Speculation: The Final 31

[SKRusty]

Calgary currently has 71 points in 51 games which puts them on pace for 114 points. That would leave this year Flames 3 points behind the 1988-89 Flames which put up 117 pts. This year's edition could push for the Flames record for a few different reasons.

1. The toughest part of the schedule has been behind them for over a month now.
2. The Flames had a slow start causing an artificially low win percentage (Hard to believe) but if the last 6 weeks is any indication the Flames may have a shot to push the 120 pt mark.
3. Chemistry in the bottom 6 is just starting to come to fruition. Jankowski, Neal, Ryan and Bennett have been contributing with secondary scoring.
4. The goal-tending has stabilized.
5. Injuries did little to slow down the teams success on the ice so provided none of the top 3 forwards or Gio get hurt the Flames should be in good shape.

Looking forward the Pacific and probably the Western Conference are the Flames to lose being up on Winnipeg by 5 for the conference and the Sharks by 6 for the Pacific.

That said there will not be an easy road in the first round as the Flames would likely match up against either the Coyotes, Anaheim, Colorado, Dallas, or the surging Blues.

My bet is on the Blues and I hate that match-up as there is just too much skill and Stanley Cup hunger in that dressing room. I still call the Yotes for the 4 th spot in the Pacific but they will just miss the playoffs.

FYI I hate my point prediction of 120 because that makes OKG look so damn smart but kudos to him for being bold.

I know there will be many mentioning personal accolades but the real goal is the Stanley Cup so lets cheer for the team first and let the personal point totals and such take care of themselves. Voting for awards doesn't happen until the regular season is done.

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[Nanuuk]

There is a lot of hockey left to play and I generally agree with your sentiment. Two caveats for me, barring injuries. One, no swoon in the form of a long losing streak after this break. Two, Mr. Neal has to be the real deal. I think it will be natural for our top scorers to tail off a bit. They've been ridiculous all year.

 

[InfinityIggy]

The thing I am tracking most closely as we move towards the deadline is our goaltending. If we end up having an Achilles heel this late in the season, I think it'll be there.

 

[DCDM]

My biggest hope, aside from our goaltending holding steady, is that the team doesn't let up on the intensity. So many times in the past, this team has limped out of a long break and taken too long to get back up to speed. I want to see them keeping up their level of play (being sharper as well, actually) right off the hop. First game is vs the Caps, that's no easy feat even with Ovechkin out of the lineup.

 

[Nanuuk]

Yup. They have an extended break and then play WSH, and CAR before getting another 3 day break and then taking on SJS. Meanwhile the Jets will play 3 games this week before the Flames take to the ice.

I'm not sure which is worse, but I'm thinking the Jets will get the rust off quickly.

 

[Iggys Dome]

My biggest hope, aside from our goaltending holding steady, is that the team doesn't let up on the intensity. So many times in the past, this team has limped out of a long break and taken too long to get back up to speed. I want to see them keeping up their level of play (being sharper as well, actually) right off the hop. First game is vs the Caps, that's no easy feat even with Ovechkin out of the lineup.

Yup, last year especially. We looked great until our CBA mandated break and that’s essentially when the wheels started to come off IIRC.

I really do think that this years team is different. But they have to continue to prove it. And if they come out and finish the season strong (50+ wins) then this year has the potential to be special.

 

[Corpus X]

The remainder of the season hinges on the return from the break. The classic Flames lose after breaks, but this years team is far from classic. Keeping the confidence up is key.

 

[Mobiandi]

I disagree that the hardest part of our schedule has passed. I think February and March will be difficult. Teams are starting to turn it on now that the playoff picture is getting clearer and only 3 or 4 teams are definitively out of it. Plus we've got three 4-pointers coming up against SJ and Vegas relatively soon. And a couple eastern road trips

Ideally, the Flames clinch by mid-March

 

[Bounces R Way]

Still think Mike Smith is more irreplaceable than Gaudreau?

 

[The Gnome]

Obviously this long of a break is a double edged sword. Glad our bodies can heal, but hopefully the rust isn't too threatening. I'd be very interested to see Lazar called up.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Other than Smith, the Gio suspension, and the Backlund injury the team hasn't faced a ton of adversity so far really. Will be interested to see what happens if they do struggle for a week or two and how they respond. Does seem like the mentality is different this year but I'd rather something go a little wrong before the playoffs than in the playoffs.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Other than Smith, the Gio suspension, and the Backlund injury the team hasn't faced a ton of adversity so far really. Will be interested to see what happens if they do struggle for a week or two and how they respond. Does seem like the mentality is different this year but I'd rather something go a little wrong before the playoffs than in the playoffs.

I'm of the opposite opinion. If something goes wrong in the playoffs you can really break it down and correct it against the exact same opponent. It's easy to game plan.

In the regular season, one night you're getting torched by Dylan Larkin but lighting up Jimmy Howard and the next night you're shutting down Connor McDavid and getting stoned every other shift by Mikko Koskinen. Too much randomness to really break a problem down.

As long as we don't run into a red hot Gibson in the playoffs, I'd rather have problems in a seven game series full of adjustments and dedicated assignments.

 

[Tofveve]

I think most of us have some anxiety about this team's ability to drop off out of nowhere. I mean to be fair, all teams go through their unexplainable skids. I just really hope we keep up our pace or close to it. Hoping the same for our stars as well. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

 

[Bounces R Way]

I'm of the opposite opinion. If something goes wrong in the playoffs you can really break it down and correct it against the exact same opponent. It's easy to game plan.

