Sportsnet NHL power rankings

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

The vast majority of the time players 28 or younger have the possibility of improving the next season. The vast majority of the time players that are 29 or older trend downward in subsequent seasons.

LA has the following players that will be 28 or younger next year and probably on their team

Brandt Clarke
Quinton Byfield
Kaliyev
Anderson-Dolan
Anderson
Lizotte
Grundstrom
Kempe
Fiala
Moore
Roy
Dubois

Flames have

Coronato
Pelletier
Ruczika
Duehr
Hanifin
Andersson
Dube
Mangiapane
Yegor
Lindholm
Zadorov

I would personally bet on Byfield, Kaliyev, Fiala and Dubois having big seasons, much better than last year. The potential for those 4 far outweighs the potential improvement of the 4 best improved players in the Flames category of players that statistically are more likely to keep improving. Hard to see any scenario where the Flames roster on paper can be expected to be better than the Kings.

You are ignoring the factor of how bad the system for the Flames fit our roster last year and how playing a more creative offensive system is going to change things. Huberdeau is the best forward on either team and he is going to bounce back in a big way. The Flames also have a huge advantage in goal if Markstrom returns to his normal form, the Kings have perhaps the worst goaltending in the entire division. I am fairly confident the Flames will be better than LA.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You are ignoring the factor of how bad the system for the Flames fit our roster last year and how playing a more creative offensive system is going to change things. The Flames also have a huge advantage in goal if Markstrom returns to his normal form, the Kings have perhaps the worst goaltending in the entire division. I am fairly confident the Flames will be better than LA.

I am not ignoring that, merely pointing out that old players on average do not get better. I do think some of the Flames old players will be better this year, I just think the Kings young players will see much bigger improvements than the Flames old players. Hockey is a young man’s game, not really much room to try to win with grizzled old vets.