Thoughts on the Calgary Flames?

[Uncle Scrooge]

Playoff team. Back-end should be good, offense decent assuming Gaudreau & Bennett do better this year.

Their playoff success really comes down to how their defense and Smith gel together. If it works, then they can get hot like the Preds did last season and anything can happen.

But i'd say at this point they're a playoff team, nothing more nothing less.

 

[firstemperor]

At baseline, they should be a wild-card playoff team IMO.

One of the better D cores in the league (not the best). But in the top 5. But they don't have 3 #1 D's and I think some of their fans have historically overrated Brodie, Hamilton. Gio may be their only borderline #1D, more of a #1B D at best. Brodie also needs to prove last year was a fluke.

Offense depth is not great, but not bad. They can take a step forward if Bennett takes a step next year.

Goaltending is questionable but Smith should be passable.

I think they are 1-2 high-end forwards from being more competitive. Probably need a younger #1 RW and ideally, a #1C. Monahan fits better as a #2C- but the absolute requirement for a higher-end C may be void if they can get 1-2 more impact forwards on their team.

They can probably use some prospects (like Andersson or Valimaki) to net a higher-end winger prospect and hope he develops into a strong top 6-er for them long term.

Either way, I think they have a pretty good framework and should be competitive in the playoffs.

 

[Mr Positive]

Smith is not a great goalie, but apparently the Flames have been scouting him for a while and feel he will be a great fit. He's had great stats in the past, so maybe it will work out. Still, I wouldn't trust it.

I figured they would miss the playoffs next season, but the Hamonic trade nixed that, and they managed to keep Stone in the process.

I feel their forward group is weak. Lots of good players, but not great ones. They were fairly easily physically intimidated last season, and not much has changed for them there. Ferland and Tkachuk are overrated in that regard, but still significant.

I strongly feel the Pacific will keep its wildcard spot next season, and the Flames will be in the playoffs next year. It's hard to gauge where they'll end up exactly though. If Smith puts up high end numbers for them, they could even win the division. The Pacific is tight at the top.

 

[Captain Controversy]

Great defense, Good goalie, decent forwards.

NHL 18 total rating.

Offence 85
defence 90
Goalie 87

 

[McFlyingV]

Nashville doesn't have a franchise player either

Doesn't seem necessary to me

Josi and Subban are both better than any D on Calgary and Johansen is better than any Flames centre. I think thats a bit of a stretch to say they don't have a franchise player when they have 2 D basically right there.

 

[Soundwave]

Great defense, Good goalie, decent forwards.

NHL 18 total rating.

Offence 85
defence 90
Goalie 87

Mike Smith is a "great" goalie? Dude hasn't had a great season in like 6 years and is 35. Massively overrated.

 

[Soundwave]

Smith is not a great goalie, but apparently the Flames have been scouting him for a while and feel he will be a great fit. He's had great stats in the past, so maybe it will work out. Still, I wouldn't trust it.

I figured they would miss the playoffs next season, but the Hamonic trade nixed that, and they managed to keep Stone in the process.

I feel their forward group is weak. Lots of good players, but not great ones. They were fairly easily physically intimidated last season, and not much has changed for them there. Ferland and Tkachuk are overrated in that regard, but still significant.

I strongly feel the Pacific will keep its wildcard spot next season, and the Flames will be in the playoffs next year. It's hard to gauge where they'll end up exactly though. If Smith puts up high end numbers for them, they could even win the division. The Pacific is tight at the top.

So did they not scout Brian Elliot? I will laugh if Elliot has better numbers than Smith next season. Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

 

[Flamesjustwin]

Co favourites for the Pacific with the Ducks. Smith is a vet who will thrive under a competitive team. The D is imo tied with the Preds for best in the NHL. The forward group has very good depth with key players either starting to peak or to take the next step. Them and the Ducks are easily the top teams in the Pacific AINEC.

 

[Shruggs Peterson]

Finally we get to see the best player from the 2012 draft.

I expect Calgary to be around where they were last year, should be a playoff team.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Co favourites for the Pacific with the Ducks. Smith is a vet who will thrive under a competitive team. The D is imo tied with the Preds for best in the NHL. The forward group has very good depth with key players either starting to peak or to take the next step. Them and the Ducks are easily the top teams in the Pacific AINEC.

lol...Stopgap Smith in between the pipes, overrated Defense that never proven its "top 5" status and a small and soft forward group that gets pushed around alot

I expect more of the same from the Flames this year

 

[Volica]

Much better team than anyone will ever give them credit for.

