The Flames need help at C. Top line and 3rd line (checking). Last year, Backlund and Stajan were servicable likely as second line C men. There is a big difference between identifying a player's ability and acquiring an appropriate player. Darryl did well to acquire Conroy, Langkow and Yelle. I am sure Feaster recognized the needs, but it takes two to dance. Guys like Bolland and Boston's logjam at C are not likely readily available. Hence the Cammalleri experiment (he has played C including in LA) and Cervenka (although Czech national philosophy does not seem to emphasize good NHL style two way play). Given the Flames glut of wingers last year, and in the end being unable to acquire appropriate C's, these were arguably reasonable gambles. Not great, but potentially better than they turned out to be. Colossal failures in the end. But going in to last off season pretty cap constrained, those were the flyers they took.
I think a problem is that somehow the coaches, the hockey guys that the GM trusts, saw the D as adequate. The lack of C and lack of D toughness and acumen worked horribly to compound awful results.
Not being able to get the pieces they knew they needed and hoping that coaching could make wingers in to big league centres killed them.
Darryl was a big gambler and a lot of his gambles paid off early on. Later, not so much. Feaster no longer has to work within as limited of a framework and now is where he gets the chance to prove himself. His gambles were around getting big league C talent. None came to fruition (perhaps thankfully, given the cost) but you have to at least give some credit for recognizing the obvious need.
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