2014-2015 How will the Flames, Oilers, Canucks do?

[Kaine]

The Oilers picks above the Flames are mind bottling. Clearly the offseason has made some of you forget just how bad they really are.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Hoping the Flames can tank at the right time this year to get the number 1 overall draft pick. That's all I care about.

Do people keep saying this because they have no idea there's a lottery for first overall?

[_Q_]

Call me crazy, but I think Vancouver is a worse team than Calgary and Edmonton this season.

[FireGilbert]

Flames 5th in Pacific.
Nucks 6th in Pacific.
Oil 7th in Pacific.

Every team in the Central will finish ahead of them but in the East Buffalo, Carolina and Ottawa will be worse.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Call me crazy, but I think Vancouver is a worse team than Calgary and Edmonton this season.

I think it is very likely that Vancouver will be worse than Calgary. They were pretty ugly last year and they haven't really done anything this off-season. The Sedins are getting old and not the threat that they once were. I don't think they will be worse than Edmonton though. Edmonton has a huge problem with effort and chemistry from their young guys. They also still have a huge void in defense and goaltending.

[kyuss275]

If I was voting just looking at rosters I would say:

Canucks 10th
Oilers 12th
Flames 14th

That said I will not be surprised if Hiller has a vezina type year and pulls flames to 9th-10th.

[wwkayaker]

Canucks 21st
Oilers 23rd
Flames 29th

[The Fonz]

I totally forgot we had Hiller and Raymond.

Still likely looking at a bottom 5 finish overall though. 2014/15 should be our last bad year, then things can start looking up!

[Aarongavey]

I just hope that Burke and Treliving do better than the 77 points Feaster and Weisbrod's team put up last year. One would think after making some pretty serious UFA signings compared to none the year before that doing better than 77 points would be a breeze. That being said I think the Flames finish with around 70 points and are below the Canucks and the Oilers, although all 3 teams will miss the playoffs.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I`m going to be optimistic about the Flames and put them in 9th in the West (bouncing in and out of a playoff spot during the last couple of weeks.) Vancouver 11, Edmonton 13.

Originally Posted by Table 5

That's the worst thing that could happen.

I really hope this happens just to see the reactions from some on this board.

What do people honestly think? That the Flames will bottom out for a couple of seasons, and then suddenly contend for division championships and Stanley Cups? At some point, the team should be expected to show improvement, which will take time and likely result in more than one or two 7–11 finishes in the course of the next decade. It is ridiculous to think that the only two positive outcomes in hockey are in the top and bottom five of the standings.

Canucks will finish 10 in the WC.
Flames will finish 13–14.
Oilers will finish 15. People forget who horribly bad they were last year. Nearly a minus-70 goal differential, one loss from 29th place, and a full eleven points or six wins from moving out of 15th in the West. Even with a modest improvement they are still a last-place team.

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Oilers will finish 15

I don't know if you're making a joke or if you just forgot there's only 14 teams in the west, but it works either way.

[shniper]

Flames 8th, Canucks 9th, Oilers 13th.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

I don't know if you're making a joke or if you just forgot there's only 14 teams in the west, but it works either way.

Ha! Ha!

I totally forgot, but the joke works for me. Thanks.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It is ridiculous to think that the only two positive outcomes in hockey are in the top and bottom five of the standings.

It is ridiculous to think that a proper rebuild will only take one year. We still have giant holes on defense and RW, and the majority of the team that will be part of this turnaround will still be in the minors or playing smaller roles on the big club this this year. Those holes will not be magically filled overnight (or without major depletion of other assets), and that development won't be instant.

Not wanting to be 9th is not the same as being the Oilers. It's understanding that the reality is that a rebuilt takes time, and our holes are best filled by the only way to win a the Stanley Cup: drafting. For some of us the goal is not to get into the playoffs, but to win it all. "Get in and anything can happen" is not a strategy that works if you actually want to win the damn thing.

