Well, I think the rebuild has started a few years ago - and it started 'correctly'. The Flames rebuilt their hockey ops department. Without proper scouting and development, outside of your high-end top 5 picks, you will have a good chance of bombing in the rebuild.
Calgary has done a much better job in drafting of late, and I would feel much more comfortable if they decide to pull the plug and do a 'traditional rebuild' now.
I also differ in the assertion that Calgary is not rebuilding, but rather just going about 'business as usual'. There are only kinds of teams in the NHL - rebuilding teams, and contending teams. Incompetence keeps teams 'contending' when they can't. Calgary kept unloading the future for the now for a bit too long. That has been the biggest problem. The pressure to win in a Canadian market is really big, but in the last couple of years, this has changed with the Oilers, Montreal and the return of the Jets.
I do see it as the Flames rebuilding - and they have started with the off-ice product (drafting, development and professional scouts, as well as other key areas in the hockey ops department: i.e. Chris Snow).
They are transitioning from an 'old core' to a new one (though not enough of a core yet, for sure, but at least they are removing the onus of success from their oldest players, to younger ones).
Flames are just doing this rebuild in a way that they remain competitive and interesting. Can they do it correctly? Obviously the posters who are against this type of rebuild say "No". I don't think that will ever happen - I do think Iginla and Kipper will both be traded this year. However, hardly a 'traditional rebuild'. Is it just those two players that signal a rebuild? How deep does it go?
Babchuk and Comeau (especially) will not bring us much if at all on the trade market.
It will be interesting to see how deep the Flames go with trading players for futures. Barring some miracle run into the postseason, I do think that is what will happen.
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