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Old 05-28-2013, 01:39 AM   #1
trackercowe
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Default TSN's Off Season Game Plan for the Flames

I noticed that TSN posted their off-season game plan for the Flames, so maybe Cullen's analysis is worthy of some discussion.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=424137

Here are the highlights I take from the piece:

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The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season in 2013 and, finally unable to ignore the writing on the wall leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline, started a rebuilding process by trading big ticket veterans Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester.

Off-Season Game Plan looks at what moves the Flames might make this summer.

The trouble facing the Flames is that they have been so slow to accept their decline that even after shedding Iginla and Bouwmeester, general manager Jay Feaster noted, "Murray Edwards told me last evening that he expects to be in the playoffs next year, so there's my marching order."

Expecting this team to turn around and become a playoff team in one season is a major reach, particularly considering the holes that they need to fill.
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It's one thing to be optimistic and hope that the Flames can get on the right track next season, but it's another matter entirely if Feaster's player acquisition decisions this summer are made under the premise that the Flames just need a couple tweaks in order to be a playoff contender once again.

However, if the Flames are going to build a strong base, they need to make decisions consistent with long-term objectives. That doesn't mean tanking the season. If they have a goaltender that stops 92% of the shots faced, as opposed to 88% (like Miikka Kiprusoff last season), then maybe Calgary could compete for a playoff spot, but that's not an expectation around which one can reasonably build a team.
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Feaster's challenge is acquiring top-end talent, whether through draft, trades or free agent signings. While the Flames have solid pros scattered throughout the roster, they don't have guys at the top end of the talent scale. The sixth overall pick should net a quality prospect and the Flames have some interesting young players and prospects (Sven Baertschi, Johnny Gaudreau, Mikael Backlund, T.J. Brodie), but they need more.
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The challenge for the Flames when they enter the offseason is to not look for immediate help. There could be temptation to add a veteran free agent or two with the hopes that, if all goes right, they can combine with Cammalleri, Tanguay and company to be good enough for the Flames to somehow manage to sneak into the postseason. If they're being patient, though, the Flames would at least have to look at younger free agents, like Tyler Bozak or Mason Raymond that, while not great difference-makers on their own, perhaps could be part of turning around the team's fortunes over the next few seasons.
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If the Flames are indeed looking for a new goaltender, they could theoretically trade for Ryan Miller, Roberto Luongo or Jonathan Bernier, but there are plenty of options on the free agent market. Mike Smith, who GM Jay Feaster acquired in Tampa Bay in 2008, could be interesting, if the Flames believe that he might be able to provide some reasonable replication of his 2011-2012 season or, if looking for a shorter-term answer, Feaster also has a history with Nikolai Khabibulin.
Gross...

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DRAFT
6th - Elias Lindholm, Valeri Nichushkin, Darnell Nurse.
22nd - Fredrik Gauthier, Kerby Rychel, Ryan Pulock.
29th - Nicolas Petan, Robert Hagg, Jordan Subban.

FREE AGENCY
According to www.capgeek.com, the Flames have approximately $44.3M committed to the 2013-2014 salary cap for 16 players.

Check out my possible Flames lineup for next season on Cap Geek here.

Needs: Two top six forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman, starting goaltender.

What I said the Flames needed last year: Two top nine forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman.

They added: Jiri Hudler, Roman Cervenka, Steve Begin, Dennis Wideman.

