[GreenLantern2814]

It’s probably worth revisiting what makes a contender a contender, and then we can see where the gaps in this roster pop up.

Apologies in advance for using the 2004 Lightning as an example - I do think it underscores my point.

#1C (Lecavalier)
#2C who’d be a #1 on most teams (Richards)
1 or more high-skill wingers (St-Louis, Stillman, Fedotenko)
#3F who’d be a #2C on most teams (Modin)

#1D who plays 25+ a night in the playoffs. (No one)
4D who can play mistake-free hockey. (5 defensemen averaged 18 minutes or more a game)

#1G who can play .920 or better for long periods and steal one game out of 7. (Khabibulin, .933, 1.71)

Elite head coach. (Tortorella)

Fill out the rest as you see fit, but without two elite centres, a goalie and a coach, you’re dead in the water.

Applying this to the Flames:

#1C - no. We’re not even sure Our #1C is a centre - a not-insignificant portion of the board wants him back at RW.
1 or more high skill wingers - yes. God damn, does this team love collecting high skill wingers. FFS.
#2C who’d be a #1 on most teams - no.
#3C - yes.

#1D who you’d play 25+ a night - no.
4D to play relatively mistake free hockey - maybe - I think this blue line has about a billion times more talent and ability than the 2004 one, but the entire league is different.

#1G - yes, I think Markstrom is the sort of talent that Sutter can succeed with.

Coach- yes.

You can win with all the ingredients and still have an idiot GM. I’d still replace Treliving this summer.