Article: There Are Some Silver Linings

[Caged Great]

With another frustrating effort in Dallas, the Calgary Flames are once again mired in a quandary. On the surface, the Flames are close to a playoff spot, only four points out of 8th, but are also stuck in 14th place, ahead of only four teams in the entire NHL. Unfortunately, when looking deeper into the math of the current situation, it does not smile kindly on the Flames side at this point.

The rough estimate for the threshold for 8th place is going to be around 54 points. The Flames currently have 26 points in the 27 games played, which puts them on pace for about 46. Unfortunately, that’s quite a bit off the pace for 8th. In order for the Flames to get up to 54 points the Flames need to acquire an additional 28 points, with only 21 games remaining, or having a record of 14-7. That doesn’t look that difficult on the surface, however, that translates to a .667 point percentage the rest of the way. Giving a comparison over an 82 game schedule, that’s a 109 point pace. Something which only 3 teams managed last year. The picture looks a fair bit uglier if the actual points necessary for 8th is any higher.

So, it appears as if we are headed for another season on the outside of the playoff picture, barring a 7 or 8 game winning streak sometime in the immediate future. The situation is fairly bleak for the current iteration of the Calgary Flames. Organizationally though, the cards are not stacked so decidedly against the Flames.

The rest of the article is here

http://www.firesidechat.ca/2013/03/19/there-are-some-silver-linings/

Click to read more...

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

I'm just grateful I was a fan back in the Fred Brathwaite days because sucking is easier to deal with this time around.

 

[Zoombie]

I'm just grateful I was a fan back in the Fred Brathwaite days because sucking is easier to deal with this time around.

 

[Janks]

I'm just grateful I was a fan back in the Fred Brathwaite days because sucking is easier to deal with this time around.

My first actual memory of the flames was with Tabaracci in net

 

[InfinityIggy]

Great article as to why NOW is the best time we will ever have to sell. The stars will never align again in the way they have right now, in terms of helping the Flames get the best bang for their buck when shipping out their top players.

I only hope, that management doesn't squander this opportunity because its only going to get harder from here.

 

[MarkGio]

Great article as to why NOW is the best time we will ever have to sell. The stars will never align again in the way they have right now, in terms of helping the Flames get the best bang for their buck when shipping out their top players.

I only hope, that management doesn't squander this opportunity because its only going to get harder from here.

We hear this every year though. Every draft is the deepest its been in years, except when it's not.


Mind you I think we could sell and then push for the home stretch using guys like Baerstchi and Horak playing bigger roles as part of good development. Hopefully we don't sell too much and depend on those guys to produce

 

[InfinityIggy]

We hear this every year though. Every draft is the deepest its been in years, except when it's not.


Mind you I think we could sell and then push for the home stretch using guys like Baerstchi and Horak playing bigger roles as part of good development. Hopefully we don't sell too much and depend on those guys to produce

I dont even mean the draft really. This is the perfect year to be a seller. If we move 2 or 3 players we could have 3-4 1sts (going into the draft. Say ours is 5th, 22nd, 25th, 30th something like that.) and a couple new young players to help this team retool.

 

[TylerSVT*]

We hear this every year though. Every draft is the deepest its been in years, except when it's not.


Mind you I think we could sell and then push for the home stretch using guys like Baerstchi and Horak playing bigger roles as part of good development. Hopefully we don't sell too much and depend on those guys to produce

Except this year is actually pretty deep, consensus is that any of Jones, Mackinnon and Drouin would have been picked over Yak last year.

Talent is pretty good this year in the top 10-15 picks.

Either way, short season, we suck already, old core. Writing is on the wall for the Flames.

 

[TheHudlinator]

We hear this every year though. Every draft is the deepest its been in years, except when it's not.


Mind you I think we could sell and then push for the home stretch using guys like Baerstchi and Horak playing bigger roles as part of good development. Hopefully we don't sell too much and depend on those guys to produce

It is true people never actually say what they mean by deep draft lots of high end talent? Lots of solid forwards? Lots of strong defenseman? Lots of potential nhl talent?

With that being said there appears to be lots of high end forwards which would be great for us.

