Since Monday’s 2-1 loss to Detroit, I’ve heard it said “the Flames have a daunting task to make the playoffs”.  I’ve seen it written in newsprint, “the Flames are all but out of the playoff picture”.

  The situation isn’t as bleak as some suggest.  Here are the facts.  The Flames are 3 points behind the 8th place Red Wings in the West and 5 pts behind 7th place Nashville. Brent Sutter’s crew has 13 games remaining as do the Wing while the Predators have 12 left.

   True, Detroit and Nashville have better finishing schedules on paper, than the Flames but there is still plenty to play out.  A win Wednesday in Colorado over the Avs and Calgary would one point behind Detroit, again.

  Clearly, the Flames need to be more productive offensively and some PPG would help, but defensively Sutter has his squad very close to having the best Goals Against Average in the league.  

  The Flames have the NHL’s 3rd best GAA at 2.57.  Of the Top 10 defensive teams in the NHL, the Flames are the only team currently not in a playoff postion. Sutter’s skaters have a shot at having the best GAA by season’s end. Phoenix and New Jersey, the co-leaders have a 2.55 mark.

   Over the last 40-plus years, the team with best GAA record has never missed the playoffs.

  Another historic not that I was reminded of Tuesday by respondant/listener Sean Elekes.

   The last time everybody got wild about the Flames was the ’03-04 campaign when they went to the Stanley Cup finals.  After 69 games that season, the Flames hads 77 points. Just as they do now.  That team finished with an 8-4-1 record. A similar finish now would easily garner a post-season spot.

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