How disappointing is it if this team doesn't make the playoffs?

[Mass_nerder]

I'll be bummed, but I'll get over it quickly.
It's only year two of the rebuild, so it's a great start to if nothing else.
I still think we make it though.

[GranteedEV]

I'll be disappointed only if they collapse down the stretch and these "vets" (Bollig and Raymond) keep being non-factors yet keep taking ice time from young guys. Engelland earned his contract last night and now it's time for the other two to either do so or sit.

FWIW Bollig's been much improved but it's not enough just yet.

[btimbit]

I'd be disappointed big time, but after the dust settles I'd be proud as hell of the boys for even being in the conversation

[taffeyb]

I would be a bit disappointed, but then I would realize how much I enjoyed watching them play this year. Phenomenal comebacks. Dizzying plays by Johnny. The never say die attitude. As far as I'm concerned, we're into bonus territory as it is. And, as previously mentioned, if we don't make it, we get a ticket into the McDavid sweepstakes. Not great odds, but, hey, I still buy the occasional Foothill lottery, 6/49, etc...

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Deep down I hope they miss.


The reason is that this group is just starting to gel. We have a core that could last a decade. As it is if they do make it they'll be exhausted, Wideman can barely skate right now. Then going against Nashville or Anaheim there's a chance some careers get shortened overextending themselves.

We've seen the potential, I hope they save it for next year when we add a whole bunch more to help the team. Without Gio we are screwed in the playoffs. Plus we have the 2% chance at Mcdavid. Would love to see them get to rest and come back stronger next year, let Gio, Russell, Boomer and Wideman heal up. Obviously if they make it that will be great but still I kind of hope they don't. I doubt a 4-5 round game series will be more entertaining than this season already has been.

Sure anything can happen but they look absolutely drained out there and I'm in this for the long haul. A core of Gaudreau, Moneyhands and Bennett could win several championships.

Nonsense.

[dieHARDflameZ]

I'd be extremely disappointed because this team has battled so hard all season and I would love for them to prove all of the pundits wrong.

With that said, I'd get over it pretty quickly once I reminded myself this is year two of a rebuild and there are so many positives takeaways from this season. The Flames have a very bright future.

[Gaskal]

"The night is darkest just before dawn....and I promise you, the dawn is coming."

[1qqaaz]

If the Flames got 96+ points and missed the playoffs, I wouldn't be too disappointed, since at least they performed well down the stretch. If they finished with less than 95 points, I'd be pretty upset.

Overall, the season has gone well. I am kind of worried that the Flames will regress next year (maybe more injuries, slumps, bad goaltending, etc). That would be disappointing.

[sureLoss]

I am sure all the disappointment will disapear when the hockey gods reward us by winning the draft lottery

[Enoch Root]

^Exactly.

[Enoch Root]

There are at least 9, if not 10-12 playoff teams in the west this year. If they don't make it into the top 8 (and that is not yet known), it would not diminish how good they were this year and how far they have progressed.

[browna]

This will be real tough to be this close, in the playoffs for 3/4 of the season and have it slip away as they run out of gas while other teams keep chugging along. For the players too...as much as the narrative is "wow we did so well compared to the expectations of the league", when you're in a spot for that long, and stumble and trip, it's not that easy to brush it off.

Sure, good story about not supposing to be this far along this quick, but just because the future promises to be bright no matter how this season ends, "promise" also don't mean anything immediately either.

As the 2005-06 Flames roster (and beyond) and fans know, success the prior year + an marked upgrade in talent and youth (Phaneuf) doesn't mean squat a season after a much less talented roster got within inches of a Stanley Cup.

Next year, where, before this year, playoffs would be a more realistic chance, the expectation now is that they will be in, thanks to where they are now. Those expectations have to be managed.
Even though they will upgrade in certain areas, have Bennett, and probably play overall better within the game and game in and game out (such as having two legit scoring lines) so they don't have to come back from 2 or more goals down constantly, that all doesn't guarantee they win more or get to the playoffs. Unfortunately the comparisons to Colorado may well be correct next year. Flames won't sneak up on anyone, you hope the team still responds to Hartley, you hope for some above average goaltending that the Flames had surprisingly for decent stretches this year, you hope that the defenseman are able to stay active as they have this year as far as jumping up and pinches in the zone etc etc.

It will also bring into question Treliving staying pat at the trade deadline...the Gio injury stung, big time, but irritating games like last night and CLB, and the loss of two critical points to teams below them, shows what happen when you have only one legit NHL line that can generate chances, and guys still struggling to figure out what not to do (ie take multiple offensive zone penalties, Colborne), when bringing in some help may have helped that. Plus the team looks just gassed, while LA and WPG are rolling. That NHL roster depth is something that Treliving gambled on not wanting to bring in.

