Expectations for 2015-2016

[Monahan23]

Originally Posted by troutman

Playoffs are no guarantee. A lot went right for the Flames, and we will see improved play from Dallas, Colorado and LA.

it's not and it will be another fight that will give me a heart attack but this will be a very similar team except with Gio back, Bennett for a full year and improvement of our young players.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by heep223

With another year of development for the young guys and a full season of healthy Gio, I can't see them not making it next year. We have a legit top line, one of the best D-pairings in the league and middle 6 F group with a good blend of offense, checking ability and size. Ortio emerges as #1.

This team is making the playoffs next year.

While I agree with everything you said about the team, unless you think they are an elite Western Conference team by next season (Hawks, Ducks level) then it's going to be down to the wire again. As Friedman mentioned on the Fan today, league is so tight, tones of good teams will miss the playoffs each year moving forward.

[polak]

You know, last year I thought we'd make the playoffs if everything went right, and I truly believed everything I said then could happen and it did. Well for next year here is my "everything goes right" scenario and why I think it's possible. If this happens and we stay healthy then I think we take another step next year. I think that step is comfortably making the playoffs and being able to take on any team.

- I have a very strong feeling that Gaudreau will be near the top of the league in scoring next year and be part of the Hart conversation. I know sophomore slump and all but I think he follows his trajectory similarly to his college days. He just seems like a player that learns more and more every time he plays and I think some time next season he'll have this league figured out. Just look at his season and post season. Just gets better as it goes. Not only that, but he doesn't rely on others for offense, he creates it and soon as he figures out when to do it himself over passing he will dominate.

I think Bennett will usurp Monahan as #1 C and I think Sean will center a 2nd line with at least 1 top 6 UFA and then either Porier (if he can step up, not sold on him) or Bouma. I don't think Bouma is a top 6 guy and I'm doubtful that Porier will just step in like that and fit right in but I just think that's how it's going to play out and it'll be fine as a 2nd line with Monahan and a legit Top 6 UFA will still be solid even with Bouma on it.

Bennett will be a beast and keep pace with McDavid.

The Defense will have to stay healthy and that worries me immensely. I honestly think it's more likely that Johnny wins the Art Ross rather than Giordano doesn't miss significant time. To compensate for this we absolutely need to add at least a Russell-caliber d-man. That way, when healthy we have a rock solid defense top to bottom and when Gio inevitably gets hurt, we hopefully don't skip a beat.

In goal I truly think Ortio will be at least equal to Hiller/Ramo but in this "everything needs to go right" scenario I think Ortio steps it up and is the unquestioned #1 by seasons end.

Again, this was the "everything go right" scenario to take the next step of comfortably making the playoffs. To graduate from a bubble team. I don't necessarily expect it all to happen but I think it can happen and that everything I listed is more likely to happen than this dream season.

If I were to rank my points in terms of probability I'd go:

1. Ortio is unquestioned #1 by the trade deadline.
2. Bennett usurps Sean-A-Thon for #1C.
3. Johnny is near the top of league scoring.
4. Gio stays healthy and we solidify our D.
5. Bennett keeps pace with McDavid.

[home_sweet_dome]

If we truly are the next Blackhawks, we gonna win the Cup next year.

Hawks lost in the 2nd round of 09, then won it all in 2010 when Toews/Kane were 22/21.

Might sound crazy to some but i think our cup window legitimately opens next year and I hope management feels the same way.

Next year is the last year when all 3 of Johnny, Monny, and Bennett are on ELC's. We have tons of cap space and a bunch of young guys on the verge of being full-time NHLers (Ferland, Granlund, Poirier, Jooris, Shore, etc).

If we can spend some money and trade some young depth to find a legit top 6 winger and top 4 dman, and one of the goalies can step up and be a true #1, a Cup is a definite possibility.

[Bs&Cs]

The Oilers have for my money the worst defence core in the entire nhl. Even if Nurse draws in next year, even with McDavid and even if they find a decent goalie keeping the puck out of their net consistently will be a struggle. The Calgary blue line, for my money was the single biggest reason why this season was such a success. The top 4 for Calgary was solid this year and should continue to be even if Wideman takes a step back next year. They are still two or three years away from the playoffs and will probably not qualify next season. Depends on what Chia does of course but that team is... how do you guys say it here? No good. It's the same problem plaguing the Avs and Stars and if they don't do anything to shore up their defence it will be a repeat of what occurred this year.

I think we're starting to see a changing of the guard in the pacific. Tough decisions coming in LA due to the situations with Richards and Voynov that has effectively handcuffed Dean Lombardi and both the Sharks and Canucks are old and stale and in need of fresh blood. San Jose at least has a full pipeline to dip into but Vancouver is in for a tough rebuild I think but the rise of the Flames and eventually Oilers could see a couple of the California teams fall off a bit here. The Ducks are still the model franchise in this division, a budget team that drafts and develops extremely well and has been compete time for years now.

I think the Flames, Sharks and Kings battle it out for 2 and 3 in the division. The Canucks will be lucky to be in the conversation next year but I thought they wouldn't be this year either. Should be fun!

[rubecube]

Need to get a lot bigger and more physical on the back end. Not really sure who we have in the system or who's available on the UFA market who fits that. I think we probably end up in the same spot, give or take a few points.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

It's hard to pick what will happen in the Pacific next year.

