Flames goaltending is killing our chances at McDavid/Eichel/Hanifin: Discuss

[Blarg]

The Flames have played 7 games out of 82. Out of those 7 games, they have played against 2 cup contenders who are Chicago and St. Louis. The Flames are going to still be terrible. People need to stop using a 7 game sample size to determine how good/bad the Flames are

[dash_pinched]

I'd rather change the draft lottery system than the Flames system of trying to win as many hockey games as they can.

[Muta]

A winning culture is more important. That's what we're doing here.

I'd like McDavid as much as anybody, but what if we win it with Monahan / Gaudreau / Bennett / Poirier instead of McDavid? That's entirely possible too.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by nik-

Everyone immediately jumps to "EDMONTON!" as a retort to these kind of threads as if it was solely the fact that Edmonton picked first overall a couple of times that causes them to be a dumpster fire. There is a whole lot more than that involved in these disaster franchises.

No, we jump to 'EDMONTON!' as a retort because – now follow me here, this is the technical bit –

The fact that Edmonton was already a dumpster fire is why they got three first overall picks.

This team isn't a dumpster fire. To deliberately make it into a dumpster fire just to get one player in the draft, no matter how good that one player is, would be dishonourable, counterproductive, and, oh, what's that other word? – it's a shorter word, it's on the tip of my tongue –

Oh, yeah. DUMB.

[Poe969]

Where is "This post is terrible". This thread is terrible.

[Frequitude]

Great news! I'd say its more Gio-Brodie that will keep us out of the basement.

Barring a lottery win, we don't have a shot at those picks anyways. There are some baaaaaaad teams this year. No way we outsuck them.

Bring on the wins.

[The Fonz]

As nice as it'd be to get one of those 3, do we really want to expose our young players to that amount of losing this year? It'll take a disaster season to draft in the top 3 in 2015... I'm talking 50 points bad. That could create a real ugly losing culture within this franchise, one that simply isn't worth the high pick.

I think we'll be drafting in that 8th-10th range, and that's okay. Still going to be fantastic players available in that spot in this draft.

[dino7c]

Flames just aren't that bad...sorry to disappoint some of you

The real bad teams in this league are way worse than the Flames, not sure why everyone thought losing Cammy would hurt this team so bad

They were 10 points up on 3rd last season for crying out loud

[_Q_]

I seriously doubt this team is as bad as a lot of people are making them out to be.

Good or even great goalie tandem, one of the best defence pairings in the NHL and a young, hard working forward group with a decent amount of talent that is improving every game. All with great coaching and a management group that's committed to win.

I said it before the season started and I'm standing by my prediction that this is a playoff team.

[terminator]

Watching your team win is way better than watching your team lose.

[automaton 3]

It's not just the goaltending, many (most?) teams in the league would love to have Gio and Brodie as their top D pair.

This team didn't have much of a shot at a top 3 draft pick in any event, with the likes of Florida, Carolina, Buffalo, Edmonton ect. as the competition. Enjoy the wins when they come.

[skudr248]

How about we play hard all year, then end up winning the lottery. Everybody wins!

[calgaryboy]

Hate this loser talking, McDavid here, McDavid there! Hockey is about winning, period! Go Flames Go!!!!!!!!

[nemanja2306]

Its a long shot for us to draft McDavid anyway. Even if we do, even if he ends up being as good as Crosby, there is no guarantee of success.

Look at the Pens. They have the two best players in the world, and have only 1 cup to show for it. While CHI and LAK each have two in the last 5-6 years. I dont know how many will agree with me, but they disappointed. So far anyway.

Besides, who's to say McDavid won't end up like Lindros. One cheap shot, one unlucky play is all it takes...

There are far too many variables in play.

[FlamesAddiction]

The season is only a couple of weeks old. Anything can happen at this point (there are going to winning and losing streaks).

I love the guts this team has shown, but a lot of what is happening right now isn't sustainable over 82 games. Raymond is on pace for 58 goals and 82 points over 82 games. Colborne and Giordano are on pace for 70 points. TJ Brodie is a ppg player right now. Hiller has a greater than 94% save percentage. Not that we don't have a couple of slow starters as well that could pick up some of the slack, but I think in general, the team is being carried by some unsustainable hot streaks.

Yes, we are not as bad as most people predicted, but eventually things are going to even out.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Teams win cups by a team effort.

Honestly, I could care less for McDavid/Eichel/Hanifin and would be just fine with a Kylington, Sprong, Roy, Werenski pick (whatever the pick may be).

In a few years, our team will be built on depth and not relying on a player to do everything. Look at Edmonton will all of their first round picks. I agree that the management is horrible up there, but that's just an example.

Pittsburgh: Crosby/Malkin: Best centers in the league - only 1 cup to show for it.

In the 2003 draft the Capitals picked Ovechkin, and also picked Backstrom in 2006. They've won 0 cups.

All I am saying is I don't think not picking one of the top 5 players isn't going to be the end of the world, because the Flames have been doing some solid drafting the past few years. And for the record, I am really liking us winning right now. We are proving ourselves to other teams in the NHL that we may be a rebuilding team, but you best be taking us seriously.

[thefoss1957]

I personally despise Tanking for picks BS. For my team, it wasn't a conscious effort to tank, Toews and Kane were good, but, at the time, neither was a slam dunk #1 pick (Toews was a #3 pick, and Kane was viewed as "undersized"). For us it was a combination of inept politics in the front office (Pulford (and $Bill Wirtz) vs. Peter Wirtz (and more progressive thinkers), and a lack of proper talent utilization on the ice, due to a succession of untried coaches, in Yawney and Savard.

There is a historical lesson in the dangers of tanking...the 1979 Detroit Lions were determined to get Oklahoma halfback Billy Sims in the 1980 draft. The shed talent, and really just threw games. They got their guy. Then, lacking talent to surround him, he wasted a decent career, as the Lions sputtered, and for the next THIRTY YEARS couldn't put together the whole package of balanced talent. When their offense was good (with Sims and Sanders), their Defense stunk...when they built a Defense, the Offense was on the downswing. The ethic of losing pervaded the organization from the Owner on down. Karma. They only eked into a couple of playoffs, and were destined, even then, for a quick loss and attendant fist round exit.

Alienating the loyal fans, and courting a losing tradition, is the price of tanking...

Moreover, there are no guarantees that the targeted pick will ever perform at the expected levels once he gets to the top leagues, injury or intangibles can derail a promising career...after all, in the NFL, for instance, wasn't Ryan Leaf the slam dunk prospect, and Peyton Manning more the risk, as merely a product of his college system?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Muta

A winning culture is more important. That's what we're doing here.

I'd like McDavid as much as anybody, but what if we win it with Monahan / Gaudreau / Bennett / Poirier instead of McDavid? That's entirely possible too.

This.

And there are always gems to be found in the entire first round (and even further down)

[sempuki]

I have never been more glad they changed the lottery odds...

[Robbob]

The Flames had to many pieces (and an established culture) to be the worst team in the league. Only way we would have landed those players is if we had won the draft lotto. Don't get me wrong it is a long season with lots of games to play and the games will definitely get harder once teams kick it to the next gear. I just think, roster on paper aside, they don't have what it takes to complete with dumpster fire (Buf), grease fire (self explanatory), and what ever fires they have in Carolina and Florida.