Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
In 1988-89 there was no cap. That's a huge factor. There's probably no way you could have a team with that many great players today, unless there are a bunch on ELCs (looking back, Joe N and Roberts would have been on ELCs and some other would have been on RFA contracts).
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Yes, your entry-level deals and RFA contracts have to help there, but also remember that Gaudreau makes less than 7 million a year, Tkachuk is on a bridge, the Flames' top defencemen (who is aging) is less than 7.... This is the 'window' so to speak.
You can also look at other teams around the NHL like Tampa, Boston, etc., that have a number of 'star' players that you can consider elite. It is incredibly difficult to do, but the core on the team is signed for a certain window.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinny01
I tend to agree. The Flames could land a top 10 pick or high end prospect with a Gaudreau trade.
I am not sure how they can afford Hall without shipping out a $5M+ salary
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There is no way that Gaudreau will be returning a top 10 pick. No team in that situation is going to trade their top 10 pick for 2 years of Gaudreau. Philly is also not going to give up Konecny for Gaudreau - would you if you were Philly? I would keep the much younger player that I have way more years of control over.
Outside of getting lucky on a team that is over-aggressive and trying to contend or make a statement to their fans (Buffalo, I am looking at you!), it would be MAYBE two first round picks (low picks), and a decent roster player. Sure, they might end up being 1 Pastrnak and 1 Tarasenko, but they will more likely be 2 Jankowskis, or 1 Jankowski and 1 Bill Bumface.
Gaudreau will have to be traded for known quantities in (what I hope) is one roster player with upside still, or a package of prospects that the Flames are confident can step up into the NHL and start contributing on their ELCs (so really good prospects).
I guess another option is flipping the assets acquired in a Gaudreau trade and trying to acquire another player, even keeping some assets and using others to acquire additional help.
Still, I think this team needs to make some big moves in acquiring more talent, and not be so concerned with the asset pool. I will gladly welcome a cycle of 9 year rebuilds with one great Stanley Cup winning season every 10 years.
This rebuild started in the 2012-13 season (Monahan). The Flames today are a bubble-team. Either tear it down and start over, or add to this core and see where it can go. Acquiring good pieces and then sending good pieces away I just don't see as being overly productive, especially when I believe this team to be constructed rather decently, but suffers from poor coaching.
The whole point of rebuilding was to build a contender... so do what you need to do to build one. The whole point of rebuilding is to accumulate assets. A great team is able to do both exceptionally well (Tampa, Buffalo, etc), but there are points in the cycle that you simply have to go 'all in', and taking a look at the contracts of Monahan, Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Giordano, while having solid contracts on depth in Dube, Mangiapane, goaltending, etc., just reaffirms that to me.