[News] Conroy Press Conference: UFAs could not be re-signed

[Samonadreau]

Usually with a (successful) retool, you have core stars to build around.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Usually with a (successful) retool, you have core stars to build around.

Yup, that's why we can't be sending out picks especially 1st and 2nd round picks.

We drafted our last set of stars.

Traded a drafted player for a top prospect who was a star.

Traded a 2nd for Kipper.

[FanIn80]

I was confused by the Giordano thing. Didn't we lose him because we exposed him in the Seattle draft? I can't remember the Brodie thing, but it's not like we got nothing for Gio... we got a protected D slot for him.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Usually with a (successful) retool, you have core stars to build around.

I like our new core. It's gonna be even better if we can finish the year not-strongly and then pick up Iggy Jr. with our top 10 pick and Yakemchuk by trading up for another top 10 pick.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I was confused by the Giordano thing. Didn't we lose him because we exposed him in the Seattle draft? I can't remember the Brodie thing, but it's not like we got nothing for Gio... we got a protected D slot for him.

I think maybe Conroy could have a difference of opinion on whom to expose to the expansion draft. Maybe?

[GreenLantern2814]

Out:

Lindholm
Hanifin
Tanev
Toffoli
Zadorov


In:

1st - ‘24
Kuzmenko
Brzustewicz
Jurmo
Conditional 4th - ‘24

1st - ‘26
Miromanov
Conditional 3rd - ‘24 (can be a 2nd if the Knights make it out of round 1).

Sharangovich
Suniev

2nd - ‘24
Conditional 3rd - ‘24 (if Dallas reaches SCF)
Grushnikov

3rd - ‘26
5th - ‘24

Five UFAs turned into 15 assets.

Two 1st round picks.
Two top-6 NHL forwards.
One top-6 NHL defenseman.
One (probably two) 2nd round picks.
Three prospect defensemen.
Three (probably two) 3rd round picks
One 5th round pick.

Not a bad haul considering there isn’t a single foundational piece in that entire group.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Out:

Lindholm
Hanifin
Tanev
Toffoli
Zadorov


In:

1st - ‘24
Kuzmenko
Brzustewicz
Jurmo
Conditional 4th - ‘24

1st - ‘26
Miromanov
Conditional 3rd - ‘24 (can be a 2nd if the Knights make it out of round 1).

Sharangovich
Suniev

2nd - ‘24
Conditional 3rd - ‘24 (if Dallas reaches SCF)
Grushnikov

3rd - ‘26
5th - ‘24

Five UFAs turned into 15 assets.

Two 1st round picks.
Two top-6 NHL forwards.
One top-6 NHL defenseman.
One (probably two) 2nd round picks.
Three prospect defensemen.
Three (probably two) 3rd round picks
One 5th round pick.

Not a bad haul considering there isn’t a single foundational piece in that entire group.

And they have now flipped that 5th round pick in 2024 for Okhotiuk.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I like our new core. It's gonna be even better if we can finish the year not-strongly and then pick up Iggy Jr. with our top 10 pick and Yakemchuk by trading up for another top 10 pick.

This would be nice and is definitely the hope!

But im going to pee on your parade.

We're aiming to pick 14th right now so good chance bith Tij and Yakemchuk will be gone.

Canucks are 2nd in the league right now so good chance that's our other pick is a late 20s.


Not sure what we could give up to move from late 20s to top 10.
We only have the other additional 1st in 2026 (unprotected).

[ComixZone]

On 960 Conroy noted these next 3 years as being important to the future of the organization.

2027 is going to kick off a golden era for this organization. I’m very excited for it, and happy that they’re taking this kind of targeted 3 year build.

[Gugstanley]

I thought Conroy did a great job. The team has been fun to watch and I look forward to watching what he builds

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I think maybe Conroy could have a difference of opinion on whom to expose to the expansion draft. Maybe?

Ohhh. I didn't think of it like that. Fair point!

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

On 960 Conroy noted these next 3 years as being important to the future of the organization.

2027 is going to kick off a golden era for this organization. I’m very excited for it, and happy that they’re taking this kind of targeted 3 year build.

