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

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by AcGold

If Giordano and Ramo stay healthy we have a shot at making the playoffs. Better coach, captain and goalie than the sucks or coilers

Last year's standings:

7) Minnesota 98
8) Dallas 91
9) Phoenix 89
10) Nashville 88

Minny, Dallas, and Nashville all improved. I would argue that Dallas and Nashville will be significantly better than last year. So making the playoffs will take at least 95 points this year, IMO.

The Flames over-achieved last year and managed 77 points. In order to make the playoffs, they are going to need to improve by something like 18 points, and quite possibly more - despite the fact that almost every team in the conference improved over the summer.

If anyone can provide valid reasons why the Flames might improve by 18-20 points, I would love to hear them.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If anyone can provide valid reasons why the Flames might improve by 18-20 points, I would love to hear them.

They were a top 10 team in the NHL after Xmas, but I don't see them gaining 20 points.

I can't see how the Oilers will be anything but terrible again.

[Fire]

The Oilers lack a #1 goalie, good defense and depth down the middle. Pretty much everything a team needs to be a good hockey team. They do have good depth on the wings though...

The Canucks will be better than the Flames this season. The changing of the head coach alone will help a lot. No way the Flames make the playoffs, even if the top players stay healthy.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

...It is tough to say but I think the Flames are poised for a step back. I thin the Canucks spin their tires with their revamped team and the Oilers can't be worse than last year (I think at least)

The way I see it, there is not enough improvement on the Oilers part to overcome the 10-point chasm that separates them from the Flames. I can see the Flames taking a step back and the Oilers making a modest improvement, and yet it would still not be enough to move them from their finishing positions from last year. Again, people seem to have forgotten rather quickly how unbelievably bad the Oilers were last year. Moreover, it is not just that they were horrible, it is that the team was mind-bendingly bad at practically every facet of the game. The rather unexceptional improvements they made in the offseason can't possibly mean much inside their climate of intoxicating rubbish.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by troutman

They were a top 10 team in the NHL after Xmas, but I don't see them gaining 20 points.

I can't see how the Oilers will be anything but terrible again.

Actually, they were 2 games below 500 after Christmas.

Before: 14 - 17 - 6 .459
After: 21 - 23 - 1 .478

Yes, there was a tailspin in January and they played better after that. But most teams in the bottom half can make the same 'excluding this one bad stretch' argument.

Well, except the Oilers - they're always bad.

[ForeverFlameFan]

The Oilers will play better than the Flames, they always do when the draft matters most. Oilers are no good, they are no good at the wrong time (well, always). They can go ahead and play their best hockey (which they probably won't), and losing their chance at McDavid/Eichel/Hanifin.

Never mind, it doesn't matter. Each and every year they degrade their 1st round picks, so it shouldn't matter.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Last year's standings:

7) Minnesota 98
8) Dallas 91
9) Phoenix 89
10) Nashville 88

Minny, Dallas, and Nashville all improved. I would argue that Dallas and Nashville will be significantly better than last year. So making the playoffs will take at least 95 points this year, IMO.

The Flames over-achieved last year and managed 77 points. In order to make the playoffs, they are going to need to improve by something like 18 points, and quite possibly more - despite the fact that almost every team in the conference improved over the summer.

If anyone can provide valid reasons why the Flames might improve by 18-20 points, I would love to hear them.

team 7 and 8 lose their captain and goalie for parts of the season, like we did. Other reasons; we are in year 2 of the rebuild and not on the downslide, the players completely buy in, we have one of the hardest working teams in the league, one of the hardest working captains, the best enforcer and a unified team identity. Gaudreau, Baertschi, Wolf, Arnold, Wotherspoon all have a chance at breaking through. Yeah it's obviously unlikely we make the playoffs but we can, we have a team identity and the spirit of professionalism and teamwork is permeating through the team unlike... the previous 9 years. I disagree we were lucky to get 77 points when the captain and goalie were out for significant parts of the season and the team did significantly better when they were both starting.

[ForeverFlameFan]

^ I'd also add that we had the suckiest back up on our squad blowing 3rd period leads - Reto Berra.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The way I see it, there is not enough improvement on the Oilers part to overcome the 10-point chasm that separates them from the Flames. I can see the Flames taking a step back and the Oilers making a modest improvement, and yet it would still not be enough to move them from their finishing positions from last year. Again, people seem to have forgotten rather quickly how unbelievably bad the Oilers were last year. Moreover, it is not just that they were horrible, it is that the team was mind-bendingly bad at practically every facet of the game. The rather unexceptional improvements they made in the offseason can't possibly mean much inside their climate of intoxicating rubbish.

Yes very fair points. While we were only one place better than them in the standings we were 10pts up. I think both teams have some wild cards with something to prove. Yakupov was disgustingly bad but has sworn that he is going to be better next year and of he breaks out then the Oilera have a legit second scoring line. RNH also has the ability to see his game take a huge leap and if he can get to ppg pace he may solidify a bona fide top line.

