TSN: Flames Projected to Finish 14th in West

[Svenner]

That is harsh indeed in my opinion
So who is the one team that is finishing behind the Flames? Columbus I assume?
They really think the Ducks will do better than the Flames?!? Really - the Ducks!
They might end up having to trade Getzlaf and Perry at the deadline in fear of losing them for nothing and you think the Ducks will do better than the Flames
Brutal TSN

Still not as brutal as SI's pre season rankings that have the Oilers number #3 somehow... that is right the team that has finished 30th, 30th and 29th over the last 3 years is ranked #3! Ahead of teams such as the Stanley Cup winning Kings, the back to back President trophy champs the Canucks, powerhouses like Boston and Philly and up and comers the St. Louis Blues. Just terrible.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nhl/news/20130109/nhl-preseason-power-rankings/index.html

Even the Oilers players were laughing when they saw that they were ranked that high.. I don't get it, these guys do this for a living and they make these ratings that even Oilers fans know that their team will not acheive..

Anyways I hope this only fires up the players to prove these boneheads wrong

 

[Volica]

I think people really dislike the Flames for a reason or another. How can the 9th place team from a year ago, keep more or less the same core, address key concerns (skill, a PP QB, age) fall 5 spots?

I really think the TSN guys, along with a lot of the other hockey people in the league put way too much emphasis on youth. I know youth is important, but for every Pittsburgh and Chicago, there's about 3 or 4 Atlanta's, CJBs, Canes, Toronto's, Tampa's, Islanders... It really depends on what you get from the Draft.

Weird in a year where Coyotes stay put, Nashville regresses, Detroit regresses, Ducks stay put, SJ stays put and two of the playoff teams and even Stanley Cup winners start off with key injuries that the Flames still manage to only be better than the Blue Jackets.
While there is the definite possibility that everything goes to hell, and this does end up happening, I think it's much, much, much more likely that things get a little better for the Flames from last year or stay the same... I guess TSN is predicting that the boys end up falling apart...

Also, I don't truly understand the weak down the center argument. While there's no true, top line center on the team, and I am completely unsure how Tanguay will be this year, Stajan and Backlund are both guys that can slot in the 2nd/3rd line center interchangeably and Stajan is a +50% faceoff guy, while Backlund slots between 45-51; and while the 45 is low, this year he's got Sven and Cammy on his wings, which should help splits and puck battles. Begin on the fourth line, is a very, very good faceoff guy... Really it will just depend on how Tanguay does on the first... But I don't see the weak down the middle argument working past the first line.

 

[Backlund]

Still not as brutal as SI's pre season rankings that have the Oilers number #3 somehow... that is right the team that has finished 30th, 30th and 29th over the last 3 years is ranked #3! Ahead of teams such as the Stanley Cup winning Kings, the back to back President trophy champs the Canucks, powerhouses like Boston and Philly and up and comers the St. Louis Blues. Just terrible.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nhl/news/20130109/nhl-preseason-power-rankings/index.html

That article is a joke. Even Ryan Whitney thinks its ridiculous.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Then you think wrong unfortunately.

There have been very little things I've been wrong about in hockey and that includes my opinion on Joker. From start to finish I've been proven right at every turn on him. Heck I even predicted the correct amount on his contract signing post-flames.

I agree with you there - your opinion about Jokinen is usually wrong. Wrong being a relative term since it's an opinion, but usually one forms an opinion based on facts, and its unclear what "facts" you base yours on other than an irrational hate. You'll go on and on about how Jokinen is terrible, yet you will provide no relevant arguments to support your opinion. I realize that for you, typing more than two words and a razz emoticon is a chore, but you could at least put in a mild effort if you want to be taken seriously.

 

[Kipper933]

That article is a joke. Even Ryan Whitney thinks its ridiculous.

Heh. I've seen Oilers fans say that Whitney has "attitude problems" because of that clip.

 

[Unkki]

Flames will be anywhere between 6th and 14th. There is 3 playoff spots and 5 out of playoff spots. So IMO playoff spot is unlikely but possible.

 

[Pirate King Luffy]

Flames will be anywhere between 6th and 14th. There is 3 playoff spots and 5 out of playoff spots. So IMO playoff spot is unlikely but possible.

I have a feeling the Flames are going to surprise this year.

 

[TylerSVT*]

Then you think wrong unfortunately.

There have been very little things I've been wrong about in hockey and that includes my opinion on Joker. From start to finish I've been proven right at every turn on him. Heck I even predicted the correct amount on his contract signing post-flames.

Well then, why dont you tell us who wins the Cup so that we dont have to watch hockey the next 4 months.

Seriously, losing Olli is a big loss, especially when we have the worst center core in the NHL.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Well then, why dont you tell us who wins the Cup so that we dont have to watch hockey the next 4 months.

Seriously, losing Olli is a big loss, especially when we have the worst center core in the NHL.

Agreed. Olli played a big role last year. Without him we would have likely been a near lottery team.

Scary to think about really.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Who cares

 

[Flamesfan13]

I think we will finish 31st in the NHL =p

 

[tfong]

I agree with you there - your opinion about Jokinen is usually wrong. Wrong being a relative term since it's an opinion, but usually one forms an opinion based on facts, and its unclear what "facts" you base yours on other than an irrational hate. You'll go on and on about how Jokinen is terrible, yet you will provide no relevant arguments to support your opinion. I realize that for you, typing more than two words and a razz emoticon is a chore, but you could at least put in a mild effort if you want to be taken seriously.

Was pretty tired, hence the lack of proper english I think. But you know what I meant.