 

[slappipappi]

Great article as to why NOW is the best time we will ever have to sell. The stars will never align again in the way they have right now, in terms of helping the Flames get the best bang for their buck when shipping out their top players.

I only hope, that management doesn't squander this opportunity because its only going to get harder from here.

Actually the betteer time was last year, and even better the year before.

The Flames have already waited until most of their useful assets have been devaluated.

This may not be the best time they could have sold, but it might be the last decent chance they have.

 

[tfong]

Sell some of the vets and test out Sven and some others on the lines with more ice time and let them use this time to mature.

 

[TylerSVT*]

Wouldnt mind seeing Sven and Horak come up to play with Backlund. Oh... and actually getting some time on the ice, none of this 4 min/game crap.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Actually the betteer time was last year, and even better the year before.

The Flames have already waited until most of their useful assets have been devaluated.

This may not be the best time they could have sold, but it might be the last decent chance they have.

From a value standpoint that may be true but the Flames weren't ready to throw in the towel last year, and certainly not the year before. Its now come to a point where other options have been exhausted, so now I think its time.

 

[Anglesmith]

Every team from 9-14 is within a game of .500 (whether above or below), and San Jose is two above. Calgary has at least a game in hand on everyone. The fact is, in all likelihood, at least one of those teams from 9-14 will probably end up making the fairy-tale "impossible" run from here on into the playoffs. I don't think that the teams currently in the top 8 are really all that safe.

I'm not saying that the Flames are going to make the playoffs with the way they're playing right now, but the fact is that streaks of 14-7 happen all the time in the NHL. Calgary has gone on those sorts of runs during the later parts of the last couple of seasons, if I remember correctly, only to fall just short in the end.

So yes, the Flames have to make an improbably run to make the playoffs, but frankly, so does every team in the bottom half of the Western Conference standings, and at least one of them inevitably will.

I personally want to see Iginla traded soon. I don't think his trade will actually hurt the team that much, and the pieces we get in return might give a boost to the players. Hard to say, but the Flames might actually be a better team without him, as much as it hurts me to say it.

 

[MarkGio]

Actually the betteer time was last year, and even better the year before.

The Flames have already waited until most of their useful assets have been devaluated.

This may not be the best time they could have sold, but it might be the last decent chance they have.

I disagree. I think their play under Sutter devalued a lot of our guys. Besides, we're able to obtain more quality assets in the free agency by staying competitive. So if we do sell guys, we now Have Hudler, Wideman, and Cervenka as options going forward.

I'd rather them than Hannan, Moss and Jokinen going forward.

 

[harmfuljays]

I like this article. I think the thing that I am most optimistic about is that there will be actual change this time around. Anything is better than the tarpit this team has been stuck in. As sad as it sounds I am excited to completely turn the page on the never quite rebuilding era that began 5 plus years ago. Its way past due and I think as fans we can certainly handle it. It should indeed be an interesting 2 weeks.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Just think of the backlash if Feaster doesn't sell and stands pat.

 

[slappipappi]

So if we do sell guys, we now Have Hudler, Wideman, and Cervenka as options going forward.

Cervanka is a UFA after this year. He may feel he wasn't given a fair chance here and go elsewhere. The Flames may not even want him back.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Just think of the backlash if Feaster doesn't sell and stands pat.

At this point unless we go on a winning streak until the deadline I don't see a way this is possible, this years deadline is so close to the playoffs that it will be easy to see we are out of it not to mention this year at the deadline we could last in the conference. Everything points to the fact that this team cannot make the playoffs I am sure they will try and spin it to the media that they missed because Kipper was hurt or something along those lines but at the end of the day this team can't make the playoffs and must sell.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Cervanka is a UFA after this year. He may feel he wasn't given a fair chance here and go elsewhere. The Flames may not even want him back.

That is true so the question is would you rather use Jokinen, Bourque, Hannan as the veteran core to take the pressure off the rookies or Wideman, Hudler, Cammy

 

[TylerSVT*]

Just think of the backlash if Feaster doesn't sell and stands pat.

As much as he got last year when ownership clearly told him to **** when he went on SN claiming big moves were coming.

At least we got to re-sign Jackman though