The Flames are in a stellar spot to tank (and not just for Bedard, but for a number of good players in a deep draft).
Tkachuk, Lindholm, and Mangiapane are coming off unbelievable seasons that are unlikely to be repeated. The opportunity to sell high is there for the taking. Markstrom had a great regular season and would generate interest around the league too. So would a few members of the Flames' D-corps.
This is a rare case of a team justifiably (and largely involuntarily) dismantling at a time when it's coming off a lot of success - not just some period where everyone was middling to poor (like the season before this one).
The right moves and the Flames could fully restock the cupboards with high picks (including their own) and good prospects, while at the same time having a bunch of cap space to play with.
If they fail to do it, we'll be back to the middling Flames we're so familiar with - getting by, missing the playoffs by a handful of points, drafting in the teens, rinse, repeat.
I think it's the only logical option at this stage.
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