Calgary Flames Roundtable: The bye-week blues

Question four: Do you think the Calgary Flames will make the playoffs, especially with that crucial run coming in March vs. Pacific Division opponents?

Jonathan Boulanger

I do. The X-factor: Mike Smith. If he keeps playing the way he is, not only will the team succeed, but they will play well enough for Brad Treliving to possibly make a move to beef up the roster even more (A la Evander Kane, Mike Hoffman, Max Pacioretty) which is good news. Just please, don’t let it be the Ducks in round 1.

Ian Gustafson

The Calgary Flames getting a playoff spot will depend on how Mike Smith plays the rest of the season. It also depends on how much Gulutzan plays Smith. If they over play him he could burn out before the Playoffs even start. The Flames should have full confidence in David Rittich as he has played solid this season. Try to give Smith some rest and I think the Flames will be in the Playoffs come April.

Tom Oppolzer

I’m calling it now, I’m 100% sure that, barring any major injury *knocks on wood* the Flames will make the playoffs this year in a Pacific division spot. The Ducks are looking really bad and the Kings have been on a free fall for about a month and didn’t look great before that. So long as they can keep up with San Jose  I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Flames get home ice in round 1.

Benjamin Prokopy

Yes.

I’ve spent the overwhelming majority of this roundtable spewing doom and gloom.  But, and I say this as objectively as possible, the Calgary Flames are still the best team in the Pacific Division.  And, in order to make the playoffs, they have to win the all-important “4-point” games against interdivisional rivals.

I think LA’s recent streak of 4 losses indicates that they rely too heavily on 3 or 4 players.  That is simply unsustainable.  I further believe Anaheim has proven itself to be a very beatable team this year.  Vegas has obviously surprised a lot of people.  However, as the back half of the season unfolds, teams will be taking them more seriously.  I expect them to get knocked down a bit.

I would like to see Calgary string a few more wins against San Jose, though both games were very close this year.  Besides Vegas, they are the divisional opponent that has surprised me the most.  I thought they had an ageing group that would have trouble scoring goals.  Thus, they would fall out of contention pretty early on.  Shame on me.

Finally, everyone in the league seems to be beating Edmonton.  I’d love to see Calgary do the same.

Dan Raicevich

Not a doubt in my mind. At the start of this season, I predicted the Calgary Flames will make the playoffs. Not only did I say they would make the playoffs, but do damage in the playoffs.

The offense seems to be rounding into form. The defense seems to be blending well together and the goaltending duo is giving this team a chance to win each and every night.

I’mm not only confident in this team being able to make the playoffs, but there is a chance that they could lock up home ice in the first two rounds by winning the Pacific Division.

Ramina Shlah

I also agree with everyone else here. The Calgary Flames are already in a better spot at this point than they were at this point last season with a much stronger team. Glen Gulutzan has been (finally) utilizing his players better. While it’s not perfect, it’s getting better. Mike Smith has been there to back the team up, David Rittich has proven to be a reliable backup, Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton have been a great duo, TJ Brodie and Travis Hamonic have been finding their chemistry, the top line is producing immensely again, three of the four lines are quite strong. There’s a lot we can praise about this team.

The one thing they need to work on is their powerplay, but even lately, that’s been getting better. I don’t think there’s a doubt that they’ll make the playoffs, and they may even get home-ice advantage in the first round.

Next: Flames top defense pair could have made Team Candaa

There’s our roundtable! Let’s hope the Calgary Flames can extend to a season-high eight-game win streak tomrorow night.