I don't think Scouting is the problem. The flames were one of the finalist for Panarin when he came to NA. Most players signed are just depth. The Flames have depth. They lack star players.
If they don't want to rebuild, they need to look at selling when it's smart to sell. This will put them in a spot of being a team with additional picks and cap space following a off year. Other than rebuilding, have extra picks is when you see teams hit big on picks outside the top 10. Not always, but your odds go up.
The Bruins is as good as it gets right now, and their core is a prime example of players not taken in the top 10 of the draft. They had a stretch many years ago where they hit on having extra picks in the mid rounds. Adding guys like Pasta late in the first was huge too.
This Flames team roles 4 lines and has 3 very good lines. This is why they out play teams. But they lack talent. This is why the PP sucks, they suck in OT and they never come from behind to win games late. You just aren't scoring a ton no matter how many chances guys like Backlund, Coleman, Dube types get. Good players but they aren't finishing like McDavid, Matthews, Mackinnon, Kucherov types do.
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