In the regular season, one night you're getting torched by Dylan Larkin but lighting up Jimmy Howard and the next night you're shutting down Connor McDavid and getting stoned every other shift by Mikko Koskinen. Too much randomness to really break a problem down.

As long as we don't run into a red hot Gibson in the playoffs, I'd rather have problems in a seven game series full of adjustments and dedicated assignments.

Good points. I do trust Peters ability to make adjustments a lot more than I ever did Gulutzan. It's kind of weird to hope for some adversity but it would blow to keep rolling all season and then drop 2/3 to a team like Minnesota starting the 1st round. As long as the Flames can close out the division I really like their chances this year to make a conference final. Don't really want any part of Vegas or SJ in the 1st round, let them soften each other up.

 

[SKRusty]

Good points. I do trust Peters ability to make adjustments a lot more than I ever did Gulutzan. It's kind of weird to hope for some adversity but it would blow to keep rolling all season and then drop 2/3 to a team like Minnesota starting the 1st round. As long as the Flames can close out the division I really like their chances this year to make a conference final. Don't really want any part of Vegas or SJ in the 1st round, let them soften each other up.

Though I do agree with many of your points I think many people severely under estimate how strong the Pacific division is. Unlike the perceptions before the season began the Pacific is currently the most competitive.

Top 3 teams of Each Division (Most likely playoff teams)

• Atlantic - 199 pts
• Metropolitan - 182 pts
• Central - 183 pts
• Pacific - 198 pts

Getting out of the Pacific could be brutal this year and as you can see the depth of competition is more fierce when you consider the Lightning have 13 points on the conference and 14 points on their division.

Add to that and you have a Blues team pushing hard and there could be a recipe for disaster at every turn.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Though I do agree with many of your points I think many people severely under estimate how strong the Pacific division is. Unlike the perceptions before the season began the Pacific is currently the most competitive.

Top 3 teams of Each Division (Most likely playoff teams)

• Atlantic - 199 pts
• Metropolitan - 182 pts
• Central - 183 pts
• Pacific - 198 pts

Getting out of the Pacific could be brutal this year and as you can see the depth of competition is more fierce when you consider the Lightning have 13 points on the conference and 14 points on their division.

Add to that and you have a Blues team pushing hard and there could be a recipe for disaster at every turn.

That's a skewed way of looking it though. It completely ignores the wild card teams or the teams right in the thick of things, which changes it a bit.

If you look at it more broadly, the two teams in Wildcard spots in the east would both be a divisional seed in the Central, and have two teams behind them that would both claim wild card spots in the west.

While the Pacific is quite top heavy, and indeed dangerous to have to go through, I wouldn't say much more so than Atlantic where a team has to go through possibly Tampa, Toronto or Boston (which the latter is scary if healthy in my opinion).

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I'm of the opposite opinion. If something goes wrong in the playoffs you can really break it down and correct it against the exact same opponent. It's easy to game plan.

In the regular season, one night you're getting torched by Dylan Larkin but lighting up Jimmy Howard and the next night you're shutting down Connor McDavid and getting stoned every other shift by Mikko Koskinen. Too much randomness to really break a problem down.

As long as we don't run into a red hot Gibson in the playoffs, I'd rather have problems in a seven game series full of adjustments and dedicated assignments.

How much I don't want to face the Ducks in the playoffs.

 

[Iggys Dome]

How do you guys think we'll do in the final stretch of the season? Do we continue the hot streak, or do we slow down a bit?

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

How do you guys think we'll do in the final stretch of the season? Do we continue the hot streak, or do we slow down a bit?

I'd be happy with .600 hockey and resting guys a bit near the end.

 

[Kahvi]

How do you guys think we'll do in the final stretch of the season? Do we continue the hot streak, or do we slow down a bit?

I'm generally a pessimist and cautious when it comes to predicting future success, but I have this strange feeling that Flames are gonna go deep in playoffs this year, even for a cup.

 

[Iggys Dome]

I'm generally a pessimist and cautious when it comes to predicting future success, but I have this strange feeling that Flames are gonna go deep in playoffs this year, even for a cup.

Oh man I feel the same way. I am definitely staying cautious though, but if we're still looking good in late March I am gonna peak so hard.

 

[Kahvi]

Oh man I feel the same way. I am definitely staying cautious though, but if we're still looking good in late March I am gonna peak so hard.

The worst part is that I missed my annual 200€ for Flames to win the SC bet because my boss messed my bonus payment. I was going to use that extra income to make to make the bet and be sure I have enough money for SC banner raising for 2019 season opener. And by messed I mean he forgot it even though we had a meeting where he said "no problem".

 

[DCDM]

I am gonna peak so hard.

 

[Nanuuk]

How do you guys think we'll do in the final stretch of the season? Do we continue the hot streak, or do we slow down a bit?

When it comes to the Flames I'm always nervous. I'm waiting for them to revert back to what we saw in prior years. The higher the expectations the harder the fall sort of thing. I still think we are too small and will get pushed around as the season wears on. We've got talented players that I don't want to see dropping the gloves. I think we need an upgrade at 3C. Despite being a Jankowski fan I'd rather him centre the 4 line. I think we need an upgrade at LW. Size matters. And I'm not to sure we don't need an upgrade at RW even if I expect Neal to start scoring.

Other than my neurosis, we'll be fine over the next 31 games. Keep to that 5 game segments and don't look too far ahead.

 

[Iggys Dome]