Just a lot of things have gone the Flames away at times this year, so much so that you just think that it was meant to be, no matter how it defied logic...but now it looks slowly slipping away if they don't have enough left to make a final push.

Not writing the eulogy by any means, plenty of hockey to play, and they just have to still be there at the end when they play LA and WPG, and win those games and get into the spot, and give the roster the reward they've earned.

Hope its the case, and hope next year is this year + so much more as far as consistent play, emergence of Monahan as a elite player, etc.

The cushion that they had built up after that 8 games losing streak is now razor thin; beating the Oilers, Stars, Coyotes, Jets, Kings is essential, while at least one more win vs St. L, Min or NSH is likely also required to ensure playoffs.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Pissed, royally pissed

[Mattman]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

I am sure all the disappointment will disapear when the hockey gods reward us by winning the draft lottery

How could you win the lottery draft when you have the 30th pick?

[FireGilbert]

It is always a huge disappointment when the Flames miss the playoffs and it will be especially huge this year if they miss after holding a spot so late in the year.

That said the expectation for this season was very low and many people were predicting a bottom 5 scenario. I thought the best possible season would be 5th in the division being competitive but not good enough to be any where near the playoffs. The Flames have already exceeded this and more being better than San Jose and very close to LA and Vancouver. Whatever happens in the next 8 games I will still be happy with the season and excited to see the team get better in the years to come.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by browna

As the 2005-06 Flames roster (and beyond) and fans know, success the prior year + an marked upgrade in talent and youth (Phaneuf) doesn't mean squat a season after a much less talented roster got within inches of a Stanley Cup.

I don't think that's a fair comparision. That team lost 2/3 of its top performing playoff forwards to free agency. We've pretty much got the same roster next season as long as Backlund Bouma Byron and Jooris are kept around.

The mistake would be thinking "we got Bennett now, Backlund isn't needed" or "Byron was good but only size wins games"

[ThisIsAnOutrage]

How disappointing is it? HOW DISSAPOINTING IS IT!?

How disappointing is it if you discover grandma getting it on with Santa Clause, and Santa turns out to be the mailman?

How disappointing is it when Jerry Springer tells you that, "You ARE the Father!"?

How disappointing is it when your wife tells you you're NOT the father?

It's not as disappointing as any of those, but still pretty frickin' disappointing.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I don't think that's a fair comparision. That team lost 2/3 of its top performing playoff forwards to free agency. We've pretty much got the same roster next season as long as Backlund Bouma Byron and Jooris are kept around.

The mistake would be thinking "we got Bennett now, Backlund isn't needed" or "Byron was good but only size wins games"

Also not a fair comparison because the NHL drastically changed in 05/06 compared to 03/04, end of the clutch and grab era.

[dino7c]

Flames won a division title in 06 they just blew it in the playoffs....a post away from beating the Ducks its a really fine line

[browna]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I don't think that's a fair comparision. That team lost 2/3 of its top performing playoff forwards to free agency. We've pretty much got the same roster next season as long as Backlund Bouma Byron and Jooris are kept around.

The mistake would be thinking "we got Bennett now, Backlund isn't needed" or "Byron was good but only size wins games"

Playoff forwards? Yes, Gelinas was clutch with GWGs, and Conroy was a warrior and machine in the playoffs (and the Kings opened the vault for him) but those guys were above average regular season players, but not stars, so Sutter made the tough call to let them go, and find their replacements/upgrades....look at the Oilers started their descent into cap hell by giving their similar group of surprising playoff performers long term, big money deals (Horcoff, Moreau, Pisini etc).

The Flames finished 2005-06 with 103 points and won the division...the roster was much better then the '03 - '04 team on paper (Hamrlik, Phaneuf with 20 goals, Huselius, Langkow)....but didn't get out of the first round.

The Flames next year will attract some more UFA attention this year then the previous GM era, given the heart and excitement they showed this year.

Some decent moves to get bigger and upgrade talent should have this team looking much better on paper come September, and like Phaneuf, have a rookie on the roster who will make an impact.

Does all those upgrades mean they win more next year, and playoffs are a given, if they miss out by 1 or 2 points this year? Am sure COL thought so by adding Jarome and Tanguay this year, to a roster from last year that surprised everyone.
Lets hope the Flames carry that through next year, but that can't be counted on....just like the thought going into the 05-06 season that the team was easily going to on another long playoff run.

That's why just getting to the playoffs this year, after all they've gone through to this point, would make this a fantastic season, and not getting there, would almost be a half stunning step back.