Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSquatch
Agreed, a lot of whiffs/mistakes. And if he hadn't swung at some of those guys, people here would be saying "God Lazar was available and we didn't even try him, fire Treliving!" Most of those instances are times where a veteran was brought in hopefully to teach and lead the younger guys, and what has happened with most is that the vet has come in and done nothing on the ice, and seemingly nothing in the dressing room either.
Briar Elliot stunk. Who should he have got instead? I don't remember a big name goalie going unsigned. It's not like Treliving can do whatever he wants every year. There's holes that need filling, and you fill them as best you can.
I don't see it as dismal failure, he's tried a bunch of stuff and not much has had a huge effect. So I look at the core and see a bunch of guys I'd like to move out while they have value.
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I just feel like he rushed the rebuild too quickly. Brian Burke being there obviously didn’t help either. But this team had just started rebuilding, they were not a couple pieces away from contending. Then you throw in a lot of the whiffs and mistakes and we’re even further back.
Had the Flames had the fortune of drafting a Draisaitl and Barkov instead of Bennett and Monahan, then yes, maybe this team could’ve really started to push their chips into the middle and trade for the Dougie Hamiltons of the world or a legit #1 goaltender.
What this team really needed to do in my opinion was continue building through the draft. They have an excellent amateur scouting staff, so maybe they pick a Mathew Barzal or a Kyle Connor or a Thomas Chabot in 2015. Or maybe they draft an Alex Debrincat if they don’t trade for Brian Elliott and re-sign Karri Ramo instead.
Maybe the Flames stink in 2017 and they’re able to draft a Cale Makar or a Elias Pettersson or a Nick Suzuki. Obviously these are all pie in the sky scenarios, but now this team has serious holes that can’t be patched up or repaired to push this team over the top. It almost feels like this team is what it is and we’ll be stuck in mediocrity forever which is death in the NHL. Being stuck in the middle is the worst spot you can be for any pro franchise. Too good to never draft elite franchise game changers, not good enough to even sniff the Cup.