Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle
Post that classically highlights a fan who is incorrectly under the assumption that we were suppose to be a contender this year.
Our best players are babies. Most of which went directly into the NHL, didn't even have any seasoning time elsewhere, and we are surprised 3 seasons in (for the most senior of those players) that they might not be delivering yet. The cap space if fairly irrelevant until those young players are ready to be in their prime. Amazing how we've gone to screaming as a fan base to develop our key players from within, to raging about how we could have been spending cap space on expensive UFAs...........seems like this is the opposite of what we wanted just 3 short years ago.
This team is going to go as it's best players go, and almost exclusively, our best players, or said best, our players that need to be our best players for us to be a contender (Monahan, Gaurdreau, Bennett, Tachuk, Hamilton and Brodie) for the most part haven't hit close to their prime yet, and are going to be susceptible to major growing pains, which means inconsistent levels of play at the moment.
We can micro analyse to death some of the UFA moves made, but that's not what's holding this team back right now. What's holding them back is waiting for that player list above to mature a little more. I'm frustrated too, would have preferred better results, but this team isn't failing right now because we signed the wrong UFAs, or Bollig is in the minors, or Grossman ate up some cap space, it's failing because we don't have enough top end players. We have the top end talent right now (or so it seems), but our young core clearly isn't ready to hit that next level, and while that's disappointing, if you take a step back, it shouldn't be surprising.
Your comment on rushing to a Monahan contract just shows how off base you are. Now I'm not saying that you might not be right about Monahan, but the truth of the matter is, we won't know for a few more years. Treliving didn't sign him to a 7 year deal now because he was convinced he was worth $6M now versus a bridge deal, he signed him to that because he felt 2 years from now, he'd be worth more than that, and that's when we want him on the best deal we can get. Maybe Treliving has backed the wrong pony, but you have no clue if that's true or not at this point in time. This team wasn't built to win this year, it simply couldn't be given the age of our young players. This fan base has truly lost the plot on what being comfortable with a re-build actually meant, and we should all remember this the next time we are crying about management trying to build a winner with aging vets and how much happier we'd be if they'd just commit to the rebuild. That lasted all of one season around her, then right out the window.
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A well crafted post that knocks it out of the park IMO. You really highlight how and where we've lost track of the issue and the perspective.
IMO Treliving actually has built a roster that looks close to contending at some point. The issue is its not this year that the roster will be contending, its probably 2-3 years away. We have most of the pieces we need long term but they aren't fully developed yet in the case of most.
When our players are fully developed:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Bennett-Jankowski-Brouwer
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
XXXX-XXXX-Hathaway
Brodie-Hamilton
Giordano-YYYY
YYYY-YYYY
where the YYYY's are likely to be from a group of players including Kulak, Andersson, Kylington, Wotherspoon, Hickey, UFAs, trade, etc.
That actually looks like a contending roster to me if the players develop like I think they should/will. The issue is we don't have Bennett in his prime yet. Tkachuk hasn't peaked. Monahan is clearly experiencing ups and downs. Hamilton hasn't fully developed yet. Kulak is just breaking in. Jankowski, Andersson, Kylington, Klimchuk, Poirier, Shinkaruk, Mangiapane are all young pros still. Even conservative estimates would have at least a couple of those turning out well if not several.
The organization has only recently started to become asset rich. IMO the organization right now has the most NHL assets in terms of young players, picks and prospects that we've ever had in my 20 years of fandom. Some poor results in the standings, deep drafts, and not dealing away every 2nd rounder have really helped in this area as compared to the Darryl Sutter years. Instead of needing all of our own picks if not more in order to restock the cupboards, the organization is on the verge of being in a position where we can afford to deal away prospect/picks for the first time that I can ever remember in my time as a fan.
As per the depth chart above IMO we already have the vast majority of the pieces we need to be a contender longterm if several of our top prospects pan out. In addition to that we have bonus prospects that we aren't relying on to turn out but that may give us additional assets to trade. And we still have future draft picks.
I know this season is trying because we expected a step forward and it seems like its a step nowhere. But if you try to look long term IMO the future is still very bright. There are a lot of fanbases that would embrace the inconsistencies of Bennett and Hamilton for the upside of the core that the Flames have.
Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Bennett, Ferland already in the NHL with Jankowski, Shinkaruk, Poirier, Klimchuk, Mangiapane as extra rolls of the dice. Surround those youngsters with high upside with character veterans like Frolik, Backlund and Brouwer.
Brodie, Hamilton, Kulak already in the NHL with Andersson, Kylington, Hickey, Wotherspoon as extra rolls of the dice. Surround those youngsters with veterans like Gio.
Only in goal are we relying a bit upon the Jon Gillies fantasy with McDonald and Parsons as extra rolls of the dice. Or maybe Chad Johnson pans out. Or maybe Elliott eventually does. Or maybe Treliving goes after a Fleury or Bishop or otherwise. Goal is IMO the only major longterm question mark.
Cheer up lads, the future is bright still! I know we wish that future was now but the rebuild will continue to test our patience.