[PGT] Afternoon Blues? More like a WIN for the Flames! 'Eff that!

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Pizza

so for those of us under 40 hope to understand, does this season feel the same way as the '89 Flames season?

My take is this,

In 88/89 it never felt that anyone was gonna beat the Flames other than themselves (Oilers be damned). Even in the playoffs. The talent, the depth, and the buy-in to what Crispy was selling was never anything but questionble. Best team in hockey that year from start to finish. (Despite IIRC a stumble in the first 2 games of the season)

This team today simply is not that.......... not yet anyhow.

I still question the goaltending long term, but "Big Save Dave" is starting to look like he may be the real deal. Or at the very least good enough to allow the team to be competitive. Time will tell on that.

Also the depth is as good as its been since the Flames team of that era, but still not convinced its SC level.....again though time will tell us that as well.

Also there were a lot of vets on that team....this one is MUCH younger, though the game has changed in that regard.

This team is by far the closest to that team but its not there just yet.

Just my humble opinion.

[Brouhaha]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Sorry to be that guy, but you should have looked one more time

After the PIT game, they were 5-5-0. After WAS, 5-5-1.

Since then, they have gone 17-5-1

(but all your points still stand)

All good. Thank you guys for correcting me. I'm not sure what I was seeing. lol! I may need those glasses afterall. My wife will have a good laugh.

Either way, that record since then is pretty darn nice.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Pizza

so for those of us under 40 hope to understand, does this season feel the same way as the '89 Flames season?

[Otto-matic]

It's insane thinking this team can hit 50 points by Saturday's finale before Christmas.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

It's insane thinking this team can hit 50 points by Saturday's finale before Christmas.

It's just so different because the Flames are usually in the chase position after a poor start to the season. Bagging these points now is crucial because you know at some point in January or February there will be a 5 or 6 game winless skid.

[AC]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

It's just so different because the Flames are usually in the chase position after a poor start to the season. Bagging these points now is crucial because you know at some point in January or February there will be a 5 or 6 game winless skid.

Guess again.

64-0-0 the rest of the way to the Cup, baby!

[flamesfan1297]

TiL that Chris Butler still plays in the NHL

[Enoch Root]

All this talk of '89 makes me very uneasy.

The Flames are a very good team, but they are far from the 89 team, IMO. The 2 main differences (and also the 2 big differences between us and TB), and the two things that still concern me about this team, are:

1) goaltending
2) playoff experience

We'll see how the goaltending plays out, but there is no denying that when it comes to the playoffs, this team is greener than a Stanley Park hippie convention.

And I still think Neal will have something to say about that.

[redpaint]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

All this talk of '89 makes me very uneasy.

The Flames are a very good team, but they are far from the 89 team, IMO. The 2 main differences (and also the 2 big differences between us and TB), and the two things that still concern me about this team, are:

1) goaltending
2) playoff experience

We'll see how the goaltending plays out, but there is no denying that when it comes to the playoffs, this team is greener than a Stanley Park hippie convention.

And I still think Neal will have something to say about that.

I will reserve judgement on Neal till after any potential playoff run. He is definitely been at his best when he's engaged in chippy bad blood situations. I hope at the very least he can provide some edge we lacked in the past.

[Strange Brew]

This team is nothing like the 89 team which was a juggernaut and along with Montreal, the absolute class of the league. No shame in that.

Maybe it’s the coach but I get some 2004 vibes from this team but they are certainly constructed very differently.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

All this talk of '89 makes me very uneasy.

The Flames are a very good team, but they are far from the 89 team, IMO. The 2 main differences (and also the 2 big differences between us and TB), and the two things that still concern me about this team, are:

1) goaltending
2) playoff experience

We'll see how the goaltending plays out, but there is no denying that when it comes to the playoffs, this team is greener than a Stanley Park hippie convention.

And I still think Neal will have something to say about that.

Yup. The '89 team had no question marks.