TRADE MARKET
Mike Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak, Alex Tanguay.
Once again the article in its entirety can be found here: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=424137
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:00 AM   #2
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The Flames cannot afford to trade for Miller, greasy Bob, or Bernier. Signing Smith as a UFA is the only choice. If they take Gauthier as their second pick, I will fricken loose it ! what a waste and if that happens, they need to get rid of the current management- and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. Outside of the top pick, Rychel and Zykov better be involved.
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:11 AM   #3
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The playoff thing was misquoted yet again by mass media. No mention of Ramo or Berra. Did you see his roster? Adding Bozak @4.5m Ben Lovejoy @1.7m And signing mike smith @4m
And getting Nystrom back.
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:13 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by dammage79 View Post
The playoff thing was misquoted yet again by mass media. No mention of Ramo or Berra. Did you see his roster? Adding Bozak @4.5m Ben Lovejoy @1.7m And signing mike smith @4m
And getting Nystrom back.
No I didn't see it- who was doing this ?
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:33 AM   #5
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I do not want to see the flames go after any goaltender. let's play with what we have in the system and if all fails we at least know that we do need a true number 1 goalie and we will be going into the following season with another high pick.
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:35 AM   #6
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As a side note, I think Ramo and Berra need a serious look. As for Bozak, I don't think he is worth 4.5 mill and is possibly the next Matt Stajan- and Lovejoy ? why, cause we dont have enough 3/4 liners ? As for Smith, I would love to have him but 4 mill would be probably well under his asking price unless it's a 5 year deal which kinda screws all of our other goalies and we suffer the Kipper thing again. As for Nystrom, I like him but didn't like his asking price when he left us in the first place- We got Bouwma, and other young pups to fill that role at a lesser expense and more valuable for our team to give them that experience. Crazy analogy by whomever created that roster.
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:39 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Realtor 1 View Post
I do not want to see the flames go after any goaltender. let's play with what we have in the system and if all fails we at least know that we do need a true number 1 goalie and we will be going into the following season with another high pick.
Agreed- besides, we all maybe under-estimating Ramo and Berra. Myself, their stats are pretty darn good and I think they may pan out- Both of them.
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:40 AM   #8
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What is it with the massive hard-on for Bozak?


When force-fed 1st line minutes on a playoff team, he managed a 20 goal pace for half a season. That's his career-best performance.

He's never scored more than 18 goals.

He's 27.

"Boy, can't wait to see him locked up for 5 years at $5m+ per season."
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:44 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!! View Post
What is it with the massive hard-on for Bozak?


When force-fed 1st line minutes on a playoff team, he managed a 20 goal pace for half a season. That's his career-best performance.

He's never scored more than 18 goals.

He's 27.

"Boy, can't wait to see him locked up for 5 years at $5m+ per season."
I've never understood it and he has never looked like anything more than a fringe 2nd line player.
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:47 AM   #10
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Not sure if Cullen is serious or trolling in this article, but this is some scary stuff.....

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Feaster also has a history with Nikolai Khabibulin
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:55 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cowtown75 View Post
No I didn't see it- who was doing this ?
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Check out my possible Flames lineup for next season on Cap Geek here.
Do the Flames really want to carry 10-13 million in unused cap space? There's a lot of ways this off-season could go.

Personally, I'd actually be looking to avoid the Bozak (or Horton types). Go for the older players who will provide mentoring for the kids and can be flipped at the deadline. Then in 2014, see if you can get Malkin! If you can't, and there are only mediocre UFAs again, it's no big deal, you just save your cap space again until your homegrown talent gets good enough that you're forced to look for complimentary players instead of key pieces.
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Old 05-28-2013, 03:00 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SebC View Post
Do the Flames really want to carry 10-13 million in unused cap space? There's a lot of ways this off-season could go.

Personally, I'd actually be looking to avoid the Bozak (or Horton types). Go for the older players who will provide mentoring for the kids and can be flipped at the deadline. Then in 2014, see if you can get Malkin! If you can't, and there are only mediocre UFAs again, it's no big deal, you just save your cap space again until your homegrown talent gets good enough that you're forced to look for complimentary players instead of key pieces.
Oh okay- I seen it now- lol. What a joke.
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Old 05-28-2013, 03:19 AM   #13
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The stupidest thing that the Flames could do is to rush things. Signing marginal guys like Bozak or Filppula will do nothing. We need roster spots for our players to be given an opportunity to develop for a change (something that we haven't done in 15 years).

