Do the Calgary Flames make the playoffs in the 2018-19 season?

[Tkachuky]

Eh Calgary historically has been extremely weak at C. Their current C stable is like Shangrila compared to 90% of their history.

Their Center depth is the best it has been for us in a very long time. Cautiously optimistic.

 

[Hugh Mungus]

they have a lack of high end talent and missed the playoffs last year with a pretty similar core. If you want to pretend they're suddenly a great roster, it's on you to prove that claim

They have one of the leagues most talented wingers in gaudreau, a high end agitator in tkachuck, one of the best defensive centers in backlund, and also 2 high end dmen in Giordano and Brodie and an above average second pair in hanafin and hamonic
Just because a team had an off year last year along with some of their better players, and was evidently one of the unluckiest teams doesn't mean they don't have the high end talent required to make the playoffs. This happens year in and year out I guess you just haven't been watching hockey for long enough to know this.

I fully expect them to be competitive in the playoff race this year if their goaltending can be anywhere near decent.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Has it? Peters moved laterally, he went from a youngish team, with talent, but doesn't win much, to the Western version of that team.
I think a lot will rest on James Neal. As I said Peters doesn't usually make the playoffs.

The Flames will be better on the PK and possession. Welcome to Babcock-lite hockey, like they have up north in the province.

Peters is coming from a team where his highest paid player was Jordan Staal and his goalies never had a SV% higher than .909 in a season. He's also never had a player like Gaudreau, he's never had much center depth, or a dman as complete as Giordano. He coached the Carolina Hurricanes, they have a couple of nice young players, but this is a budget team focused on trying to become profitable before trying to compete or ascend to being a contender. He did an admirable job with those rosters, usually having them at least in the playoff race as a top possession team in the league. Not going to win much with bottom 5 goaltending.

Lateral move? Western version? Both of these assertions are patently false. Like I said, the main problems from last year have been addressed, just have to wait and see how well.

 

[IPS]

Can't see them in the playoffs, way too many holes in that roster. Garbage team IMO

 

[Deen]

Can't see them in the playoffs, way too many holes in that roster. Garbage team IMO

Shocking. A Toronto fan calling other teams garbage with a hard on for Calgary.

 

[Pi]

Yeah, that division is kind of wide open. I don't expect Vegas to repeat and make it. Anaheim is getting old. SJ is getting old. LA is old. Edmonton isn't that great either.

I don't see any reason why they can't make it as long as goaltending holds up. They have a better chance as top 3 in the division than a wild card spot though IMO. Too many other good teams that can take a wild card spot over them.

 

[Joey Moss]

Edmonton and Calgary finish 2nd and 3rd in division next season and play eachother in the 1st round. That's my prediction.

 

[flamesforcup]

Shocking. A Toronto fan calling other teams garbage with a hard on for Calgary.

Dont take the bait

 

[flamesforcup]

they have a lack of high end talent and missed the playoffs last year with a pretty similar core. If you want to pretend they're suddenly a great roster, it's on you to prove that claim

They were good until smith got injured and everything fell off. The roster is much better than last year we added 2 top 6 right wingers which was our weakest position last year. Thats like ur leafs adding 2 right handed top 4 dmen

 

[Tkachuky]

Dont take the bait

The new Devonator.

 

[JurassicTunga]

If they can stay healthy for the most part, and Smith can remain solid, they'll make it. They were in a playoff spot(even fighting for top division spot, if i'm not mistaken) for much of the season until the injuries hit. Pretty unlucky as well(opposite of 2014-15).

 

[flamesforcup]

The new Devonator.

lol

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

They make the playoffs comfortably.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

They were good until smith got injured and everything fell off. The roster is much better than last year we added 2 top 6 right wingers which was our weakest position last year. Thats like ur leafs adding 2 right handed top 4 dmen

true, but i'm not sure how effective Neal is at this stage in his career. Lindholm is also a question mark, as he could either remain mediocre or finally have a breakthrough season. I think if they had a better 1C than Monahan I would call them a great team, but most likely they will be a bit below that this year. I'm also not sure Hanifin can replace Hamilton, or if Giordano can continue being elite this year. And yeah, goaltending is still a question mark. I'd say they could make the playoffs, but I'm not certain of it

 

[flamesforcup]

true, but i'm not sure how effective Neal is at this stage in his career. Lindholm is also a question mark, as he could either remain mediocre or finally have a breakthrough season. I think if they had a better 1C than Monahan I would call them a great team, but most likely they will be a bit below that this year. I'm also not sure Hanifin can replace Hamilton, or if Giordano can continue being elite this year. And yeah, goaltending is still a question mark. I'd say they could make the playoffs, but I'm not certain of it

True we are either going to be very dissapointing or breakout. If Bennett and Lindholm and even Hanafin breakout we can be a force.

