Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
We don't see a lot of ownership groups walk away from core stars instead of resigning them.
Tavares and Stamkos were taken to UFA, Tavares was lost.
Many teams throw money at guys and keep them regardless of how old they'll be at the end of the term ... Karlsson being the most recent insane example.
The Kings have Doughty and Kopitar on nasty contracts, Toews contract certainly pushing the envelope, Price, Benn.
This really isn't a Flames issue.
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I get what you're saying, but if anything I feel like you're establishing why the Flames shouldn't emulate what are clear missteps.
The situation in Los Angeles ended up costing Lombardi his job. We will see what happens with Doug Wilson this year.
Stan Bowman is on Shakey ground.
Meanwhile, the Islanders are better without Tavares than they were with him...
What makes it a Flames issue is that all the teams and players you listed have had more success and were thus more justified in those decisions than the Flames have had and would be.
Even Jamie Benn, who is on a bad deal, finished within spitting distance of 90 points twice, was a point per game in the playoffs and was a dominating physical presence when he signed his contract.
The flames issue isn't winning cups and signing their team captains to inflated deals, the flames issues is holding onto guys that have never won anything if it keeps them at 10th in the west instead of 13th.
Obviously this year isn't over yet and the flames very well could end up doing some damage once they get to the playoffs, but short of a conference final appearance or a cup, it will be extremely hard to justify supplementing this group of players with anyone. It would simply be a bad decision to stave off being a bad team and getting a high pick that could possibly be the catalyst for the team actually being good again.
I'm not saying let Gaudreau walk, I'm saying be proactive for once and look at the sum total this roster and management group has accomplished and go from there. Trading Gaudrau and then paying hall 40% more to do the same job is just treading water.
I'll be first in line to eat Crow if this team does anything, I'll even bring my own spoon. But let's not pretend this group is a 10 million dollar Taylor hall and a selection of draft picks away from contender status with a 37 year old Giordano leading the way.