How do you feel about this team?

[viper0220]

Since after the trade deadline I have been having mixed feelings about this team, I honestly thought there would be a major move that the Flames would make(I was very excited for 2 weeks leading to the trade dead line) but after they did not make any moves of significance and just got 2 depth defense men, I feel very disappointed.

Right now I don't know how I should feel about the team?

I want them to succeed, I have been a fan of this team for 18 years(other than a Cinderella Run, they have not given a whole lot to cheer for) but part of me wants this team to miss the playoffs because I want the GM and the coach of this team fired because the GM of this team has been at the helm for 6 years and he has not done anything to improve this team and the current coach does not inspire much confidence for me.

But there is a part of me that wants this team to make the playoffs because the excitement it brings with it but I am worried if this team does make the playoffs and they are embarrassed like last year it will be truly heartbreaking and a downer.

I wonder how does this team stack up against other teams in the Western Conference and more specially the Pacific Division Teams? If there was a Battle of Alberta in the playoffs, how would we look against the Oilers? Would we be able to hold our own? How would we match up against them?(I am just using the Oilers as a example because there is a decent chance of a Battle of Alberta happening in the Playoffs, we can wonder about any playoff opponent.)

Right now I am confused about what direction this team is going? How do you guys feel about the direction this team is going? How do you feel about this team because I don't know how to feel about this team?

Click to read more...

 

[Kranix]

Don't worry about it

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I feel if this team had an elite coach they'd be a cup favourite. But hopefully Ward can improve on the fly or destiny can make decisions for him that wouldn't have made for himself (eg. Hamonic vs Andersson)

 

[Nanuuk]

I feel very good about this team. We have just as many 'stars' as other Pacific Division teams with a good mix of vets and a couple of youngsters that are starting to shine. Our forwards have under performed most of the year, but seem to be hitting their stride going down the stretch. Our team D is tightening up and with two more solid pros in our D, we probably have the best group in the Division. Our goaltending lags Arizona's, but is either as good or better than Edmonton, Vegas, Nashville, and Winnipeg.

The question is consistency of play. If we play the way we can with scoring coming from more than the top line and with the goalies being sharp, I think this team can do some damage in the play-offs. We have to get there first which means paying attention to job 1.

 

[Mobiandi]

The pieces are there. I don't know if Ward can put them together

 

[Rubi]

Usually, I feel a little nauseous like when I've just gotten off a high speed roller coaster... a little weak in the knees, dizzy, and a little disorientated, and perhaps more than a bit afraid to get back on for another spin around the park.

Hoping the Flames change that nauseating feeling in the next 5 weeks.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Depends on the day. After a game like last night? Great! After being at the Chicago game, I was ready to blow it up again.

 

[SKRusty]

Depends on the day. After a game like last night? Great! After being at the Chicago game, I was ready to blow it up again.

If Calgary makes it into the dance I would hate to draw them in the first round. I like Calgary's chances against the Oilers, Canucks, and Yotes. I think Calgary even stacks up well against St. Louis, Nashville, and Winnipeg.

Monahan and Johnny have taken good strides towards developing a playoff brand of hockey to their style of play. It might not be as flashy but if they can continue like they did against Boston the Flames are well poised to make some noise in the playoffs.

Backlund is beast mode... Just need a healthy-ish defense and we are golden.

 

[JPeeper]

I feel like we can beat Vancouver or Edmonton in a 7 game series, Vegas I'm not sure because of the home-ice advantage situation (every game we've played the home team has won, but this year we can't win at home so we could quickly get rekt).

I also feel better about this team if Hamonic doesn't come back this year. With him out our top 4 is Gio-Brodie, Hanifin-Andersson, essentially 2 top pairings (Hanifin and Andersson have been the top pair since Gio has been out). With Hammer back he automatically gets back to tanking the second pairing and Andersson back to 3rd pairing because our coaches and GM are idiots when it comes to Hamonic.

Even if everyone on the team is healthy the D pairings should be:
Gio-Brodie
Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Gustafsson

 

[Mazatt]

I feel like we can beat Vancouver or Edmonton in a 7 game series, Vegas I'm not sure because of the home-ice advantage situation (every game we've played the home team has won, but this year we can't win at home so we could quickly get rekt).

