Worst team in the league - Are we "OK" with it?

[Lumby Lager]

I am a little confused about the thread title. If we are that bad & beat the Oiler’s doesn’t that make us the second worst team?

[Rhett44]

I would be thrilled to come last and finally get a good pick.

But I think Wolf will not allow us to continue to lose. We will probably somehow finish 9th place again by the end of the year.

[Kipper_3434]

I'm fine with it for now. I imagine by season 3 or so it would get old though.

[Burning Beard]

I'm not too choked about it. This would be a good year to do it. I'm not convinced the Flames will ever get the #1 pick though. There is no way this franchise has that kind of luck. I'm glad they have acquired so many pics and the hope they can find a great player early on if it's a downer season.

[howard_the_duck]

I don’t believe it yet. The only way we get there is if there’s a prolonged bad start and some vets are moved and things spiral.

We are so so early in this season. Tough schedule.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I would be thrilled to come last and finally get a good pick.

But I think Wolf will not allow us to continue to lose. We will probably somehow finish 9th place again by the end of the year.

Wolf is playing behind a defense with three top-4 defenders, three 6/7s, and one super rookie.

They have one $10M player, who is widely regarded as the worst contract in the league.

No $9M players.

No $8M players.

One $7M 35-year-old puck-dominant centre who has no goals through five games.

Matt Coronato is the third highest paid forward on the team.

The only teams with lower cap hits are the Penguins, Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Sharks, Ducks, and Blackhawks.

Where are those teams expected to finish?

Wolf would have to play 70 games and give us .930 goaltending to have a chance at 9th - he can’t make chicken salad outta chicken ####.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

And even if we don't finish last because the lottery hates us, but are close to it, there are some good options including at center.

Ryan Roobroeck has loads of skill and has put up exceptional numbers at every level and is a 6'4" center.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Wolf is playing behind a defense with three top-4 defenders, three 6/7s, and one super rookie.

They have one $10M player, who is widely regarded as the worst contract in the league.

No $9M players.

No $8M players.

One $7M 35-year-old puck-dominant centre who has no goals through five games.

Matt Coronato is the third highest paid forward on the team.

The only teams with lower cap hits are the Penguins, Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Sharks, Ducks, and Blackhawks.

Where are those teams expected to finish?

Wolf would have to play 70 games and give us .930 goaltending to have a chance at 9th - he can’t make chicken salad outta chicken ####.

We literally just did it last year without Wolf playing 70 games with a .930. sometimes the hyperbole here is a bit much.

[442scotty]

As long as they’re entertaining to watch I can stomach being last for once

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

We literally just did it last year without Wolf playing 70 games with a .930. sometimes the hyperbole here is a bit much.

And now everyone is a year older, which is a problem when 80% of the top-6 is well into their 30s.

They rode a hot start to a 9th place finish.

Now they can ride a cold start to a lottery pick.

[EVERLAST]

This has always been a mediocre team . Be honest .

3 cup finals and 2 sort of cups 1 for sure . How do I feel about it?

Civic pride, our awesome uniforms and the odd player that makes me giddy, feel loyal and like a
Sentimental older fan who's hopes and dreams have been crushed so many times disappointing seasons don't faze me anymore.

Doesn't that sum up a Flames fan ? Before every game I lower my expectations by about 50% and I come out ahead every time .

We are last. We are horribad at virtually everything. We somehow pull something good out of everything anyway though.

Ahhhh

The life of a Flames / Wranglers fan .

2 of the best lines I've ever heard from a player and a coach of this team

Don't get too high and don't get too low

You win or you learn

Those 2 know what they are talking about .

I love that we're trying to establish a new culture and philosophy but on the way there it's gonna cause some rectal discomfort.

Go Flames Go

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

This is flat out stupid. You can't seriously believe this?

Just setting out the barriers to the goals of some. Selling the vets will not make this team bad enough to get 3-4 top 5 picks. They have been too successful in those other areas. The Flames did not avoid having a top 5 pick last year because they kept Kadri and Coleman. Could have traded them and they still would not have been one of the worst teams in the league.

This team also is too good to be as bad as some want them to be. There needs to be an organizational focus, like Edmonton for years and Columbus and Buffalo to be that bad. The Flames are too good in other areas to be bad enough to accomplish the dreams of some fans.