This team still does. Albeit fewer than I've ever seen from the Flames personally

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by transplant99

My take is this,

In 88/89 it never felt that anyone was gonna beat the Flames other than themselves (Oilers be damned). Even in the playoffs. The talent, the depth, and the buy-in to what Crispy was selling was never anything but questionble. Best team in hockey that year from start to finish. (Despite IIRC a stumble in the first 2 games of the season)

This team today simply is not that.......... not yet anyhow.

I still question the goaltending long term, but "Big Save Dave" is starting to look like he may be the real deal. Or at the very least good enough to allow the team to be competitive. Time will tell on that.

Also the depth is as good as its been since the Flames team of that era, but still not convinced its SC level.....again though time will tell us that as well.

Also there were a lot of vets on that team....this one is MUCH younger, though the game has changed in that regard.

This team is by far the closest to that team but its not there just yet.

Just my humble opinion.

Yup, that's about how I remember it.

There was a pretty confident feel in the air that year. I can remember thinking it was definitely there's to lose, as no one was even really close save for the habs.If I remember correctly too, the Flames had several looong winning streaks that year. Like a few 7, 8, 9 games long. It was a great team and year, one of the best teams ever, so dominant.

The finals were nerve wracking for sure, but it very much felt like they'd win it all in the end which of course they did. Man, that's bringing up some good ol' memories. Good times for sure!

[Manhattanboy]

Didn’t they also have a very long losing streak that year?

In any event first round jitters almost did the Flames in. Lucky goal by Otto or Peplinski in game 7 (might have been in OT) that might not have counted today got them through.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This team is nothing like the 89 team which was a juggernaut and along with Montreal, the absolute class of the league. No shame in that.
.

That is a fact.

The Flames(117 pts) and Canadiens( 115 pts) were 25 and 23 points up on the third place team in the 88 89 regular season. 80 game schedule.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Didn’t they also have a very long losing streak that year?

In any event first round jitters almost did the Flames in. Lucky goal by Otto or Peplinski in game 7 (might have been in OT) that might not have counted today got them through.

That was 85-86....the losing streak.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Didn’t they also have a very long losing streak that year?

In any event first round jitters almost did the Flames in. Lucky goal by Otto or Peplinski in game 7 (might have been in OT) that might not have counted today got them through.

In 1986 I think it was an 11 game losing streak.

[Bunk]

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpo...&postcount=182

Check out the flames 88-89 snake from this post. Pretty awesome.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This team is nothing like the 89 team which was a juggernaut and along with Montreal, the absolute class of the league. No shame in that.

Maybe it’s the coach but I get some 2004 vibes from this team but they are certainly constructed very differently.

Neither comparison is perfect IMO.

This team is not a bunch of rag tags being unexpectidly led to the playoffs on the back of maybe the best player and goalie in the league along with amazing coaching like in 04. This years team is far more balanced and legitimately deep both at the back end and up front. A much more legitimate threat vs. Lighting in a bottle, thus years team is far better. Our 2nd line in the 04 playoffs was Donovan, Neilson and Niminem........ hardly legit depth.

At the same time, the 89 team was an NHL gugernaught with a cup final appearance for some of the team 3 seasons earlier. A far more established and legit contender. That said, I do have to say if you were to pick which team is the closer comparison it would be 89. Both have Norris caliber Dmen leading a very deep d-crew, and upfront young the team bing led by a very young core (Newy, Roberts, Gilmore, Mullen, Fleury vs Mony, Johnny, Lindholm and Chucky),

Certainly, the 89 team in my mind had three big differences in its favour. More playoff experience, more experience from key forwards and established legit top in the NHL goaltending. But one thing even those of us old enough to remember 89 likely aren’t able to filter is how much hindsight is tainting our view. Easy to say the 89 team had way more star power now that we know how it turned out an saw the careers of those players unfold. Easy to highlight the star players Newy, Roberts and Fleury became, but back in 89 those guys were just softmores and rookies starting to light up the league no more impressively than our existing bunch of developing stars are.

This team has got a very long way to go to even be mentioned in the same breath as the 89 team but IMO the comparison there is much better than 04.

[Dion]

[SmoggyFlamesFan]

I just don't understand what's going on with James Neal. In no way am I wanting to give up on the guy, but something's gotta give. In every one of those blowout games he hasn't registered a single point. He is cursed.