What should we absolutely NOT screw up going forward?

[topfiverecords]

Don't screw up winning the cup. That's number one priority.

[Sylvanfan]

Getting some lottery luck would help. Timing wise...the Flames to me won't be Ansheim/Chicago/San Jose bad for at least 2 years after this. Just in time to get in the new building...I can't see them icing an AHL team while trying to get into a new building and asking fans to pay more.

[Lanny_McDonald]

If you can turn this deadline into a couple of good prospects and three draft picks you might be able to turn this around fairly quickly. The secret will be the quality of the prospects coming back because the draft picks will be later picks and truly lottery tickets. You might get lucky and recoup three prospects that are along in their development that can step in and support the youth we have in Pelletier, Zary, and Coronato, then grab two players in this draft that can supplement what we have from last draft. They key will be the prospects coming back IMO as they will fill the holes from the 2021 and 2022 drafts. Get the right combination of players there and a couple picks and we're in better shape than anticipated. Conroy has his work cut out for him!

[kukkudo]

Not including any additonal prospects the flames could potentially get 3 first round picks.

Lindholm late first pick (Col,Van etc)
Hanifin mid first pick (NJ etc)
Tanev late first pick (Van Tor etc)

Comes down to how desperate teams are. Maybe Markstrom retained another first?

Flames probably draft 6-10.

[Jason14h]

First rounders in this years draft probably dont have an impact for 3 years minimum . Maybe 4

That is the rebuild window - 4 years and then you start coming out of it if you don’t panic and try to accelerate

It will not be fast if we are actually serious about building a long term successful team

[NewFan]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Getting some lottery luck would help. Timing wise...the Flames to me won't be Ansheim/Chicago/San Jose bad for at least 2 years after this. Just in time to get in the new building...I can't see them icing an AHL team while trying to get into a new building and asking fans to pay more.

That's why we can't wait. We really needs to go to rock bottom next 2 years to become better team when the new arena is ready.
There is difference between AHL team and a young but upcoming team with a couple future super stars in the line up.
People will come and watch a young and skilled team who plays hard but may loss a lot because of inexperienced and still improving players.

[NewFan]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Not including any additonal prospects the flames could potentially get 3 first round picks.

Lindholm late first pick (Col,Van etc)
Hanifin mid first pick (NJ etc)
Tanev late first pick (Van Tor etc)

Comes down to how desperate teams are. Maybe Markstrom retained another first?

Flames probably draft 6-10.

Flames has a chance to drop to bottom 5 if Blue Jackets play better than us in the rest of season. Then who knows, we may get lucky with lottery.
And I think Tanev will not give us 1st. May be conditional first, but I expect 2nd and a condional later draft pick.

[Rutuu]

Taking a quick scan of the thread I agree with a lot of the takes on operations / roster / cap management.

Some points I did not see mentioned.

1. Remember you're an entertainment business, and don't just hide behind "wins fill the building". Engagement drives excitement.

2. Respect the intelligence of your fanbase, sell us a vision and make us a part of it.

3. Operate with class and do not embarrass us as fans.

[Whynotnow]

As an Oil fan, do almost everything opposite. Stay away from old school GMs, they will build for yesterday. Find good reputable vets, who are hard working, and will be great mentors and put them in key roles. Don’t force rookies into positions they aren’t ready for, let them get experience in the minors and then play them in the right role in the big league. Draft better than everyone else, don’t try to outsmart the room though at the draft table. Take some reclamation risks but bet on character first and foremost. Never, ever hire Dallas Eakins, or someone like him, ever.

It’s hard though, ignore the Oilers and look at Columbus, they’ve been at it for 10 years and are no further ahead.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by NewFan

Flames has a chance to drop to bottom 5 if Blue Jackets play better than us in the rest of season. Then who knows, we may get lucky with lottery.
And I think Tanev will not give us 1st. May be conditional first, but I expect 2nd and a condional later draft pick.

