CALGARY FLAMES 2022/2023 SEASON PREDICTIONS

[robrob74]

8 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Everyone needs to look at other rosters for comparison. If the only look at the Avs and Bolts, you aren’t using perspective. There are 29 other teams. Our roster stands up well.

Those using the Oilers series to manifest our D and G isn’t good enough is unfair.

5 games is a very small window to negate the other 89 games played.

Ya but, those are 5 games where you're either in or out and they were out. Everyone loses key players in the playoffs, so another question has to be, is the team deep enough to withstand those losses? Tanev was tough but highlights the need for some more defensively minded D with speed or gap control. I thought Sutter would adapt, and I don't know if it's the players that couldn't or the coach. 
 

sure, it's a small sample. But so is all of the other playoff games. 
 

im glad Tkachuk is gone. He talks big talk but I don't think he walks it as often. 
 

i think the D and team is better. We have Zadorov but I worry whether he's enough net toughness on D. 

[Sarasti]

16 hours ago, robrob74 said:

Ya but, those are 5 games where you're either in or out and they were out. Everyone loses key players in the playoffs, so another question has to be, is the team deep enough to withstand those losses? Tanev was tough but highlights the need for some more defensively minded D with speed or gap control. I thought Sutter would adapt, and I don't know if it's the players that couldn't or the coach. 
 

sure, it's a small sample. But so is all of the other playoff games. 
 

im glad Tkachuk is gone. He talks big talk but I don't think he walks it as often. 
 

i think the D and team is better. We have Zadorov but I worry whether he's enough net toughness on D. 

 

According to offseason comments from Sutter, we were mostly exposed at the center position against Edmonton. 

I've heard him stress the importance of center depth countless times over the years.

I believe we may have rectified this issue.

[conundrumed]

1 hour ago, Sarasti said:

 

According to offseason comments from Sutter, we were mostly exposed at the center position against Edmonton. 

I've heard him stress the importance of center depth countless times over the years.

I believe we may have rectified this issue.

I like that assessment a lot more than D & G. Forwards are a huge part of D. I get turnovers, but can’t let the other team’s forwards rip through the neutral zone untouched with time to think. They swung momentum like that almost at will. 

[Sarasti]

4 hours ago, conundrumed said:

I like that assessment a lot more than D & G. Forwards are a huge part of D. I get turnovers, but can’t let the other team’s forwards rip through the neutral zone untouched with time to think. They swung momentum like that almost at will. 

 

Absolutely. And if you think about championship teams (especially ones under Sutter) they were all very solid down the middle of the ice.

The Kings had Kopitar, Richards, Carter and Stoll. 

Not all star players outside of Kopitar but guys that can eat up minutes and don't give up much defensively.

As good as Backlund is he isn't a 2C on a championship squad.

Hes the perfect 3C.

[The_People1]

6 hours ago, Sarasti said:

 

According to offseason comments from Sutter, we were mostly exposed at the center position against Edmonton. 

I've heard him stress the importance of center depth countless times over the years.

I believe we may have rectified this issue.

 

McDavid is going to expose most team's Center depth though.  Only the Avs had an answer with MacKinnon and Kadri.

 

We now have Kadri... Just need to add a MacKinnon.

[Sarasti]

7 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

McDavid is going to expose most team's Center depth though.  Only the Avs had an answer with MacKinnon and Kadri.

 

We now have Kadri... Just need to add a MacKinnon.

 

I think it was more of the fact that Lindholm and Backlund can't be on the ice at all times.

Sutter specifically mentioned the fact that we were missing a regular C in Mony as a big reason we couldn't stack up as well.

[travel_dude]

6 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

McDavid is going to expose most team's Center depth though.  Only the Avs had an answer with MacKinnon and Kadri.

 

We now have Kadri... Just need to add a MacKinnon.

The only team that struggled against the Oils in the playoffs was us.

Sutter refused to match against him.

Having JH facing McD and Kane was stupid.

Tkachuk spent too much time chirping Kane and not enough trying to win.

Backlund was fine against McD.

Other teams in the league know how to play him, but he also will double shift on 3rd or 4th lines.

And even load up a line with Drai.

 

I think we have a killer team and just need to figure out what we are doing with a 4th line.

Lewis and Lucic are fine if you just want a heavy forecheck and beating up people.

That line was not good in the playoffs.

Need some other players so we could perhaps put a scorer down there.

[The_People1]

5 hours ago, Sarasti said:

 

I think it was more of the fact that Lindholm and Backlund can't be on the ice at all times.

Sutter specifically mentioned the fact that we were missing a regular C in Mony as a big reason we couldn't stack up as well.

 

Ya feels like a huge vote of non-confidence in Ruzicka.  Sutter hates him for some reason.  

[The_People1]

5 hours ago, travel_dude said:

The only team that struggled against the Oils in the playoffs was us.

Sutter refused to match against him.

Having JH facing McD and Kane was stupid.

Tkachuk spent too much time chirping Kane and not enough trying to win.

Backlund was fine against McD.

Other teams in the league know how to play him, but he also will double shift on 3rd or 4th lines.

And even load up a line with Drai.

 

I think we have a killer team and just need to figure out what we are doing with a 4th line.

Lewis and Lucic are fine if you just want a heavy forecheck and beating up people.

That line was not good in the playoffs.

Need some other players so we could perhaps put a scorer down there.

 

LAK struggled too.  Wasn't just us.

 

And like I was saying months ago, the Oilers with Kane is a much different team.  They will be the team to beat this season in our division.

 

 

[travel_dude]

8 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

LAK struggled too.  Wasn't just us.

 

And like I was saying months ago, the Oilers with Kane is a much different team.  They will be the team to beat this season in our division.

 

 

 

The Kings really shouldn't have been there.  They didn't have the goalie to face a good team.

But, they almost stole the series.