[Vinny01]

I agree with those that say Edmonton will continue to be terrible but I do think they improved their team this summer. Adding Fayne and Nikitin improve the D. Pouliot while overpaid is a nice bottom 6 player and Purcell is a decent add. The massive
hole at 2nd line centre is bad though and if they think Drasaitl or Gordon will fill the void they are mistaken.


Vancouver sure shuffled the deck this summer. Sbisa, Bonino, Vey, Dorsett, Miller replacing Garisson, Kesler, Santorelli, Luongo looks like downgrades. The coaching upgrade could make them better than last year

The flames improved in goal. Raymond is not a great replacement for Cammy, Engellend is tougher but not really any better than Butler. The flames only chance to improve is prospects making a jump and impact. Gaudreau, Sven, Granlund, Reinhart, Wortherspoon, Porier all could see significant time with the big club

I think Edmonton and Van are 11th and 12th in the west and the Flames are 14th

[driveway]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

What do people honestly think? That the Flames will bottom out for a couple of seasons, and then suddenly contend for division championships and Stanley Cups? At some point, the team should be expected to show improvement, which will take time and likely result in more than one or two 7–11 finishes in the course of the next decade. It is ridiculous to think that the only two positive outcomes in hockey are in the top and bottom five of the standings.

Well, the three examples of teams who have successfully rebuilt from bottom-dwellers into Champions, the Blackhawks, Kings, and Penguins, all experienced very sudden reversals of fortune.

The Blackhawks had seasons of 59,65, and 71, points then went 88 points, 104, 112.
The Penguins went 69, 65, 58, 58, 105, 102, 99.
Kings 68, 71, 79, 101, 98, 95.

So the modern pattern is definitely several years of dwelling at the bottom, followed by sudden, massive improvement.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Table 5

It is ridiculous to think that a proper rebuild will only take one year. We still have giant holes on defense and RW, and the majority of the team that will be part of this turnaround will still be in the minors or playing smaller roles on the big club this this year. Those holes will not be magically filled overnight (or without major depletion of other assets), and that development won't be instant.

I agree with everything you have said here.

Originally Posted by Table 5

Not wanting to be 9th is not the same as being the Oilers. It's understanding that the reality is that a rebuilt takes time, and our holes are best filled by the only way to win a the Stanley Cup: drafting.

I disagree with the premise. While it is both true that rebuilding takes time and that the best way to build is through the draft, this team finishing in contention for the playoffs this season IS NOT going to so dramatically alter its drafting fortunes. In other words: No, finishing 9th would not be a disaster because it signals something important: that the team CAN and almost certainly WILL improve in the long run. It would mean that some of the young players in the lineup ARE playing exceptionally well.

Originally Posted by Table 5

For some of us the goal is not to get into the playoffs, but to win it all. "Get in and anything can happen" is not a strategy that works if you actually want to win the damn thing.

I suspect that for all of us the goal is for this team to win it all. It's certainly my hope. My problem with your post was the not-so-subtle insinuation that finishing outside of the lottery picks will eliminate the possibility of reaching the goal. It won't. The team will still need to draft well if its picking in the 20s instead of top-five, and those picks should still be counted upon as contributors towards building a winner.

[chubeyr1]

Somebody has too!!!!!

I predict the Flames make the playoffs this year. Gaudreau lights it up, and his passion and drive becomes infectious. Backlund has a great year, Glencross becomes a leader, and Ramo not Hiller is the starting goalie. We play crash and bang hockey, we don't wait for other teams to take liberties with our young stars. We hit them first and often. Also I predict David Jones goes missing, aka Jimmy Hoffa. No one knows where he is, but some one on CP does, and they receive the most "thanks" of all time!

Havent had anything to drink yet today, so gonna start right now so I can argue with those that don't think the same way. I just cant find a sober way to argue about this lol!

[Hackey]

Canucks will likely be best of the three and Flames likely the worst. None will make playoffs.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by the2bears

Do people keep saying this because they have no idea there's a lottery for first overall?

Eichel is a fine consolation prize.