[Buff]

I was taking with another parent at my kid's hockey last night and we discussed this. We were both okay if the Flames finish bottom 5, even dead last. I said it would be a great building block to win the lottery this year and next and get McKenna and DuPont. Another parent standing by us, who was wearing an Oilers hat, said "It must suck that you rely on winning the lottery to get good players" .... We both just stared at him blankly for an eternity before someone else interrupted us to talk about something else.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

This has always been a mediocre team . Be honest .

3 cup finals and 2 sort of cups 1 for sure . How do I feel about it?

Civic pride, our awesome uniforms and the odd player that makes me giddy, feel loyal and like a
Sentimental older fan who's hopes and dreams have been crushed so many times disappointing seasons don't faze me anymore.

Doesn't that sum up a Flames fan ? Before every game I lower my expectations by about 50% and I come out ahead every time .

We are last. We are horribad at virtually everything. We somehow pull something good out of everything anyway though.

Ahhhh

The life of a Flames / Wranglers fan .

2 of the best lines I've ever heard from a player and a coach of this team

Don't get too high and don't get too low

You win or you learn

Those 2 know what they are talking about .

I love that we're trying to establish a new culture and philosophy but on the way there it's gonna cause some rectal discomfort.

Go Flames Go

It's rare that this team finds itself in dead last though. This is uncharted territory.

I hope CC lets the suck happen if thats what they are organically. Don't try to fix today's problems at the cost of future assets. Just let them play and continue piling up the picks where you can.

The Avs had that one down year as they were building up that netted them Makar. We probably need the same to solve our issues offensively. Kadri and Huby are slowly aging out, and you want to herald in the new building's opening with an exciting product.

This is the perfect time for them to downright suck, if ever there was one.

With their track record they'll make up ground when the schedule eases up, but maybe they still win up in that bottom 5-7 range, or higher..

[PaperBagger'14]

Worst team in the league is fine, it would be nice to have some confirmation from the team that it’s rebuild mode now. Who really knows what the expectation from ownership is though, we heard in the summer it was to exceed last years results. Well, that’s definitely possible, but 1-4 doesnt inspire much confidence.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Buff

I was taking with another parent at my kid's hockey last night and we discussed this. We were both okay if the Flames finish bottom 5, even dead last. I said it would be a great building block to win the lottery this year and next and get McKenna and DuPont. Another parent standing by us, who was wearing an Oilers hat, said "It must suck that you rely on winning the lottery to get good players" .... We both just stared at him blankly for an eternity before someone else interrupted us to talk about something else.

Why didn't you tell hi...

Right, there's usually no point.

[topfiverecords]

It’s been five games. Flames will finish 17th. McKenna will be a Penguin.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Worst team in the league is fine, it would be nice to have some confirmation from the team that it’s rebuild mode now. Who really knows what the expectation from ownership is though, we heard in the summer it was to exceed last years results. Well, that’s definitely possible, but 1-4 doesnt inspire much confidence.

They barely squeezed out the 96 points after starting the season strong.

Aiming for 97 when you start 1-4 (probably -5 after tonight) will be a far tougher task.

A couple more losses and it becomes unrealistic.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

It's rare that this team finds itself in dead last though. This is uncharted territory.

I hope CC lets the suck happen if thats what they are organically. Don't try to fix today's problems at the cost of future assets. Just let them play and continue piling up the picks where you can.

The Avs had that one down year as they were building up that netted them Makar. We probably need the same to solve our issues offensively. Kadri and Huby are slowly aging out, and you want to herald in the new building's opening with an exciting product.

This is the perfect time for them to downright suck, if ever there was one.

With their track record they'll make up ground when the schedule eases up, but maybe they still win up in that bottom 5-7 range, or higher..

Isn't this exactly what they've been doing for the last 24 months?

Not spending cap to add.
Not adding at the deadline when close to a playoff spot.
Drafting in the first round twice in three straight years.

This isn't a new concept ... it's the existing concept.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

They barely squeezed out the 96 points after starting the season strong.

Aiming for 97 when you start 1-4 (probably -5 after tonight) will be a far tougher task.

A couple more losses and it becomes unrealistic.

I'm pretty sure the Flames have someone (everyone?) in house that can model up playoff chances after a 1-4 or 2-8 start.

Where fans get snagged is they lose their sh*t over quotes from management that don't represent a full surrender or collapse to the season.