Quote:
Originally Posted by AltaGuy
My point is that trading Iggy and Kipper, and aiming for suckage three years ago would've been a poor decision given that - in my estimation - we were one good center away from making the playoffs last season.
Not really so bizarre. Scorched earth is a poor policy, and there are ways to improve the team without it. Brad Richards is a good example, because he was an opportunity to improve the team by leaps and bounds all in one go. Our prospects have been improving incrementally despite not going full on suck.
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It's very bizzare because you are working in a world of hypotheticals. Brad Richards is not a good example because the team was unable to acquire him. I agree we are one good centre away from being a much better team, but our current strategy is one of the reasons we don't have said player. 3 ways to acquire a good centre:
1) Trade for the player. Due to the Flames current strategy, we don't really have the assets that will acquire this player, or we would have to give up so much that is key to our line up or future, that we would then swap out one problem for another and be right back where we started.
2) Draft that player. Could happen later in the draft, but a scorched earth strategy gives you a much better chance of drafting one, like RNH.
3) Sign a high profile UFA, like Brad Richards. Possible at any point, but IMO a team in the Flames position will struggle to attract any really good UFA's to fill that hole. There are probably multiple reasons Richards ended up in New York and not Calgary: Wanted to be in NY, wanted to play for Torts, wanted to be closer to home. All of the above probably played a factor, but you know what else probably played a factor? Richards also likely liked his chances of present and future success a whole lot better with the Rangers than he did coming to Calgary. Calgary doesn't look poised to win now, or later, how appealing do you think that is to a difference making UFA with his head on straight, likely not very.
So talking about how our strategy is good because we are one "Brad Richards" away from being a contender is moot, because we likely can't attract one given our current situation, and at the very least, can't be used as an argument until we do.