Washington isn't a good comparable. Their core was never the problem. Ovechkin has always stepped it up in the playoffs. They just always ran into a better Pittsburgh team. The core in Calgary is the problem. Their core has been invisible and a detriment to the team in three of the four playoff series they've been in.

Have you seen anything to suggest that their core has taken a step forward or is even moving in the right direction? They're not rookies anymore. They're in their prime. It's one thing if they were out there giving it their all and were just getting beat by a better team, but they're not even showing up, and they're against a team that shouldn't have the pieces to be able to shut them down completely.
- Hunkulese

Ian Cole, Tyson Barrie, Erik Johnson, and baby Makar are shutting the top line down...I've never been so frustrated watching a series. This may be a knee-jerk reaction for me, but I 100% agree with your idea to get rid of Monahan for someone that's going to show up. I don't care if he's the bionic man again. Kind of funny that two seasons in a row he's been absolute dogpoop after the break.

Christ sakes here we go again. You're a (frank)ing lunatic if you think it's a good idea to blow up this young core. Stop overreacting every time this team goes through some trouble.

Whatever happens next we had a great season we can build off of (and the season isn't over yet). Overreacting and blowing up our core isn't going to make this team better. There are certainly players we can and should move out, but those players aren't Monahan or Lindholm. Winning it all takes time and this season is a huge sign that we're heading in the right direction.

It took years of Washington losing in the playoffs before they broke through and won a Cup, and their core stayed intact. They got eliminated year after year after year and then finally it all came together and they did it.

These things rarely happen overnight. Sometimes you have to be put through the ringer and lose to learn what it really takes to win.

I'm as disappointed as anybody about the way this series has gone so far. But the series isn't over yet and even if it does end tomorrow, I'm optimistic about the future of this team. I said when the regular season ended that whatever happens in the playoffs I'm counting it as a success and I stand by that. Making headway in the standings is no small feat and there is a lot to look forward to in the future.

All that said, the series isn't over yet and with a couple more bounces going the Flames' way as opposed to the Avs this series is 3-1 Calgary instead. Coming back is hard but not impossible. I've seen it before and I'll see it again, in this series or otherwise. No one has won 4 games yet. It isn't over until someone has.
- Helios

Well thx for the pep talk! I think we all get that most of the time you have to loose before you win. That’s not the case here! It’s the way they are loosing. They are being dominated by a team that they shouldn’t be getting dominated agents! You can say that the flames could be up 3-1 till the cows come home. But they shouldn’t be.
But you still have to win 4 games this isn’t over yet! I expect the best game of the series by the flames come tomorrow go 🔥

Christ sakes here we go again. You're a (frank)ing lunatic if you think it's a good idea to blow up this young core. Stop overreacting every time this team goes through some trouble.

Whatever happens next we had a great season we can build off of (and the season isn't over yet). Overreacting and blowing up our core isn't going to make this team better. There are certainly players we can and should move out, but those players aren't Monahan or Lindholm. Winning it all takes time and this season is a huge sign that we're heading in the right direction.

It took years of Washington losing in the playoffs before they broke through and won a Cup, and their core stayed intact. They got eliminated year after year after year and then finally it all came together and they did it.

These things rarely happen overnight. Sometimes you have to be put through the ringer and lose to learn what it really takes to win.

I'm as disappointed as anybody about the way this series has gone so far. But the series isn't over yet and even if it does end tomorrow, I'm optimistic about the future of this team. I said when the regular season ended that whatever happens in the playoffs I'm counting it as a success and I stand by that. Making headway in the standings is no small feat and there is a lot to look forward to in the future.

All that said, the series isn't over yet and with a couple more bounces going the Flames' way as opposed to the Avs this series is 3-1 Calgary instead. Coming back is hard but not impossible. I've seen it before and I'll see it again, in this series or otherwise. No one has won 4 games yet. It isn't over until someone has.
- Helios

Good post! My lord, some people want to just give away every player, a 2nd round pick for a 30 goal scorer. Wow

This year was a huge step forward & maybe we just havent taken as big of a step as the expectation from what we did this year is .This is no doubt a work in progress. The players that get dealt with will be Stone, Frolik, Brodie & in a perfect world Neal.
If we move on from any of our under 25 year old core it damn well better be more than a 2nd round pick.

We are losing & are probably done here, suck it up & move forward. Trading everyone is ludicrous. Remember in 1988 & we lost in the first round after a huge season, Mullen was too small, Nieundyke didnt go to the dirty areas, Macinnis couldnt hit the broad side of a barn, Otto & Pepper were slow, & Vernon was a sieve. After 1989, these guys are forever Flame heros. The lack of perspective in here is staggering & I havent even drained a bottle of Crown yet.

Washington isn't a good comparable. Their core was never the problem. Ovechkin has always stepped it up in the playoffs. They just always ran into a better Pittsburgh team. The core in Calgary is the problem. Their core has been invisible and a detriment to the team in three of the four playoff series they've been in.

Have you seen anything to suggest that their core has taken a step forward or is even moving in the right direction? They're not rookies anymore. They're in their prime. It's one thing if they were out there giving it their all and were just getting beat by a better team, but they're not even showing up, and they're against a team that shouldn't have the pieces to be able to shut them down completely.
- Hunkulese

Yes. It's called winning the West. Or are we all just going to ignore the huge strides this team made in the regular season? You can argue about playoff hockey being different and it is, but you can't sit there and tell me that this core didn't take a step forward this year. All three of Monahan, Gaudreau, and Lindholm had career years this year. As did Tkachuk. Isn't that taking a step forward?

So many of you said the exact same things you're saying now when the Flames lost 3 in a row during the regular season. Despite so many of you wanting to blow it up at the time the Flames got through it. I'm not saying they are going to come back and win the series, I'm saying that it is crazy not to give this team any credit for how they got here in the first place.

There's definitely still work to be done, but there has been some really good progress made. If this series it what it takes to teach this team how to win one way or the other, then so be it. But none of this takes away how far this team has come this year.

Yes. It's called winning the West. Or are we all just going to ignore the huge strides this team made in the regular season? You can argue about playoff hockey being different and it is, but you can't sit there and tell me that this core didn't take a step forward this year. All three of Monahan, Gaudreau, and Lindholm had career years this year. As did Tkachuk. Isn't that taking a step forward?

So many of you said the exact same things you're saying now when the Flames lost 3 in a row during the regular season. Despite so.many of you wanting to blow it up at the time the Flames got through it. I'm not saying they are going to come back and win the series, I'm saying that it is crazy not to give this team any credit for how they got here in the first place.

There's definitely still work to be done, but there has been some really good progress made. If this series it what it takes to teach this team how to win one way or the other, then so be it. But none of this takes away how far this team has come this year.
- Helios

I agree. First time we won the west in like 30 years. Definitely not time for drastic change. We needs some tweaks around the edges for sure though.

I also think Peters not having any playoff experience has hurt this team. He needs to do a better job getting players ready to play playoff hockey.