Will San Jose and LA miss the playoffs again?

Will Vancouver stay up in playoff contention or fall of as the Sedins age?

Will Edmonton finally stop sucking?

Will Colorado rebound?

As far as I'm concerned the Pacific will be the most interesting to watch unfold next year. Not the best division in hockey but the best story.

Umm...

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by troutman

Playoffs are no guarantee. A lot went right for the Flames, and we will see improved play from Dallas, Colorado and LA.

if they win more games somebody will lose more games...its will take around the same amount of points to make it

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by dino7c

if they win more games somebody will lose more games...its will take around the same amount of points to make it

If Edmonton stops being free points for the entire conference it will likely take fewer points as well.

[smiggy77]

My expectations are the same as what the Flames will be from day 1. We have to win the cup. We did the improbable last year, lets do it again next year.

[-TC-]

The cup

[Robbob]

My expectation is that they continue to work hard. Good things will come if they continue down this path.

[Igottago]

They've set the bar to at the very least compete for a playoff spot by the last couple games of the season. The question is, with what we saw this season, does management have enough belief in the team to expedite the rebuild a bit more and add to this team and close the gap with the Anaheim's and Chicago', or is it still time for patience. I have no reason to believe the core youngsters on the team will regress much, if at all. I see guys like Monahan and Gaudreau getting better and better.

[CaptainCrunch]

hmm

I think they are a more consistant team with less errors, they need less come from behind victories.

While its still too soon

I see our division as

Anaheim - They are going to be good for a number of years
LA - They have a bounce back
Calgary - Finish with close to the same points
Vancouver misses - I think their slide will begin, they have some nice talent but not enough of it.
San Jose - Completely slide off of the map, they start a painful rebuild
Edmonton - I don't think that Chiapet can replace that entire blueline and goaltending in a year, I don't think that McDavid is good enough to drag their team to the playoffs. Chia realizes that he has to dis-assemble the top 6 to get blueline and goaltending help. They are still in a rebuild. They'll be slightly better which still = horrible.
Arizona - Depends on what their coach does.

[GirlySports]

I would echo most and say the goal is over 105 points and 2nd in the Pacific (challenging for 1st).

Hard to believe but we are in the weaker division. Central is stacked.

[hockey.modern]

2nd may be a goal for next season. We were competing with Anaheim for 1st place up until we hit that loosing streak

[kirant]

Let's look at the teams in the division, as they are today:

Anaheim - They'll continue to be a good team for a while. Youth in net and on the blue line will keep them strong.
Vancouver - A slight regression. Their best forwards are far too old to keep their level of play and, as good as he is, Horvat won't replace them all. Defence and goaltending could hold steady but that's still a net loss in overall ability on the team with three key parts of the top 6 approaching 35.
LA - Will bounce back a bit. They'll also probably develop a better plan for the defence next year than running Doughty for so many minutes. I can't see this team being this mediocre on the road again.
San Jose - In for the long haul rebuild. Thornton and Marleau are almost done and there's very little in the way of prospects to save them.
Edmonton - They're starting to at least turn the corner. Chiarelli will have his hands full for a little while developing a team which has reasonable goaltending and defence. I suspect Eberle or Hall will be out the door for some assistance in that department. He might bring them to the playoffs in a little while but I don't think it will be an instant turnaround.
Arizona - I can't see them improving to a playoff team right away...but there are a lot of question marks on them.

I think the Flames will stand as an option for the playoffs again, competing against the Canucks or fighting for a wild card position...but I honestly wouldn't expect anything. A lot went right this year and there was a strong dependency on the hotter goaltender between Ramo and Hiller at times. There are lots of questions regarding the continued success of the rookie players and I would suspect there will be a few slumps due to the large learning curve for the team as a whole.

Somewhere between 10-14th in the draft next year would label the season a success. Playoffs would just be an added benefit.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Umm...

oops ya they're central..

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The strange thing about next year - all things being equal - is that they could be all over the board. A lot of young guys still improving, but also a lot of guys who will be coming off career years that will be hard to maintain. We could solidify ourselves as a playoff team, or we could be somewhat like the Islanders with a two steps forward, one step back type season.

That, and development isn't a straight line. Will all young guys improve? Probably not. Some guys that will be really good in 3/4 years may have a poor year.

I'm reserving judgement until I see what Treliving does here

[Caged Great]

It depends on what the Flames do this offseason. If they can acquire a good secondary depth scorer, preferably a RW like Justin Williams, along with a good #3 D-man they should be able to push ahead and become a contender. They might not get over the hill next year, but it'll help push them up the ladder a bit.

The Flames still have too many young players that are question marks. Will Jooris play like he did next year (and you can insert whatever name you'd like into that). None of the young guys had a disappointing season with the exception of Reinhart, but even he rebounded in the last two months. That is almost unheard of. Most players have ups and downs, not almost entirely ups.

Ideally the Flames would shift about 7-8 players out of this lineup and replace them with either younger or better players. Raymond, Byron, McGrattan, Smid, Diaz, Potter, + 1 of the goalies would be a good start. A guy like David Jones is on his way out after this upcoming season much like Glencross was this year, just too many forwards and not enough spots for them all.