Their defence will carry them, not having plugs like Engelland, Wideman and Bartkowski will make a huge difference; as they were an incredibly sore spot for the team last year.

Their offence is certainly missing that "A+" piece, but their depth is one of the best in the league. Likely one of the best 'true' 2nd lines in the league (not counting when you throw Malkin on a second line ) that can dominate a game. Johnny Gaudreau is an elite talent, who can take over a game, but I really don't know if he's a guy Calgary can certainly go deep with. They need Monahan, Bennett and Tkachuk to take the next steps for them; if 2/3 do, they're going to be a Nashville adjace team that'll beat people rolling deep defensive pairings and responsible lines.

 

[General Disarray]

One of the best D in the league on paper.... but we say that every year.

They are a lock for the playoffs, after that anything goes. Smith has played lights out in previous playoffs so who knows.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

They'll battle with San Jose for the 3rd Pacific spot. Anaheim and Edmonton are the class of that division.

 

[Haatley]

lol...Stopgap Smith in between the pipes, overrated Defense that never proven its "top 5" status and a small and soft forward group that gets pushed around alot

I expect more of the same from the Flames this year

Brodie and Hamilton were the most effective pairing in the NHL last year. They are more than proven.

You are just upset the Flames have 3 better defencemen than anyone on the Oilers.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Brodie and Hamilton were the most effective pairing in the NHL last year. They are more than proven.

and yet they finished behind the Oilers in GA for 2 years in a row now....I know I know, it's Elliott's, Johnson's, Ramo's, Hiller's, Ortio's fault...never that awesome defense

You are just upset the Flames have 3 better defencemen than anyone on the Oilers.

I can take solace in the fact we swept the Flames last year and finished with a much better record in the regular season and playoffs despite having to overcome the Flames "amazing" defense

 

[JurassicTunga]

Congrats, you swept the Flames last season. It's a new team, new season. We'll see how it goes in the upcoming season. I would not be surprised to see the Flames finish better than the Oilers. I'm not sold on the oilers depth or defense, especially with Sekera out until January(?) Talbot had a great season and masked some issues for the Oilers. I can see a small regression, but should still make the playoffs.

but, you can take comfort in the fact that i'm usually wrong with my predictions, so...

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

3 #1 pairing defencemen who helps the team make the 2nd wildcard spot just barely. Win one game in round one. Progress.

 

[NeutralFan88]

I think they can challenge for a wild card spot.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

At baseline, they should be a wild-card playoff team IMO.

One of the better D cores in the league (not the best). But in the top 5. But they don't have 3 #1 D's and I think some of their fans have historically overrated Brodie, Hamilton. Gio may be their only borderline #1D, more of a #1B D at best. Brodie also needs to prove last year was a fluke.

Offense depth is not great, but not bad. They can take a step forward if Bennett takes a step next year.

Goaltending is questionable but Smith should be passable.

I think they are 1-2 high-end forwards from being more competitive. Probably need a younger #1 RW and ideally, a #1C. Monahan fits better as a #2C- but the absolute requirement for a higher-end C may be void if they can get 1-2 more impact forwards on their team.

They can probably use some prospects (like Andersson or Valimaki) to net a higher-end winger prospect and hope he develops into a strong top 6-er for them long term.

Either way, I think they have a pretty good framework and should be competitive in the playoffs.

Giordano constantly takes among some of the most difficult competition in the league, constantly not only has top 5 in the league relative advanced stats (And goals for % metrics), but overall good numbers in advanced stats league wise (And that's with terrible goaltending and weak defensive depth). He also has proven this for at least 4 seasons. If people consider Jones currently, Weber still, Suter still, etc. has #1A Dman, then Giordano needs to be the same as well because he's arguably better than all of them.

 

[Bleedred]

Mike Smith is a "great" goalie? Dude hasn't had a great season in like 6 years and is 35. Massively overrated.

Agreed.

Mike Smith is an average starting goalie at best. His 11-12 season was clearly a fluke, and his 14-15 season was a total extreme the other way. He's not anywhere near as good as 11-12, he's not nearly as bad as 14-15. With guys like Ward, Pavelec and Lehtonen presumably not having starting goaltending jobs anymore this season, I'd probably rank Smith near the bottom, as far as starting goalies go.

The Flames made the playoffs with below average goaltending last year, so Smith doesn't need to be that good for them to make the playoffs, and a ****ing skeleton can play better than Brian Elliott did in the playoffs for them last year.

