Are the Flames better or worse after this off-season?

[Pyrophorus]

Depends:
Kadri to continue and/or break his career high at 32?
Huberdeau the same?

If so then yes....if not, well they'll need help to be better.

 

[JKG33]

Better. Huberdeau is capable of carrying his own line better than Gaudreau. They replaced one immature idiot (Tkachuk) with a slightly worse but equally immature idiot (Kadri), and added a top pairing d-man.

Their top 6 center depth is still far too piss poor to win a cup, but they're a much better team than they were last year.

 

[Mobiandi]

Getting this core out in one fell swoop is an added bonus outside of the upgrades we made. It got very, very stale and tiresome for the fans seeing them fall into the same patterns throughout every season.

 

[Cianide]

Losing Gaudreau and cough Tkachuk will prove to be detrimental to the team. Maybe they make the playoffs, but another first or second round exit is on the horizon.

 

[Haatley]

Losing Gaudreau and cough Tkachuk will prove to be detrimental to the team. Maybe they make the playoffs, but another first or second round exit is on the horizon.

They replaced them....

 

[DJJones]

They replaced them....

And they both aren't playoff performers. Odd post haha

Way people talk suggests that Gaudreau and Tkachuk were dominant in the playoffs. Gaudreau was okay. Tkachuk meh.

Current lineup is a much better playoff team. Regular reason offense might not be so fancy but who cares.

 

[Haatley]

And they both aren't playoff performers. Odd post haha

Way people talk suggests that Gaudreau and Tkachuk were dominant in the playoffs. Gaudreau was okay. Tkachuk meh.

Current lineup is a much better playoff team. Regular reason offense might not be so fancy but who cares.

Right. All this talk of Huberdeau not producing in the playoffs... he has more points in less playoff games than Tkachuk. It's... hilarious.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

Losing Gaudreau and cough Tkachuk will prove to be detrimental to the team. Maybe they make the playoffs, but another first or second round exit is on the horizon.

I think they easily make the playoffs, what happens after that who knows until we see the team play.

 

[JarvisFunk]

People in here seriously think Lindholm is just going to be the same player he was last year? He fit like a glove on that top line. I think he takes a Huge step back.

While Huberdeau and Gaudreau are relatively interchangeable, Tkachuk is better than Kadri, simply assuming Lindholm is anywhere close to the player he was last year is being overlooked by everyone.

 

[DJJones]

People in here seriously think Lindholm is just going to be the same player he was last year? He fit like a glove on that top line. I think he takes a Huge step back.

While Huberdeau and Gaudreau are relatively interchangeable, Tkachuk is better than Kadri, simply assuming Lindholm is anywhere close to the player he was last year is being overlooked by everyone.

2020/2021 fan consensus was Lindholm was our best player. Gaudreau and Tkachuk both looked terrible. Although a lot of that was coaching and Monahan.

Gaudreau didn't get magically better at 29, he finally got put with the best center he's ever played with.

But ya, Lindholm has been good for 27-30 goals while playing on Backlund and Monahans wing. And he'll likely be getting Huberdeau stuck to his side.

 

[Yepthatsme]

People in here seriously think Lindholm is just going to be the same player he was last year? He fit like a glove on that top line. I think he takes a Huge step back.

While Huberdeau and Gaudreau are relatively interchangeable, Tkachuk is better than Kadri, simply assuming Lindholm is anywhere close to the player he was last year is being overlooked by everyone.

The year prior he was scoring just under a 30 goal and 70 point pace playing with Tkachuk during the worst season of his career and Dillon Dube as his running mates. That line was our best line all season too. With Huberdeau on his flank and a real 2C on our team so people can’t just entirely focus defensive efforts against his line, thinks it’s more likely he takes a step forward (however small) than a large step back.

 

[Pyrophorus]

You're banking on the career years to continue

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Better. Huberdeau is capable of carrying his own line better than Gaudreau. They replaced one immature idiot (Tkachuk) with a slightly worse but equally immature idiot (Kadri), and added a top pairing d-man.