I also feel better about this team if Hamonic doesn't come back this year. With him out our top 4 is Gio-Brodie, Hanifin-Andersson, essentially 2 top pairings (Hanifin and Andersson have been the top pair since Gio has been out). With Hammer back he automatically gets back to tanking the second pairing and Andersson back to 3rd pairing because our coaches and GM are idiots when it comes to Hamonic.

Even if everyone on the team is healthy the D pairings should be:
Gio-Brodie
Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Gustafsson

Kylington - Gustafsson sounds like a disaster defensively, having someone like Forbort there to support feels like it could be necessary for the bottom pairing if Hamonic doesn't return.

 

[Body Checker]

Not sure about the allegiance to Lucic. Does his presence make a difference? Good corner work, good physical presence, a few decent goals in last month in front of the net but too many times the play seems to die in the neutral zone with him and not a great back checker. I wanted a guy like Namestnikov for awhile to improve the bottom 6 depth and to call up Czarnik. I like the Forbort and Gustafsson moves actually by Treliving. But the ice time Lucic gets seems to be a bit of nepotism. I think 4 deep lines with Lucic as a reserve to bring in as a "presence" would have the team better off.

Gaudreau-Monohan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-Mangiapane
Bennett-Ryan-Dube
Namestnikov-Jankowski-Czarnik

I hope Looch proves me wrong though. I really do.

 

[JPeeper]

Kylington - Gustafsson sounds like a disaster defensively, having someone like Forbort there to support feels like it could be necessary for the bottom pairing if Hamonic doesn't return.

Forbort is awful. Kylington is better than him at everything, literally everything.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Generally pretty good. They have played brutal the majority of this year and are still in a playoff spot. That's actually a good sign I think, even if the inconsistency makes you want to rip your hair out.

As far as their chances in the playoffs, well they still have to make them first, and honestly I think there's a couple markedly better teams in the West. If we get great goaltending though you never know, Rittich could go a bunch of ways and Talbot is what he is. The blue line especially is probably the best I've ever seen it when everyone is healthy and playing well. Treliving not making any big moves for scoring tells me he sees the same thing as I do, the team is not a bonafide contender that should be going all in to try to extend a playoff run.

What I really find encouraging is the group of players 23 and under. Tkachuk, Mangiapane, Dube, Andersson, Kylington, Hanifin, Bennett, Valimaki, and Pelletier is a strong group compared to the Chuck Kobasews, Dustin Boyds, David Mosses of yesteryear. Even guys like Gawdin, Phillips, Wolf, MEP, Ruziska, and Philp might turn into something. To have sustainable success as an NHL franchise the drafting and developing have to be feeding the big club cheap young players that can play.

I want the GM and the coach of this team fired because the GM of this team has been at the helm for 6 years and he has not done anything to improve this team and the current coach does not inspire much confidence for me.

Well this is simply not true. Go look at the roster Treliving inherited and tell me he hasn't done anything to improve the team.

 

[Anglesmith]

Give me more of that team we saw last night, and less of the one that plays the LA Kings.

 

[viper0220]

Generally pretty good. They have played brutal the majority of this year and are still in a playoff spot. That's actually a good sign I think, even if the inconsistency makes you want to rip your hair out.

As far as their chances in the playoffs, well they still have to make them first, and honestly I think there's a couple markedly better teams in the West. If we get great goaltending though you never know, Rittich could go a bunch of ways and Talbot is what he is. The blue line especially is probably the best I've ever seen it when everyone is healthy and playing well. Treliving not making any big moves for scoring tells me he sees the same thing as I do, the team is not a bonafide contender that should be going all in to try to extend a playoff run.

What I really find encouraging is the group of players 23 and under. Tkachuk, Mangiapane, Dube, Andersson, Kylington, Hanifin, Bennett, Valimaki, and Pelletier is a strong group compared to the Chuck Kobasews, Dustin Boyds, David Mosses of yesteryear. Even guys like Gawdin, Phillips, Wolf, MEP, Ruziska, and Philp might turn into something. To have sustainable success as an NHL franchise the drafting and developing have to be feeding the big club cheap young players that can play.