 

[1specter]

I like the team on paper, and I think Peters is a pretty solid coach who got done in by bad goaltending in Carolina. Big question is whether or not Smith can stay healthy. If Smith can play close to 60 games they should make it IMO.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Pretty poorly constructed team, IMO.

They finish just outside, somewhere from 9th-11th.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Flames will be one of the better teams to watch from the West IMO.

Contrary to last year i really like their forward group. If you ask me the difference is pretty massive. Last year you could shuffle it anyway you wanted and ended with significant holes. Now? I can come up with multiple combinations where it just feels like the pieces fall into place.

Paper vs on ice is always different but it's not like what Neal, Lindholm or Ryan can bring to the table would be a secret.

And well, the defense + Smith should be a playoff teams back-end and good enough to support a good forward group.

 

[Tkachuky]

Pretty poorly constructed team, IMO.

They finish just outside, somewhere from 9th-11th.

How so? Genuinely curious.

 

[CraigsList]

Love the Leafs fans giving their intake on the Flames. I bet many of you are already asleep by the time our games start.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Peters is coming from a team where his highest paid player was Jordan Staal and his goalies never had a SV% higher than .909 in a season. He's also never had a player like Gaudreau, he's never had much center depth, or a dman as complete as Giordano. He coached the Carolina Hurricanes, they have a couple of nice young players, but this is a budget team focused on trying to become profitable before trying to compete or ascend to being a contender. He did an admirable job with those rosters, usually having them at least in the playoff race as a top possession team in the league. Not going to win much with bottom 5 goaltending.

Lateral move? Western version? Both of these assertions are patently false. Like I said, the main problems from last year have been addressed, just have to wait and see how well.

They finished at 83 and 84pts. They were 37-36 and 36-35.
I think Aho, TT and Skinner are pretty good players. Slavin and Pesce are very solid Dmen.
So you're saying Neal and Smith are going to single handedly change the team.
They won't go through a Guluztan slide, but it doesn't seem to be much difference.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Love the Leafs fans giving their intake on the Flames. I bet many of you are already asleep by the time our games start.

Why is it on the mainboard? Why can't we?
I think I've been pretty logical.
..and you do play East teams too.

 

[Bounces R Way]

They finished at 83 and 84pts. They were 37-36 and 36-35.
I think Aho, TT and Skinner are pretty good players. Slavin and Pesce are very solid Dmen.
So you're saying Neal and Smith are going to single handedly change the team.
They won't go through a Guluztan slide, but it doesn't seem to be much difference.

Peters' team overachieved in the most competitive division with league worst goaltending. Gulutzan's team underachieved in the weakest division while having an 80pt player. Then that team added Neal, Lindholm, Ryan, and Czarnik while subtracting Ferland and Stajan and probably Lazar and Hathaway from their forward corps. The Flames were second in the division and one of the best road teams in the league until the 5 day break and the Smith injury after which they fell off a cliff. Both teams were among the worst PDO teams and highest CF.

Your Leafs went from last in the league to making the playoffs. The Avalanche did the same thing last year. To suggest there's no room for improvement or "much of a difference" between the coming season and the last one is just plain ignorance. We can't all have franchise centers drop in our laps just because they had your team's pajamas when they were 11. Treliving addressed the things he needed to, in my opinion he's done so well, but no one can be sure what that looks like until probably December or January.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

How so? Genuinely curious.

There strength is supposed to be the blueline and it just hasn't worked out. They give up too many goals and don't have the offence to overcome those issues.

 

[BlueDream]

I'm pretty high on Calgary this year. Gaudreau, Monahan, Neal, Lindholm, Backlund, Tkachuk, Frolik, Ryan, Jankowski... Bennett if he figures it out. That's a pretty solid top 9 now.

We'll see if the defense clicks but the talent is there, too.

I'm not insanely high on Peters but he's still a hell of a lot better than Gulutzan. I don't see this team missing. I'm surprised so many people are predicting they do. They shouldn't finish below 3rd in the division IMO.