I think the top-bottom rebuild is in full force and as a poster said earlier, some people won't accept that a rebuild is in effect until both Iginla and Kiprusoff are traded.
The heat coaching staff has been completely remade with s players coach that is well regarded for breeding and helping young players. Many people on here wanted him as a the Flames new head coach. And they are winning.
Scouting was pretty much cleared and guys like Goulet and Wisebrod were brought in to scout youth that know how to play the game before they even get here, and just need help along the path to becoming the athlete they need to be. The last time the Flames had any prospects of note it was Phaneuf and only Phaneuf. We are seeing players come in that are being regarded as the best in their respective leagues with Sven and Gaudreau. Supplemented by talented players like Granlund, Seiloff, Wotherspoon, Jankowski, Reinhardt, Horak, Ramage (I think people forget about him. I think he will be an impressive player). Not to mention goalies galore. And the continued development of Backlund and Brodie.
We have about a 10 year gap in player development when our drafting, scouting, and development were all terrible and we have had the lag effects of that for the past few seasons and right now. But eventually all of these players will grow and be 20-25 and then we will really be able to judge how our rebuild went. There are TWO reasons this team has not been a bottom feeder during their lag and their names are Iginla and Kiprusoff. Every success this team has had in the last ten years is a direct result of their play. Even the good players that came in and out were made better while here because of Iginla, while Kiprusoff held us in many a game we had no business being in. People take for granted the unique privilege we have had to be able to watch these two athletes play. We will not see players like them for many years.
That said. It is time for them to go. I think both can still pull in a pretty good return, and I honestly think Kiprusoffs package will be the more fruitful one. People need to have patience through things like this.
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