Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle
Is Lazar now not part of our system that could help us compete in the next 5 years? Again, comes back to the point, fair if you'd prefer the player that the 2nd round pick would become to be part of the system, but let's not pretend this player at this age is a mostly developed asset at this point, and isn't now part of the internal system or funnel we'll have to draw from. Just because we haven't owned him from draft day, doesn't make him any less viable or valuable.
Interesting point in regards to draft pick as currency. I think that's a fair statement. What I don't think is likely is that the Flames were going to be able to leverage this years 2nd round pick, in a weak draft, to pull the trigger on something to fill one of this teams significant holes before that draft pick became an actual player in this years draft.
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Thanks for the civil response.
No, he's not part of the system unless he spends the rest of the year or a good portion of it in the minors. He's got 170 games of nhl experience, he's not a prospect anymore, he's an NHL player. So while he may be a contributing roster player, he's not part of the prospect pool of the team, which isn't deep enough, which is why the Flames traded for Lazar. I think part of the assumption here has to be that the Flames at this point don't plan on graduating anyone from the minors onto the main roster at the centre position. The Flames now Monahan, Bennett, Backlund, Stajan and Lazar in the lineup as centres, with a throwaway like Hamilton capable of playing that position, and under contract, as well. I hope the acquisition of Lazar means the Flames will be moving on from Stajan in short order, but I'm not convinced that is possible.
As for the second paragraph, it's not that I think the Flames were in the position to draft an exceptional player or make an exceptional trade, BUT, not having that 2nd round asset prevents you from being involved in that exceptional trade unless you want to move something even more valuable than a second. If the Flames did not have that 2nd round draft pick heading into the draft they may not have been able to capitalize on the hamilton deal.
If the Flames are looking at Duchene or Landeskog in the offseason and someone offers a 1st and two 3rds, I want the Flames to be able to beat that with a 1st and a 2nd offer because they have multiple second rounders instead of none.
I am stoked on the potential for Lazar to be a bottom 6 centre for the Flames making less than 1.5 million, but the Flames definitely lost some flexibility today and the situation does not look great heading into the draft, regardless of how weak, to augment the prospect system that is badly in need of another blue chipper.