I'll make my real prediction in September, but as of now there's a large chance that the Flames won't make the 2009 postseason.
Why you ask? Many reasons, let me being:
1) Kippersoft has not been playing as an elite goaltender anymore. Even during the playoffs, he carried us two games and played bad for the next four
2) Everyone hates Mike Keenan, the players that is.
3) We have invested amost 40 million dollars in 6 players: Iginla, Kippersoft, Regher, Dion Phaneuf, Cory Sarich, Alex Tanguay.
4) Tanguay is gone
5) Huslieus is gone. This is what he said about playing with Kennan again:
"It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Swede gone. He was occasionally unhappy with the amount of minutes he played some nights and when asked if he would play for Keenan again, Huselius replied: ''It depends where that situation is going to be at. We'll see about that one.''
6) We don't have any trade bait. We won't get anything in return
7) We're no Oilers, our farm team is terrible. Dustin Boyd will get 15 goals max.
GO FLAMES GO!!!
90% is a huge exaggeration.
ReplyDeleteKipper had 39 wins this season, despite a terrible start even by his standards, and was only bad in 2 games in the playoffs.
Keenan was a pussycat by comparison to some of his previous work, most of the players on the team are fine with him. He and Huselius just have a natural aversion to each other.
Yes, we have a lot of money invested in a small number of players, but this only prevents us from becoming an elite team. Any team with Iggy, Kipper, Phaneuf, and Regher will atoumatically have a decent chance to at least make the playoffs however.
No trade bait is true. But losing Huselius and a slight increase in the cap will open a little room for free agents.
GO FLAMES GO!!!
Not that they need it.