Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter wants his team to do well in the upcoming playoffs. For this wish to come true, he believes that his men will have to avoid the Colorado Avalanche at all costs.
• Read also: Tourigny defending the QMJHL
• Read also: NHL: an imminent return for Pettersson
• Read also: Avalanche trade Tyson Jost to the Wild
“For a drafted team to emerge victorious, another will have to suffer a monstrous tumble. If you’re a drafted team, you don’t want to face Colorado in the first round at all, because these eight days will be a real waste of time, “said the 63-year-old man, who made journalists laugh after the training of his own.
The Alberta organization is in a good position to avoid this power of the Western Conference, since like the Avalanche, the Flames sit at the top of their section. Heading into Tuesday night’s duels, the team playing their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome had 79 points in 59 games, which put them ahead of the second-tier Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division by five points. . However, the California squad had played two more games.
The Edmonton Oilers (68 points in 59 games) were in third place in this division, while the Vegas Golden Knights have the same number of points, but in two more games. The Nevada organization also had the last ticket, among the teams drafted, giving access to the playoffs. They are the ones who would have the heavy task of facing the Avalanche in the first round of playoffs.
“Las Vegas and Edmonton are still the best teams on paper,” Sutter admitted. [Les médias] have said it, I have said it too, on paper, they are the best. You have to stay ahead of these teams to make the playoffs.
“In the world of hockey, you can never be satisfied. That’s all there is to know. If you don’t continually work to improve yourself, someone else will, both personally and collectively.”