NHL Preview 2019-20: Calgary Flames

(This year again, I will twin-post with my Collectibles Blog and write about a player who is related to my Preview post here. Today, it's Winnipeg Jets star forward Johnny Gaudreau).

GM: Brad Treliving (since 2014). 6/10
Coach: Bill Peters (since 2018). 7/10

2018-19 record: 50-25-7, 107 points (1st in Pacific Division, 1st in Western Conference).
Playoffs: Lost in the first round to Colorado in five games.

Departures: James Neal (G), Curtis Lazar (C), Mike Smith (G).

Arrivals: Milan Lucic (LW), Brandon Davidson (D), Cam Talbot (G).

Top forwards: Johnny Gaudreau (80-105 points), Sean Monahan (70-85 points), Elias Lindholm (65-80 points), Mathew Tkachuk (50-70 points), Mikael Backlund (40-55 points), Michael Frolik (35-45 points), Sam Bennett (40-50 points), Derek Ryan (30-35 points), Milan Lucic (15-20 goals, 30 points).

Must-improve forwards: Lucic has been a highly-paid ghost for two season; Bennett can remain in the middle-six with a 40-point production.

Top defensemen: Mark Giordano (40-50 points, captain), Noah Hanifin (30-35 points), T.J. Brodie (30-45 points), Travis Hamonic (25-30 points), Rasmus Andersson (20-35 points), Michael Stone (10-15 points).

Goalies: David Rittich (83/100), Cam Talbot (78/100).

Top prospects: Jusso Valimaki (21 years old, D, 2017 first-round pick), Jakob Pelletier (18, LW, 2019 first-round pick), Martin Pospisil (19, RW), Dmitri Zavgorodny (19, C), Dillon Dubé (21, C).

Analysis:
The Flames are a tremendous hockey team, and while I'm not sold on their coach (see last year's playoffs for when strategy and/or psychological help could have helped pure talent overcome a harder-working opponent that wasn't nearly as deep), I'm willing to give him anotehr season before throwing him under the bus.

But the Flames have a very strong defense, top-5 in the league, and a lot of very good forwards, led by the 99-point Gaudreau. You can't afford to squander too many of these star players' prime years on poor coaching and semi-solid goaltending - ask Jarome Iginla, who only got to one Stanley Cup Final despite having the best goalie in the world on his team for five straight years.

Prediction: 2nd in the Pacific Division, 4th in the NHL.