Quote:
Originally Posted by sun
How many GMs has Button worked for in Calgary now? I feel like with each interview he must say "here are the guys we (Feaster/Sutter/C.Button/Coates?) picked... and here are the guys I wanted to pick..." Why else would he still be around for so long?
I like our last four drafts, but they probably always look good until a few years have passed.
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If you follow the drafts every year closely, you do start to see that evolution happening, and you are starting to realize that the 'potential' is starting to translate more.
I think it is safe to say that gone are the days that we get excited about Boyd. Heck, we didn't get very down over Howse (50 goal scorer) and even Wahl (looked like he was poised to crack the lineup as a center, which was desperately needed, and he was a GREAT legitimate prospect to have in any organization until he got his bell rung severely).
I can't remember the Flames being this deep in legitimate prospects since the 80's. It isn't just the 'hype train' that makes me feel it.
Want evidence? Sutter for a season was a bit too far ahead of the curve. He decided one year that it would be for the best if the Heat focused on having their actual prospects on the team being the core of that team, rather than stocking it with career AHL'ers and having the prospects fill the gaps around them. What happened? Terrible, terrible team from what I remember.
This year, who is essentially the 'core' of the Heat team? What are the players that are really pushing that team? How are the Heat doing? Did you notice a huge drop-off when they recalled a number of prospects up? Do you see the difference?
Then you look at guys on the Flames now - Brodie and Backlund. Gaudreau - even if he 'fails', look at what he accomplished thus far - that's very good drafting. Reinhart, Wotherspoon, Granlund, Bouma, Ortio, etc - they have all looked like they belong in the NHL, or are on the cusp of it. Baertschi looks like he is on the cusp and back on track.
You have to give the development program two thumbs up as well - Byron looks like a legitimate NHL'er now. Brodie was not only a good draft pick, but he developed VERY well in the AHL in the Flames' org. Bouma took some years, but I consider him an NHL'er now.
The more you look into it, the more difficult it becomes to remain negative on the Flames' drafting and development program. Sure, they haven't proved to be turning out superstars at the moment, but you can't simply take the stance on "Show me first, then I might believe it". They are proving it as we speak, bit by bit, by getting more and more drafted prospects into the NHL. You like the last 4 drafts for a reason, and I think I just more or less accurately summarized your reasons there. Look back at the 4 drafts before that (and for 4 year segments as whole) - and remember what you felt about them. Players would bust way sooner. They aren't 'busting' any longer - not at the rate you have come to expect from the Flames, and that is a huge difference.
Want to know why I feel the Flames are better positioned for a faster turn-around than the Oilers? Just look at the OKC Barons, and compare them to the Heat. Then compare the individuals on each roster. Flames are building it really, really well, and in my opinion, Button has been at (or very near) the heart of that I would say.
As for Button surviving so many GMs - I don't know why exactly. I can't answer that.
As for Button not drafting enough NHL players in the past - perhaps it had a lot to do with the scouting budget at the time? Flames had one of the smallest budgets and near the bottom in terms of number of scouts employed. Maybe he simply wasn't very good back then, but has been learning and find-tuning his craft? Maybe past GMs took more control? Maybe it was a combination of everything?