Quote:
Originally Posted by RobDoupe
Fans base their valuation of a player on what that player has done in the past, not what he is likely to do in the future. If management is making crucial, long-term asset decisions to please fans, this franchise is in deep, deep trouble.
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You need to draw the fans in though. It's why I think it's important that Baertchi perform well next year. If he can get 40 points as a rookie, I think fans will adopt him as the new face of the franchise and the future of the franchise. If management isn't confident that they have someone that they can pin the future on though, then unless they can trade Iggy for such a player, it's unlikely he'll be traded. If they can develop that player internally first, it's a lot easier to move Iggy, assuming it makes sense to beyond selling tickets and acquiring players. We know fans are hungry for a skilled forward that can score, just look at the Baertchi chants at the dome for evidence. Until we have that player on the team though, Iggy is still a big attraction.
Quite often a 'Franchise' player brings more to a team than you can get back in a return, especially when that player is one of the main reasons people come to see your team. Is a single high first round pick worth acquiring in exchange for a guy that can still score 30 goals and defines the organization as a classy one? For the Flames, it's likely not. If the Flames had a couple guys that were on their way to becoming 30 goal scorers, then that would probably be a fair return.