Well this is simply not true. Go look at the roster Treliving inherited and tell me he hasn't done anything to improve the team.

The team that Brad Trevling has "improved" has ever had had much on ice success.

The one thing that worries me is that Oliver Kylington is really not being given a fair shot to succeed here, he will leave and become a good top 4 D man for some other team, just like Adam Fox.

 

[Anglesmith]

The team that Brad Trevling has "improved" has ever had had much on ice success.

The one thing that worries me is that Oliver Kylington is really not being given a fair shot to succeed here, he will leave and become a good top 4 D man for some other team, just like Adam Fox.

When you say "just like Adam Fox," are you comparing the two situations?

 

[viper0220]

When you say "just like Adam Fox," are you comparing the two situations?

Not situations because the situations are different, one defencemen left because he did not want to be here and the other will leave because this team did not give him a long look.

 

[SaintMorose]

As the most inconsistent team in the league, the skill is there but there are some mental hurdles this team needs to get over; which could mean yet another head coach under BT.

 

[Anglesmith]

Not situations because the situations are different, one defencemen left because he did not want to be here and the other will leave because this team did not give him a long look.

I feel like you're gazing a bit too far into the future on that one. I doubt Kylington is going to be able to develop much of an ego over his 7 points in 48 games with shaky moments. He's a rookie and he's being brought along slowly. Not the end of the world.

 

[Bounces R Way]

The team that Brad Trevling has "improved" has ever had had much on ice success.

The one thing that worries me is that Oliver Kylington is really not being given a fair shot to succeed here, he will leave and become a good top 4 D man for some other team, just like Adam Fox.

The team finished 1st in the Western Conference last regular season. They have 3 playoff appearances in that time and a playoff round win. Might not really be anything to hang your hat on but plenty of teams don't even have that. The NHL is a competitive league, there's lots of good teams, and lots of teams that have the advantage of lotto picks, warm weather, lower taxes, etc that the Flames don't.

I like Kylington too and I hate the Flames jerking his chain around, but he's far from the first player in the NHL with that experience. We're not privy to every thing that goes on on a hockey team, maybe there's some immaturity. They've brought him along slowly to this point and to me that's been to his benefit.

 

[Iggys Dome]

On paper this team is pretty f***ing good. Monahan, Gaudreau, Lindholm, Tkachuk, Giordano, Hanifin, Brodie, Andersson, Rittich is a pretty good core, and are all on pretty good contracts. Depth pieces are either young and cheap, or old and with vet presence: Dube, Mangiapane, Kylington, Ryan, Lucic.

We are missing a proper HC.

 

[Tofveve]

5/8ths on the erection meter.

 

[DFF]

I feel very good about this team. We have just as many 'stars' as other Pacific Division teams with a good mix of vets and a couple of youngsters that are starting to shine. Our forwards have under performed most of the year, but seem to be hitting their stride going down the stretch. Our team D is tightening up and with two more solid pros in our D, we probably have the best group in the Division. Our goaltending lags Arizona's, but is either as good or better than Edmonton, Vegas, Nashville, and Winnipeg.

The question is consistency of play. If we play the way we can with scoring coming from more than the top line and with the goalies being sharp, I think this team can do some damage in the play-offs. We have to get there first which means paying attention to job 1.

Our goalies are definitely not as good as vegas. If rittich plays well, we can contend for the playoffs but he has been inconsistent. Talbot playing well is just a fluke.

 

[DFF]

On paper this team is pretty f***ing good. Monahan, Gaudreau, Lindholm, Tkachuk, Giordano, Hanifin, Brodie, Andersson, Rittich is a pretty good core, and are all on pretty good contracts. Depth pieces are either young and cheap, or old and with vet presence: Dube, Mangiapane, Kylington, Ryan, Lucic.

We are missing a proper HC.

Yes and no...we had many coaches and same results so not sure if it's all HC....the core is not reliable, they have a lot to prove.

 

[Nanuuk]

Our goalies are definitely not as good as vegas. If rittich plays well, we can contend for the playoffs but he has been inconsistent. Talbot playing well is just a fluke.

Yes. I forgot they picked up Lehner at the TDL.