Highly overrated when he came here, the Joker as we saw lacked the ability to make good passes most of the time, and also had tunnel vision for the most part. Sure he scored a few more goals than Lombardi, but he also allowed more on when he played and he couldn't win faceoffs (which is key here as what we are missing).

Now granted I did acknowledge later on in his last year that he did improve on his abilities all around. The basic premise is that he still did not make a difference to this team despite us giving up quite a bit for him.

You have to consider that first re-signing him meant not enough cap space for Cammy (since we also signed Jbo). Second you have to consider that arguably for the first two years as a Flame, he was only a slight upgrade over Lombardi statistically. Third, and if you consider we were looking for centers in the draft, we gave up one of Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Schwarz, Coyle, Bjustad for Joker.

In a full season, he never ever helped us get to the playoffs (the only time being the season he was traded to us).

The reason why I think its addition by subtraction? He is like one of those guys on your hockey team that on the stat sheet he puts up points and you wonder why we kicked him off the team (our leading scorer too). The guy was a cancer and he caused more team defensive breakdowns than anyone else. To the stat looker you don't see this, but we started making the playoffs again after we got rid of our "top scorer". Funny how that works isn't it? Its exactly how I think the Flames will do better without him. No more bone headed Joker plays, no more of his "i'll try to deke through three guys when I don't have the skills to, or I'll saucer pass it worse than a rec player at the waist level to someone" type deals. We get better team cohesion or even karma if you even want to put it that way.

 

[Northern Neighbour]

Pre-season rankings are meaningless. It's up to the Flames to perform on the ice and prove everyone wrong.

 

[Backlund]

Heh. I've seen Oilers fans say that Whitney has "attitude problems" because of that clip.

He doesn't have attitude problems, he's just not stupid.

 

[WhereIsIt]

Heh. I've seen Oilers fans say that Whitney has "attitude problems" because of that clip.

I'd say some Oilers fans have "reality problems".

 

[MarkGio]

Sounds to me like tfong has tunnel vision. That and blind arrogance.

 

[tfong]

Sounds to me like tfong has tunnel vision. That and blind arrogance.

Tunnel vision for what? Not liking a player and saying we are better off without him?

 

[MarkGio]

Tunnel vision for what? Not liking a player and saying we are better off without him?

I think Jokinen deserves some credit. He had a good career and was a good Flame, but had a few bad seasons. It happens

 

[tfong]

I think Jokinen deserves some credit. He had a good career and was a good Flame, but had a few bad seasons. It happens

I'll give you that, I just never agreed with bringing him to the flames that's all.

 

[Svenner]

I'll give you that, I just never agreed with bringing him to the flames that's all.

I think he's right. We had much better options at the time. Sutter made a trade deadline move simply because our team had a couple of injuires even though the team was still doing alright.

I think we would've been way better off without trading for him in the first place, we could've kept Lombardi, re-sign Cammy and sign Bouwmeester in the summer. It was basically a swap of Cammalleri(6M) for Jokinen(5.6M) if you look at it and you tell me whos better in a Flames uniform.

So while I agree Jokinen was not awful with the flames, I think we were much better off not getting him in the first place.

 

[Sean Monahan]

Not to mention we could've had Gormley, Schwartz, Tarasenko, Kutznetzov, Howden, Bjugstad, Etem....

Oh well

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Not to mention we could've had Gormley, Schwartz, Tarasenko, Kutznetzov, Howden, Bjugstad, Etem....

Oh well

You're assuming Sutter would have chosen any of those players with that pick. His draft history suggest that would have been unlikely.

 

[Bobs your uncle]

The Flames finishing 14th or there abouts has been the consensus projection by virtually everyone outside of Calgary; TSN, Sportsnet, THN, NHL.com powerline, SI, HF etc ...etc ....
Frankly, I'm surprised that Flames fans seem shocked by these projections.

 

[Calculon]

The Flames finishing 14th or there abouts has been the consensus projection by virtually everyone outside of Calgary; TSN, Sportsnet, THN, NHL.com powerline, SI, HF etc ...etc ....
Frankly, I'm surprised that Flames fans see things so differently

The reason for optimism should be pretty obvious. The Flames finished 9th last season despite having a terrible coach, questionable offense, bottom five centre depth, and a weak back end. They made steps to address three of those four issues.

By removing Sutter, they already made a fairly significant improvement to the team. Hiring Hartley, who should in theory at least, actually utilize the strengths of the assembled roster only makes it that much better. On the forward corps, you've lost Jokinen, but replaced him with Hudler (or even Stajan if he gets any icetime), Cervanka and added Baertschi. Then, you've upgraded on the defense by signing Wideman in place of Hannan. If nothing else, Wideman should be an enormous help in providing some offense from the defense, something that's been entirely missing since Phaneuf was traded/Brent Sutter was hired.

Are there still a lot of question marks, specifically around centre depth? Sure, but the improvements in other areas speak to the optimism. And of course, unlike other fans around the league, the Flames' won't just write off Iginla and Kipper because they're on the wrong side of 35.

 

[TheHudlinator]

The Flames finishing 14th or there abouts has been the consensus projection by virtually everyone outside of Calgary; TSN, Sportsnet, THN, NHL.com powerline, SI, HF etc ...etc ....
Frankly, I'm surprised that Flames fans seem shocked by these projections.

Probably because we were 10th last year 9th the years before and made several significant additions and other teams like Edmonton don't fix their problems and yet we drastically slide and they drastically rise?

It just easier to say we will do worse since Edmonton has excitement around their young players and not necessarily a better team.