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Originally Posted by AC
As much as I like Bennett, it's easy to see that having our highest pick in franchise history turn into a grinder 3rd liner and not a franchise player has completely destroyed our team's window.
Now we're a middle of the pack team that won't bottom out enough to get the elite talent needed to win. Problem is even if we sell Gaudreau for a king's ransom and go for the tank, I have very little confidence in the players or picks we get back working out. Look what Iginla, Bouwmeester, Regehr, Cammalleri, Kiprusoff, etc. turned into for example.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Psytic
I wonder this to i'm looking at a tank and quick re-tool but the track record of this scouting staff makes me wonder if we wouldn't end up with more Poirier's, Klimchuck's, Bennett's and Jankowski's. Doesn't matter who we fire or bring in if we are drafting like that still. Is Button actually that good? Serious question he keeps surviving how many management changes.
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Originally Posted by dino7c
Any team would have taken Bennett at #4. Central Scouting had him #1 ffs
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Originally Posted by Zulu29
Yep, that was just crappy luck. Ughhhh...typical Flames, highest pick in franchise history has to bust.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AC
Exactly. I have a hard time criticizing the pick but that's the risk. We could land a top pick and still miss on the franchise players, setting the team back for several more years like Edmonton.
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There was nothing stopping the flames from trading Bennett at any point in the last 5 years except for their own inability to critically analyze talent.
The inability to properly assess talent is what this entire house of cards is built on, whether it be backlund, Bennett, brouwer, neal, stone, Lazar, lucic, etc.
Asking the architect that couldn't see the forest for the trees to dismantle and then reassemble this is that insanity cliche about doing something over and over.
Blaming the Bennett pick for being the difference maker here, like the flames were just along for the ride, is completely absolving a flawed team building philosophy that's failed to identify talent through the lineup.
A 'season saving trade' is exactly that kind of failed philosophy in action.
Make decisions with the long term health of the organization in mind and let the short term success happen and accumulate as a result.