Quote:
Originally Posted by polak
This team is not rebuilding anymore.
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Two of the Flames projected core players are 18 and 19. This team is still rebuilding.
Quote:
Originally Posted by polak
5 years of "rebuilding" is starting to get into "extended rebuild" range and if they regress this year then it's not going to look great.
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Anyone paying attention knew that by the time Sutter was let go the Flames were so lacking in young talent that it would be a scorched-earth rebuild. The team had zero for blue-chip prospects or impact players under the age of 28. I expected it to be 6-8 years until the Flames iced a legitimate playoff team.
We got very lucky that Brodie turned out as well as he did, and that a 4th round pick turned into elite forward. But the rest is a slow process - drafting a blue-chip prospect high in the draft every year for several years and then waiting for them to develop. That only began with Monahan less than four years ago.
The pieces are more or less in place. But it will take time for the core to mature. The Flames have the talent to be in the playoff mix, but it's not an organisational crisis if they don't make it at this point.