 

[Reinhart]

They'll battle with San Jose for the 3rd Pacific spot. Anaheim and Edmonton are the class of that division.

Laughable that you would include the Oilers with the Ducks. The Ducks are the class of the division. Until Edmonton actually gets decent depth in their forward ranks and some semblance of defensive depth (hint: Russell in the top 4 is not it, and Larsson as good as he is on defence can't put up points, so is no more than a #3), the Oilers won't be challenging for the cup any time soon. It is the Talbot and McDavid show in Edmonton. Nothing less, nothing more. Nice try to try and sneak your team up there though.

As for the Flames, nobody really knows what this season brings. If Smith does well, so do the Flames. Bennett taking a big step would be massive for this team. There is a lot of depth on the forward ranks, tonnes of skill and depth on defence, but question marks as to how well the first line does does and how the goalies work out.

Wouldn't surprise me if they win the division, wouldn't surprise me if they fall just short of the playoffs. I would, however, place them in the 'make the playoffs' category. Not a lottery team, not a playoff hopeful, but definitely not a Stanley Cup favourite. Just a pretty decent team overall, but one that is still young and well-managed now.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Laughable that you would include the Oilers with the Ducks. The Ducks are the class of the division. Until Edmonton actually gets decent depth in their forward ranks and some semblance of defensive depth (hint: Russell in the top 4 is not it, and Larsson as good as he is on defence can't put up points, so is no more than a #3), the Oilers won't be challenging for the cup any time soon. It is the Talbot and McDavid show in Edmonton. Nothing less, nothing more. Nice try to try and sneak your team up there though.

As for the Flames, nobody really knows what this season brings. If Smith does well, so do the Flames. Bennett taking a big step would be massive for this team. There is a lot of depth on the forward ranks, tonnes of skill and depth on defence, but question marks as to how well the first line does does and how the goalies work out.

Wouldn't surprise me if they win the division, wouldn't surprise me if they fall just short of the playoffs. I would, however, place them in the 'make the playoffs' category. Not a lottery team, not a playoff hopeful, but definitely not a Stanley Cup favourite. Just a pretty decent team overall, but one that is still young and well-managed now.

the McDavid and Talbot show had the Oilers 2 points back of the Ducks

not that far of a stretch to suggest they could catch the Ducks this season

 

[MessierII]

The flames will be better this year but not by much. A playoff team again but they won't finish higher than 3rd in the division.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

the McDavid and Talbot show had the Oilers 2 points back of the Ducks

You mean the "overplaying McDavid and Talbot show" had the Oilers 2 points back of the "cruising through the regular season" Ducks.

Ducks are the class of the division.
Then there are a bunch of unproven teams.

Oilers have to prove their goaltender can do it two years straight and stay healthy while doing it. Varlamov 2014, Bobrovsky 2014, Price 2015, Smith 2012, are some guys who have had huge seasons and were unable to carry that success through to the next. Even Dubnyk stumbled out of the gates in 2015-16 after looking unbeatable the year before. They are not the class of the division with their dependency on Cam Talbot. If they can contend for the division giving Brossoit 30%+ of the starts, and getting McDavid under 20 minutes a game (like... every other NHL forward) then maybe it'll be believable.

 

[Bleedred]

You mean the "overplaying McDavid and Talbot show" had the Oilers 2 points back of the "cruising through the regular season" Ducks.

Ducks are the class of the division.
Then there are a bunch of unproven teams.

Oilers have to prove their goaltender can do it two years straight and stay healthy while doing it. Varlamov 2014, Bobrovsky 2014, Price 2015, Smith 2012, are some guys who have had huge seasons and were unable to carry that success through to the next. Even Dubnyk stumbled out of the gates in 2015-16 after looking unbeatable the year before. They are not the class of the division with their dependency on Cam Talbot. If they can contend for the division giving Brossoit 30%+ of the starts, and getting McDavid under 20 minutes a game (like... every other NHL forward) then maybe it'll be believable.

I mean, Talbot was pretty solid in 15-16, it's not like he was anywhere near the reason they didn't make the playoffs. Anders Nilsson and his 24 starts of .901 goaltending probably made them even worse than they otherwise would have been that year. And Varlamov didn't really drop off from 13-14 to 14-15. He was still in the .920's. Bobrovsky had a .923 season the year after winning the Vezina in the lockout season. Price was injured for most of his next season after 14-15 and Mike Smith's 2011-2012 was a complete fluke, as he was never anywhere near as good as he was before that season.

They definitely shouldn't be playing Talbot close to 75 games again though.