Their top 6 center depth is still far too piss poor to win a cup, but they're a much better team than they were last year.

really? Gaudreau was the best player on the best line in hockey last year

 

[JKG33]

really? Gaudreau was the best player on the best line in hockey last year

Huberdeau put up the same points with worse linemates. If Guadreau was better he would've done more given his better quality linemates

 

[Dust]

I think they got worse, but only by a slim margin, so it kind of feels unfair to vote that way. They will still be a good team.

 

[Regal]

Huberdeau put up the same points with worse linemates. If Guadreau was better he would've done more given his better quality linemates

Not quite. Gaudreau put up considerably more points while a part of his line at 5v5/ES than Huberdeau did as part of his regular linemates. But it’s understandable given the linemate difference. Huberdeau did show he could produce well as the best player on his line with ok linemates, but it’s not a given he would have been as good as Gaudreau was with the quality of Gaudreau’s linemates. Huberdeau was a better PP player though, so it should likely balance out

 

[Cianide]

They replaced them....

Not really.

I think they easily make the playoffs, what happens after that who knows until we see the team play.

They're still a regular season team. When talent is really needed, they won't step up and Sutter's system prevents that from happening.

 

[Bounces R Way]

They're still a regular season team. When talent is really needed, they won't step up and Sutter's system prevents that from happening.

Sutter's system, the most specific reason the LA Kings have ever won anything and the only reason the Flames have a Cup final berth this millenium, prevents that from happening? Is this supposed to be satire?

 

[Rengorlex]

Sutter's system, the most specific reason the LA Kings have ever won anything and the only reason the Flames have a Cup final berth this millenium, prevents that from happening? Is this supposed to be satire?

It isn't 2012 anymore.

 

[Bounces R Way]

It isn't 2012 anymore.

Thanks for the update. He won in 2014 too. And won the division this year with a team most pundits and a lot of this board thought would miss the playoffs.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Thanks for the update. He won in 2014 too. And won the division this year with a team most pundits and a lot of this board thought would miss the playoffs.

And going into the playoffs they were seen as the second or third best team in the west.

And Sutter got out coached by a rookie nhl headcoach.

 

[Bounces R Way]

And going into the playoffs they were seen as the second or third best team in the west.

And Sutter got out coached by a rookie nhl headcoach.

lmfao you guys are hilarious

Give McDavid and Draisaitl producing at out of body experience levels against a goalie that shit the bed to Darryl and who do you think wins that series? Truly is something in the water up there.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

lmfao you guys are hilarious

Give McDavid and Draisaitl producing at out of body experience levels against a goalie that shit the bed to Darryl and who do you think wins that series? Truly is something in the water up there.

I dont live in Edmonton.

Better luck next time.

 

[Fig]

I dont live in Edmonton.

Better luck next time.

Well... If you import a drink with Edmonton water in it, you don't need to live in Edmonton to consume it. It just depends on what is mixed with the water that comes from there...

Case in point... Strathcona Spirits distillery. Their Seaberry gin is great for crafting up some mild gin cocktails for those who don't like heavy Juniper, citrus and botanicals. Mighty tasty if you ask me.

I'd never consume Oiler kool-aid though. I'm pretty sure I'd be bad for my health and soul.

 

[lomiller1]

Better. Huberdeau is capable of carrying his own line better than Gaudreau. They replaced one immature idiot (Tkachuk) with a slightly worse but equally immature idiot (Kadri), and added a top pairing d-man.

Their top 6 center depth is still far too piss poor to win a cup, but they're a much better team than they were last year.

Not even close to true. Huberdeau can put up points when he has someone else to do the hard work for him but he's never been a guy who drives his line. That's been a weakness his entire career and doesn't seem likely to change now. Gaudreau is a much more impactful player and not by a small amount.