Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina
So why? Is it the owners lacking patience and applying pressure? Is the GMs over promising when/what they can deliver?
Is it the so-called pressure of a Canadian market? I would suggest fans in Canada would more fully understand the need for a proper re-build, yet we see each Canadian team make this mistake over and over again. The Canucks literally followed the flawed Flames blueprint to a tee!
|
I agree that the Flames are asset poor and have been trying to patch for the last 20 years (or more). I think it is a combination of owners not wanting to lose too much money, luck and (lack of) ability to attract talent to Calgary.
From a financial perspective it makes sense to try to have your team be in the playoffs every year, even if they have no chance to win a cup. The other aspect is that a rebuild is hard and does not guarantee success. The Oilers are the only Canadian team who publicly announced that they were going rebuild and we can see where they are.
So when a talent like Gaudreau falls in the Flames’ laps, the natural reaction is to fast track the team. With Calgary not being a destination market for FAs the only way to do that is to mortgage the future to make hay now.
Having said that, with no pressure to fill seats this year, I am very surprised the Flames did not trade Monahan, Gaudreau and others this past off season to try and build up their assets.