Quote:
Originally Posted by Fan in Exile
A hockey team isn't a stock portfolio. They are human beings. Building a team is more than the sum of its parts. Loyalty matters. Continuity matters. Having a mix of vets and youth matters. If we had a manager who calculated as coldly as you, players would not respond well. You would kill the spirit of the team. Your approach may be rational but not realistic.
It is pretty rare to trade a player like Hudler at the end of a season like he had last year. The team wouldn't like it and free agents wouldn't like it. Frolik probably doesn't sign here if we trade Hudler unless it was an unbelievable return.
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I don't disagree with what you are saying, but the business has changed. There is less loyalty on the player side meaning owners can be less loyal as well. To be successful you need to make tough decisions and make moves at the right time. If the team doesn't do that they only hurt themselves.
I think you show loyalty to your core players, but other pieces should be interchangeable and moveable at any time. These guys are professionals and know this is part of the game. That is why they are getting millions of dollars a year and the vast majority of them accept this as part of the game.
If the Flames want to accelerate the rebuild they need to make wise moves at the right times. You may think they need to show loyalty to certain players, and I don't disagree with that. Unfortunately the vets on the team are those that are not on the list where loyalty comes into play.