Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
lol, Feaster brought in as the hatchet man.
Not. Even. Close.
The Flames didn't even realize they were trading Iginla until a month or two before the deadline. Eric Francis said following the trade something to the effect of Edwards thought Iginla would retire a flame up to the week prior to the deadline. You don't hire Feaster to be the GM to tear the thing down and trade Iginla if you're under the belief he's going to retire with the team.
The idea that Feaster was brought in to tear the thing down and rebuild just doesn't make any sense at all when you review the history of him coming on board with the team and the moves he made prior to everything falling apart.
The Flames had no intention at all of trading away Iginla until he forced their hand.
They didn't go into the feaster hiring or promotion thinking he would tear down the team, he presented them with a plan to keep winning with Iginla!
Trade for his buddies Tanguay and Cammalleri. Sign Wideman and Hudler. Sign Cervenka. Trading regehr for the capspace to sign Brad Richards. Attempt to trade a top 10 draft pick for the opportunity to sign a guy to 6.5 million per year in order to win now.
None of those moves are made with an eye towards rebuilding. Those moves were a net loss of significant draft picks. The Flames traded a 5th rounder to washington just to negotiate with Wideman 48-72 hours in advance of July 1st.
That is NOT a move a rebuilding organization makes. That's a panic move made by a GM without a plan, in an organization without a plan.
Feaster's tenure was an abject failure that necessitated hiring a career hockey ops professional to bring baseline credibility back to the organization. A job that was so unattractive--because of that lack of credibility--it was reportedly turned down by several experienced hockey people including former flames.
Feaster was there to hold King and Edwards' hand and reload the gun while they shot themselves in the foot.
Unfortunately, there are things once again giving me pause about the input and accessibility of hockey ops to senior management/ownership. I don't know if that has anything to do with Burke's departure but Flames fans better hope not.
|
Feaster running the team into the ground helped start the rebuild so for that I thank him.