[Heavy Jack]

You’re ‘plight’ theory isn’t holding much weight here unfortunately my friend. Our friend Tom busted and once it was determined he turned into a couple 2nds and Roman Horak. Had Feaster trusted his scouts we’d have had Kucherov and Gaudreau from that draft and probably laughed our way to a cup or two. Perfectly fine the flames drafted him where they did if he was their BPA. There’s no way they could have known his desire at that time and they turned it into assets, no plight here.

Same can be said for Adam Fox, only we ended up including him as a piece to push Hamilton and Ferland over the top in offer for Hanifin and Lindholm who both subsequently signed sweetheart deals and have been large parts of the core during the ‘Johnny window’.

Johnny Gaudreau himself didn’t hold out, fulfilled his 2 year ELC and subsequent 6 year commitment and unfortunately used undesirable negotiation tactics for fans of the Flames that he had every right as a pending UFA to use in order to get him a somewhat puzzling contract with the Blue Jackets. As it sits, he’s a grand slam pick in the 4th round with his stats that he has right now for the Flames, had he stayed it would have been a no doubt walk off homer for this franchise and it sucks that we can’t see that but in no way would it have been better for the Flames had they not picked any of Erixon, Fox or Gaudreau.

I mean that line of thinking means we might as well just draft lunch bucket albertans and build a rag tag team of bruisers and grinders but hey they’ll be loyal at least when we sign them to their 8 x 1.5’s .

To go along with your 3 examples of ‘plight’ since the learning moment for the franchise from Tom Erixon in 2009, the following drafted players have played significant time and roles with the club, members are welcome to add ones I’ve missed.

Ferland 2010
Granlund 2011
Gaudreau 2011
Jankowski 2012
Monahan 2013
Bennett 2014
Andersson 2015
Mangiapane 2015
Kylington 2015
Tkachuk 2016
Dube 2016