Our top 9 already will consist of Tanguay, Cammalleri, Stempniak, Glencross, Hudler, Backlund, Baertschi, and Stajan. 8 of the 9 spots already taken. Our pick at 6, whether it's Barkov, Lindholm, Nichushkin, Drouin or McKinnon, they will likely get a spot as well at least to start the season. So that's a full top 9. If Reinhart Horak Bouma and McGrattan fill out the 4th line and extra forward, we have a full compliment.

The problem is where would these possible additions go? Robbing roster spots from young players. That's one way to make sure it takes 15 years to return to relevance. The only way I'd add a new player(s) through UFA is if other veteran forwards find their way out the door before the new players are added.
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Old 05-28-2013, 03:22 AM   #14
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Funny how Reinhart isn't in there at all, or Breen who is a big man ready to step up- And I definately don't want anymore over-hyped players like Bozak just cause they played in T.O.- remember Stajan and the garbage we got on that trade ? Them holding off on trading Kaberle cause they figured he was top 10 for 2 years ? The Gilmour trade ? nothing good seems to come our way out of that city- ala Gary Leeman etc. There are guys ready to make the push for a roster spot next year like Wotherspoon, Ferland, Brossoit, Hanowski, Cundari, Berra, Ramo, Bouwma, Horak, Aliu, and whom ever we take with our top pick.
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Old 05-28-2013, 04:34 AM   #15
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Looking at our line-up. I honestly don't think any team in the league has a weaker group of players than we do. This is going to be a looong rebuild...
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Old 05-28-2013, 05:20 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja View Post
Looking at our line-up. I honestly don't think any team in the league has a weaker group of players than we do. This is going to be a looong rebuild...
If we aren't at the bottom, we're close
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Old 05-28-2013, 05:39 AM   #17
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If we aren't at the bottom, we're close
You know you are at the bottom of the barrel when the Edmonton Oilers have better center depth than your team does...
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Old 05-28-2013, 05:49 AM   #18
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Well, lets go through the crappy teams

The Avs have Stastny, Landeskog, Valarmov, Duchesne, Johnson

The Panthers have Huberdeau, Markstrom, Gudbranson, Bjugstad, Howden

The Lightning have Stamkos, Bishop, Palat, Hedman, Gudas, Connolly, Sustr

The Flames have Brodie, Baertschi, Backlund..... and..... several guys that those other teams have in similar amounts.
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Old 05-28-2013, 06:07 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!! View Post
What is it with the massive hard-on for Bozak?


When force-fed 1st line minutes on a playoff team, he managed a 20 goal pace for half a season. That's his career-best performance.

He's never scored more than 18 goals.

He's 27.

"Boy, can't wait to see him locked up for 5 years at $5m+ per season."
But, don't you understand? He plays in Toronto - he must be better than any three players on the Flames that we could trade for his rights before he becomes a free agent, and thereby beat out all of the other teams clamouring for his service....
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Old 05-28-2013, 06:28 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja View Post
Looking at our line-up. I honestly don't think any team in the league has a weaker group of players than we do. This is going to be a looong rebuild...
You're just figuring this out now? The same problem existed with Iginla and Bouwmeester in the lineup. What is sad is the trades of Iginla and Bouwmeester actually improved the situation. What is interesting is that the same fans who were slow on the uptake to recognize the dire situation the Flames found themselves are also the same ones slow to recognize the substantial improvement the team has made in a very short period of time by moving those two star players.

The commitment to transition began just before the trade deadline. This season will be a transitional year and the Flames will hopefully pick the right players to turn things around in short order. We may not have the same hype around the players like the Oilers do, but I believe the Flames are on track to build a cohesive team that will be competitive in a couple of seasons. This is going to be the 1980's all over again for the Flames, where a collection of unheralded players will have to unseed the hype machine up north to earn the respect they deserve.
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