The Flames have Sven who in my opinion has the ability to possibly come in and make a big impact offensively. In addition intriguing prospects like Gaudreau, Granlund, Reinhart who all have potential to add some needed offense.

I like the Oilers additions on the back end but Calgary still has the superior D. Both teams have young players currently on the roster that can improve. Edmonton has the mentioned RNH, and Yakupov in addition to Hall, Eberle, Schultz, Perron. The Flames have the prospects knocking on the door in addition to Backlund, Monahan, Colborne, Brodie. Both teams have top prospects just drafted and I feel the Oilers are more likely to put Drasaitl in the show than the flames are with Bennett.

At the end of the day I do feel Calgary did over achieve where the Oilers failed to take a step. It would not shock me to see Calgary finish higher in te standings next year but I think Edmonton did more to improve in addition to having more young players that can take a step forward next season in comparison to the flames. Does that mean they will close the gap on the flames? Remains to be seen

[Geeoff]

All three of those teams are gonna suck. Frankly, it will be a race to see which one of us sucks the least.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

It would be awesome if Edmonton would be terrible forever but as they say the sun shines on a dog's arse at some point. Sure the oilers are a dead dog but even they can't escape the law of probability.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

It would be awesome if Edmonton would be terrible forever but as they say the sun shines on a dog's arse at some point. Sure the oilers are a dead dog but even they can't escape the law of probability.

They have been deplorably bad for the better part of two decades. "Probability" might actually suggest that they will never improve.

[Erick Estrada]

Western Conference:
Canucks 10th
Oilers 13th
Flames 14th

IMO the Flames are in for a really tough season as last year a lot of things went right just to finish 13th. I don't expect much improvement in the Oilers but even teams like the Panthers have the odd good season in a decade. Canucks are more of a wild card as if the Sedins can put things together one more time and the goaltending is decent they could be in the conversation for 7-8th place but that's probably their ceiling.

[Vinny01]

Could add the Jets to this list. Chevy once again sits on his thumb during the offseason. Changing Jokinen with Perrault does nothing. They will be picking 5-10 next summer

[Hackey]

Debates over who is going to suck the least. Tough times in Western Canada right now. Luckily we just started our rebuild and so far it's looking not bad.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by AcGold

team 7 and 8 lose their captain and goalie for parts of the season, like we did. Other reasons; we are in year 2 of the rebuild and not on the downslide, the players completely buy in, we have one of the hardest working teams in the league, one of the hardest working captains, the best enforcer and a unified team identity. Gaudreau, Baertschi, Wolf, Arnold, Wotherspoon all have a chance at breaking through. Yeah it's obviously unlikely we make the playoffs but we can, we have a team identity and the spirit of professionalism and teamwork is permeating through the team unlike... the previous 9 years. I disagree we were lucky to get 77 points when the captain and goalie were out for significant parts of the season and the team did significantly better when they were both starting.

Fair points, what does it say about the hockey minds of Burke and Treliving if Feaster is able to put together a better team than them? It would be downright humiliating if Feaster's Flames significantly outperformed the Treliving Burke Flames, especially with all the injuries they had last year.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

They have been deplorably bad for the better part of two decades. "Probability" might actually suggest that they will never improve.

The sun was shinning in 2006, I won't go back any further because it's kind or irrelevant (different management/different era). I would suggest that if everything goes right they might finish just outside the playoffs this year. Take a 20 year sample starting in 2007, there is no way they will have 0 playoff appearances by 2027 even if they keep Lowe and the rest of the gong show. Well, I guess it is the oilers so....

Side question: When will the oilers start to be known more for being awful than having 5 cups? To me their history is as follows:

1979-1990: Glory years, great teams can't dispute that
1991-2004: Abject mediocrity
2005-Now:

5-10 more years of this and we will be talking about the oilers as being the worst professional sports team in history...

[Poe969]

I'm loving how bad hockey is in western Canada right now... The oilers suck and they've been rebuilding for years. The jets are just trying to get in and they're not good enough and it seems like that's going to be their identity for a while. The nucks are supposed to be better and went from playoff spot to garbage without warning. The Flames are at the beginning of a rebuild and things are looking up for them, even if they suck, they'll suck better and end up better than those crappy teams.

[HOWITZER]

If any of the western Canadian teams make the playoffs I will be surprised. I predict the cellar dwellers to rank this way in the west...

10. Vancouver
11. Nashville
12. Winnipeg
13. Edmonton
14. Calgary

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Fair points, what does it say about the hockey minds of Burke and Treliving if Feaster is able to put together a better team than them? It would be downright humiliating if Feaster's Flames significantly outperformed the Treliving Burke Flames, especially with all the injuries they had last year.

Feaster had Kiprusoff and Iginla so it's not really a fair comparison