[Red Slinger]

I think 'intellectual honest' begins by doing a review of the current team and where they're headed. Even if the Flames make the playoffs they are a small team that will get pushed around in the post-season and likely lose in the first round to one of the top two seeds. Do you give away any valuable asset for someone else's garbage? Because no team in the league is going to give away a decent center.

Going after a center via trade at this stage would likely mean an over payment. Also, the Flames would be dealing from a position of desperation, which never ends well.

Short-term, bandaid solutions are the sort of thing that keeps teams from building a solid foundation and keeps then perpetually on the cusp of mediocrocy (ie. Flames circa 2009-present).