[ComixZone]

A bit early for this conversation, but tanking is the right path forward. The way this league goes, we know the structure of Stanley Cup Champions.

Flames don't have the roster to do it, and can't reasonably build it with the tools available to them. There's only one way to build that roster.

...if you don't want to do it, then the futility will continue. This series against the Oilers showed what that top end draft talent does when things boil down to small sample sizes. Big game players that come from the top of the draft make the difference. Tanking/drafting top-3 doesn't guarantee anything, but not tanking/drafting top-3 does guarantee you won't win a Stanley Cup.

I think this years Flames team is legitimately the absolute best we could ask for. Management, coaching, talent - they all executed incredibly well - but it's not enough to overcome the lack of that foundation that only gets built while drafting top-3.