A rebuild will continue until the team has a solid youthful core with depth.
- 2 top pairing defenseman - Check
- 1st line LW - Check
- 1st-2nd line C - Check
- 1st line RW -
- Starting Goalie -
- Depth - Check
Realistically I think the Flames are a goalie and 1st line RWer away from having a complete core. If we end up with a top line RW prospect/UFA and sign a good UFA goaltender, then I'd consider the rebuild over.
As we've seen with Edmonton, patience doesn't always pay off and in this cap era GM's need to know when to make a move.
That said, it's not like teams go immediately from rebuild to contender. It takes time to develop a young core, but the point of the rebuild is to acquire that main core in the first place.
I predict this will be the last full rebuilding season and the Flames will be a contender within 3 years.
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