Some positives:
1) Gaudreau wants to re-sign with the Flames. That's great. The Flames look completely listless offensively when he is not on the ice. Hopefully the two sides can come to an understanding. However, no, he did not have to say he wants to re-sign. He could have left it more ambiguously, or even said the usual 'I like playing here, but that's between my agent and the GM'. There is a lot that he could have said that would not really answer the question. He answered it. Still has to work out for him and the team, but he addressed that question head-on, and good for him.
2) I agree with Sutter and some other players - this team was turning it around. I am optimistic to see how they do next season, even before accounting for any changes that are yet (and sure) to be made. Lots of the conversation made me remember Hartley's Flames - how they played with pace, how they were more resilient and committed, how Hartley used to bother them in the off-season and make sure that they were working out hard, how they preached quickness and play at a high tempo. That's a lot of the same things that Darryl either outright said, or that some of the players were saying. Hartley had a crap team, but that team was fun because it played fast and were resilient. Calgary needs a coach like this.
Some negatives:
1) I find it really funny that people think that Seattle wouldn't pick up Giordano if he was left exposed. There is no way they won't. They will pick him up both for his leadership and his on-ice play. It is literally a no-brainer for them. In fact, he is going to leave a really big hole in the lineup, as he is still this team's best defencemen and a pretty damn good captain too. No idea what is going to happen between now and then, but if he isn't here next season, that's going to be a big hole.
2) The area that worries me the most about this team is defence. I really do think that losing Brodie last off-season really hurt this team and its' ability to play a quick style. It appears that now the Flames are also about to lose Giordano. Not too long ago, they also lost Hamilton. That's 3 puck-moving defencemen that are all very mobile with an ability to generate offence in their own ways. Hanifin hasn't been really. Tanev doesn't have a drop of it. Andersson showed that he isn't ready to take a step forward, and you have to hope that he will. Valimaki had a rough year. Nesterov (even if he is re-signed) doesn't have any offence. Kylington is likely trade bait or just un-signed/un-qualified. Mackey had a short sample size - something there for sure, but he is going to be a bottom-pairing D for much of the season. The defence corps leaves you with a lot of 'hope' that they can take a step forward, but that's all you really have. This team is really going to miss Giordano.
I hope that Treliving (if he is still around) doesn't make a panic move to save his job. Don't throw out the baby with the baby water. Make the right choices on who is exiting this team, and who is brought back.
This off-season has a lot of big contracts coming to a head. You can't have either Gaudreau or Tkachuk starting the season as Flames without an extension - if this team is holding a playoff position or even very close, those two won't be traded, and will walk away for nothing either in the off-season (Gaudreau), or possibly by accepting the QO without any intention of re-signing (Tkachuk). He has to figure out if they are part of the solution, and if so, how much they are worth and get them re-signed.
This team has to figure out how to improve their defence.
No need to be an alarmist - I do think that with Darryl at the helm, this team will improve without any changes at all. They need to make moves as improvement isn't satisfactory - either build a contender, or tear it down and rebuild it from scratch. This off-season has to go well. Losing Brodie for nothing last year really hurt.
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