

Attention to detail.

[GioforPM]

They aren't going to lose much of what is making them good this season. I assume they re-sign Stone. They may re-sign Elliott. Bennett actually chose a good year (from the Flames perspective) to have a bit of a struggle, and they can sign him for a bit less.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

They aren't going to lose much of what is making them good this season. I assume they re-sign Stone. They may re-sign Elliott. Bennett actually chose a good year (from the Flames perspective) to have a bit of a struggle, and they can sign him for a bit less.

Exactly. I'm hoping they bring back both goalies, unless they think Rittich can be a solid back up, but that would certainly be much more of a gamble than sticking with Johnson.

But yeah, keep the top 4 D and goaltending intact and you start the next season with the same young core already tuned in to the coach and system, and hopefully Gaudreau/Monahan don't start slow plus you'd hope Bennett continues to progress. It's a team that should push for a division crown with a 100+ point season unless something nutty happens.

[FlamesAddiction]

They are team that has faced their fair share of adversity this season, which I think bodes well for the playoffs (assuming they make it).