Don't like bleeding picks for depth players, so at first glance I don't particularly like today, but let's see how the fit in.
Not trading Brodie is what I was hoping to see - with the caveat that the Flames re-sign him. Losing Brodie for nothing when the Flames haven't shown at any point in the season thus far that they have it in them to make a long play-off run really hurts in the long-run. Hopefully they get him inked, or today will be a failure. I didn't expect Treliving to sell him for picks, but rather a hockey trade. Really hope he gets him re-signed.
Too bad Hamonic is injured, though I don't think Treliving was going to trade him if he was healthy.
Not a terrible day, not a great day.
I didn't mind the Fatenberg acquisition last year too much - boring but good depth move for the playoffs. What I really hated about it was that it took Kylington's and/or Valimaki's ice-time away, and he didn't look better at all. They lost some playoff experience and subsequent little development exposure. Same thing will happen this year, and I thought Kylington and Yelesin were doing 'fine' out there for the most part in the last few games. Unless there are further injuries, and the expected return of Giordano and Hamonic, neither one of these players will be getting ice-time, which is so critical for their development. It is a different story if the Flames were all-in this year and looking poised to make a long run, but that's not the case, so I think they kind of shoot themselves in the foot somewhat by slowly bleeding picks on depth guys, while also removing critical development opportunities from young defencemen that look like they might take some steps.
Well, let's see how the team responds. Surprised they removed Davidson for nothing - I thought he was a fairly good depth defencemen. I didn't expect he would return any pick at all, but having him around for depth was worth keeping him. I understand it was a doing him a solid, but I thought he looked like a good depth option who played physical and fairly competent.
What I don't have much trust in right now is the coaching, and I don't see Gustafasson improving over his numbers in Chicago much (slow transition game which I think had the biggest impact on defensive scoring - so I don't see what bringing in Gustafsson will do 5on5, but hopefully he can be a better option than Hanifin on PP2).
Forbort will hopefully provide a bit better defensive zone play, which the Flames have become atrocious in.
I think the major problem with the team is not the personnel, but rather the coaching/systems employed, so adding minor pieces isn't going to move the needle at all, and thus my feeling of 'bleeding picks' for minor pieces while taking away development opportunities for the younger defencemen on the team isn't the best move to make.
However, if they can find some consistency in their game, transition faster, and be more competent in their zone, I do think this team can compete with anyone in the west. Glad we weren't buyers.
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