Thats a rebuild. a retool is make some changes and go for it again.

[Burning Beard]

Conroy is doing a good job so far. He seems to have a vision and I'm going to trust in his plan and be excited to watch it play out.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

On 960 Conroy noted these next 3 years as being important to the future of the organization.

2027 is going to kick off a golden era for this organization. I’m very excited for it, and happy that they’re taking this kind of targeted 3 year build.

If the Flames can muster up two top ten picks of their own, plus hit on a couple of the picks they acquired (biggest wild card being the Vegas 2026 pick), it can be done.

But they’ve gotta be able to get some high picks for this to all be worth it.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Conroy also seems to really trust his scouts. They tell him who they like and who to get - and he does the work to do that. I hope that is based on a lot of strong analytics.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

On 960 Conroy noted these next 3 years as being important to the future of the organization.

2027 is going to kick off a golden era for this organization. I’m very excited for it, and happy that they’re taking this kind of targeted 3 year build.

How are they building over the next 3 years though?

They're not wanting to bottom out. We're in pace to pick 14th this year.


We only have one extra 1st (very late) and one extra 2nd over the next 2 years.

We could lose a low teens pick next season.


Need materials to rebuild especially that quick. I just don't see it.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by wpgflamesfan

I don't have any issues with the results of the trades and actually think Conroy did a great job with all of them. But yeah, given Craig's comments and echoing the above, I can't help think that in this case the organization succeeded in spite of it self rather than because of it self (i.e. a broken clock is right twice a day).

Yeah I get that Hanifin, Tanev and Lindholm are all really good players, who are "known quantities" and could be "good for the room" but that fact of the matter is that barring some miracle run, it's painfully obvious that this team isn't ready to compete and won't be while these guys are still in their respective primes. Trying to resign these guys as late as last week reeks of an organization that being managed to not lose rather than one that's being managed to win which in my opinion is exactly how we stay in that mushy middle we seem to love as a fanbase.

I don't agree at all. To me, it sounded like Conroy offered what he thought were fair deals to players he wanted, but the players weren't interested, and so to his word, he traded them.

Hanifin would have been a good fit for the team long term given his age. Tanev would have been an ok signing at a 2 year extension to mentor the young guys. Tofolli and Zadorov they had no interest in keeping.

The only guy that was questionable was Lindholm, and no one saw how crappy he'd become, and with Calgary lacking centres, I can see why there was interest in keeping him if he was interested in staying for a fair deal.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

If the Flames can muster up two top ten picks of their own, plus hit on a couple of the picks they acquired (biggest wild card being the Vegas 2026 pick), it can be done.

But they’ve gotta be able to get some high picks for this to all be worth it.

Making the playoffs is cool and all but it would be a waste of 8 days. It also pushes everything another year.

To get stars we need to get into the top 10 probably top 5 of the draft.

You don’t win in this league without elite talent. We have none.

I think Conroy knows that. I just hope he doesn’t get pushed to trade any picks for some right now players who don’t move the needle.

He’s done a great job sending out the 5 UFA and piling up assets. Let Conroy cook and everyone stay away.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Conroy also seems to really trust his scouts. They tell him who they like and who to get - and he does the work to do that. I hope that is based on a lot of strong analytics.

Very true, and to further this, in working so closely with them for so long, he probably has a good memory of which scouts fought hard for certain prospects that Calgary may not have ended up taking, but who with hindsight they should have.


Someone brand new to an organization doesn't have all of this 'background' info, and can end up making more mistakes. It is nice to have a fresh set of eyes and a fresh approach, but sometimes there is something to be said for promoting from within when shifting directions as well.

[SemicolonD]

I love the direction and the assets we've received for the trades so far by Conroy. I think he's sufficiently stocked the cupboards with D depth, and the vast amount of 2nds and 3rds are going to help with more shots at good players elsewhere. But getting the elite top end talent is going to be hard if we don't ever finish in the bottom 10. That would be my only concern with this rebuild. How are we going to acquire that elite talent that you can't sign or trade for, that you need to draft yourself, and do it without top 10 picks. We can pray for more Gaudreau style home runs in later rounds but it's hard to rely on chance like that.