Quote:
Originally Posted by Wild GM
That's not how I would answer the question.
The assets were not spent on short-term rentals for 1 year. Rather they were largely spent
- To address the #1 need on the team (goaltending) that was going to otherwise prevent the team from having any chance of competing
- To bring in a guy, in the prime years of his career, as an addition to the core.
The value of those deals and the assets spent extend beyond this year. I think they were brought in to kick the window wider - but I don't think they move the Flames into the true upper echelon.
On paper do I think the Flames are one of the best 5 teams in the NHL? No.
Did I think would be securely in a playoff spot at this point? No.
When I look at the teams near and around the Flames it seems to me they all have similar talent levels and flaws.
So i'm not sure why people expected them to be way further ahead at this point. I just don't see it based on the roster assembled.
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We're not talking about 'Upper Echelon' or 'Top 5 Teams in the NHL' but they should be comfortably in a playoff spot. One of the top 16 teams in the NHL.
You'd spend all of your assets in the top 3 rounds of the draft to 'maybe' make the playoffs?
The fact that they didnt Draft Protect their 1st rounder would indicate to me that this team is expected to make the playoffs, not fight a half-dozen other teams to maybe make the playoffs.
Those are the expectations that the moves made by management appear to have set.
The fact of the matter is that this team is under-performing compared to the quality, and cost, both in actual Cap Dollars and Assets, of the roster.