I am fine either way with the rebuild or retool.
It isn't necessarily a 'failed' rebuild just because the Flames don't have a Heiskanen, a McDavid, a MacKinnon, etc.
The Flames do have a lot of good pieces still. They can do a somewhat major retool (especially with coaching - that's a priority to me). Go look at St. Louis last season and see the type of team that they assembled. Do you see any of those players? Sure, Tarasenko is a talent, and so is Pietrangelo, but there are no real franchise players there. What they have is a deep team with an identity, and great coaching. Heck, even goaltending isn't great. They are not good enough to be a dynasty by any stretch of the imagination, but they are a top-tier club.
However, I am fine with a rebuild. Keep everyone 25 and younger. Jettison the rest.
If that is the case, then I am firmly on the "find a new GM" bandwagon. I want this burned to the ground. Management, coaches and players.
I will also be cool with a retool. I think it could work, but once again, it has to start with coaching. Get a coaching staff that fits the identity of this team - better yet, have a coach that can give this team an identity besides "disappointing and easily rattled".
Either way, I don't think Taylor Hall is going to sign in Calgary. Unless he dreams of playing for the hometown team (if he even considers the Flames his hometown team), then there is zero reason to sign here. He wants to win and is tired of playing on teams with zero success. Calgary is not a Taylor Hall away from competing for the cup. Maybe with major changes.. who knows... but as of right now, I will be shocked if Hall signs with Calgary.
For the life of me I don't know why this team wants to play this style. It doesn't fit them. They don't have the horses outside of a handful of players to really be able to generate offence from cycling. Their defencemen are, for the most part, really good puck-movers, but then they keep moving the puck back and forth for a while instead of forward as quick as possible.
Find an adaptable proven coach to make this team work, make adjustments (major ones) to the roster, and see what happens. Their style, IMO, does not suit their make-up, and thus you have a team that disappoints continuously.
There are a lot of assets on this team that can garner a hefty return, but this organization also bled assets for goalies and Hamonic, and some small moves that didn't move the needle at all. Looking back, even the small 'win' moves in bringing Gustafsson and Forbort is just more of the same - not enough to move the needle really, you slowly bleed away assets on rentals, and you take away development opportunities for the guys who could have used the playing time.
So, rebuild or retool - I am ok with either, but I prefer a new GM and a new coach first, then make the changes and give this team a direction and an identity both in composition of the roster, and an actual system that fits the roster. Only then will this organization move forward.
|