I am not certain the Blue Jackets can gain any points on the Flames, much less 9. It’s not like they are trending up.

[stemit14]

This forum is always full of 20/20 hindsight and alternate timelines. Just to torture myself, I like to think there is a timeline out there where the flames committed to a full rebuild the moment they knew Gaudreau was gone and Tkachuk wanted to be traded. I think that timeline looks something like this:

1. Summer 2022: Tkachuk traded for 2023 1st round pick + 2024 1st round pick + top prospect.
2. Summer 2022: Lindholm traded for a 2023 1st round pick + top prospect
3. Summer 2022: Monahan was not traded and simply allowed to fully heal up.
4. Summer 2022: Kadri was not signed.
5. Summer 2022: Sutter steps down in frustration with management committing to a rebuild.
6. Trade deadline 2023: Hanifin traded for a 2023 1st round pick + top prospect.
7. Trade deadline 2023: Toffoli traded for a 2023 1st round pick
8. Flames finish bottom five in the league in 2022-2023.
9. Flames win draft lottery.
10. Flames pick 5 times in the 2023 NHL draft including getting Bedard.
11. Flames enter the 2023-2024 season without any major signings. Maybe some 1 year deals for veterans.
12. Flames trade Tanev at the 2024 trade deadline for a 1st round pick.
13. Flames finish bottom 5 in the standings in 2024.
14. Flames do not win the draft lottery.
15. Flames pick 3 times in the first round of the 2024 draft and draft Lindstrom and Iginla with two of their picks.

Again, it’s all just hindsight and wishful thinking. At the time, I was hoping our trade for Tkachuk was going to be futures based though and I really was not happy with the Monahan trade/Kadri signing. Granted, Kadri has played well this year and I’m happy to see the young guys playing well with him.

Overall, I look at that alternate timeline and think how committing to a full rebuild is the best option. It was the best option then and it is the best option now. I know there are equal examples of failed rebuilds and successful rebuilds but I think the fans are more ready for it than ever. Delaying the bottoming out phase of the rebuild will just make it stretch into the opening of the new arena. If you commit now, the bottoming out seasons will hopefully be in 2025 and 2026.

[Skaloper]

The problem is the entire Flames team was sold on the fact they were going to be competitive for the forseeable future. This is why lots of the players chose to sign with the Flames and why they did best they could to re-tool. The players were put in a position to suceed or fail. Had they went with trading the top players and not re-tooling how many other players would have wanted out? The whole process might be delayed for them rebuilding but going foward they haven't blown their chances at signing free agents.

So I disagree the best option was not rebuilding when Gaudreau and Tkachuk wanted out but now that it's clear we don't have enough star power on the team a rebuild makes sense.

[Icon]

Originally Posted by Goriders

They need to find some players that hate losing. We’re light in that department.

F'n eh Shoresy

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Skaloper

The problem is the entire Flames team was sold on the fact they were going to be competitive for the forseeable future. This is why lots of the players chose to sign with the Flames and why they did best they could to re-tool. The players were put in a position to suceed or fail. Had they went with trading the top players and not re-tooling how many other players would have wanted out? The whole process might be delayed for them rebuilding but going foward they haven't blown their chances at signing free agents.

So I disagree the best option was not rebuilding when Gaudreau and Tkachuk wanted out but now that it's clear we don't have enough star power on the team a rebuild makes sense.

I agree that it made sense to most at the time to re-tool due to commitments to the veteran players. Committing to a rebuild then would have meant recognizing that the two most important players on the team (Gaudreau and Tkachuk) could not be replaced through trade/signings (Huberdeau and Kadri). The attempt was made but it did not work out. Had they committed to the rebuild then, it’s assumed than those veterans that were signed (Hanifin, Backlund, Lindholm, Tanev, etc.) would be given the option to stick around for the rebuild or be traded - which is what happens with the start to pretty much any rebuild.