Quote:
Originally Posted by corporatejay
I don't think separating regimes by the person actually at the helm is arbitrary at all. The scout's may rank the players but it's the GM's vision of the team that will also impact which players are drafted, where the scouts spend most of their time etc...
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It does, however, usually take a few years for a GM to have a big effect on drafting.
For instance, when Sutter took over as GM, drafting was atrocious. Looking into it deeper, there was barely a scouting staff at all, nevermind a development staff.
It took a number of years, but Sutter was FINALLY drafting better. His last draft he was in charge of seemed pretty decent. Todd Button after the draft commented on how that year, all their picks were "High Hockey IQ" guys.
Feaster and Weisbrod took over, and they are still emphasizing "high hockey IQ". Feaster has added to the scouting department (namely Weisbrod) and Weisbrod has since changed how the scouts work (they like different scouts in the organization to take a look at the same players).
What Sutter did in the past (as a rookie GM) and what Feaster did in the past in Tampa (rookie GM, owners that were cutting costs) are really hard to gauge. Sutter's first few years were night and day different than the last few years, for instance.
I have more 'faith' in the Flames' drafting just based on how much they have revamped everything to do with scouting and development since those 'dark years'. Is it 'perfect', or even 'great'? I have no idea... nobody does until more prospects make the jump into the NHL and become impact players. I just see a huge swing of the pendulum in the organization emphasizing the importance of scouting and development now, where it was nearly non-existent and an afterthought.
In hindsight, trading away all those 2nd round picks proved to be good for the organization during the Sutter regime. They were drafting terribly anyways, and he did hit more often than miss on those trades.
As for cheering for 30th place...
As a fan, I just won't do it. I will cheer for every win. The losses now just have less of a sting as you start to look forward to the potential they will end up bringing to the organization. You can't help but 'want' to finish last (or in the bottom 3 - just in case someone below you wins the lottery and kicks you out of the top 4 who seem a step above the rest). I just can't get myself to cheer for it... but if they finish last, I do look forward to being excited at watching a potential franchise player getting drafted by the Flames.