so my final takeaway of the deadline is this:
- They were in no position to be making the moves that their peers are, they aren't a above average team... so that's good
- They are in the thick of a WC spot, so they can't realistically throw in the towel and expect to remain in the hunt. We all know how important 2 home games are for this franchise every year. So can't be disappointed in letting brodie/hamonic walk for nothing this offseason.
- No big hockey deals get done this time of year anymore, so can't get too upset with that.
So based on that, the deadline is not bad, not good, just average.
I will say this. My anger/frustration at the lack of any improvement in this team in a whole calendar year has left me done with this GM. I like Treliving the guy, but he's not a good NHL hockey GM. We are no closer to winning a cup, heck building a contender than the day he joined this franchise.
I think the flames realistically have a 50/50 shot at getting into the playoffs. They have one of the hardest schedules over the next month and a half, and it starts immediately in Boston tomorrow. If they do make it, they are facing a Vegas team that owns them or the cup champs who are kind of built for hard/heavy playoff hockey.
If they aren't going to make it, I'd appreciate the wheels falling off real quick and let's try to fall into a top 10 pick.
Regardless, I would prefer a new GM at the helm to decide the fate of this core this offseason. I have no real faith in him to take this franchise farther than he has in his half a decade or whatever its been.
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