Rebuilds are dead. They don't work in the modern game. Flames need a rethink, not a rebuild.
Out:
- Signing UFAs, at all. Unless they're ELCs.
- Keeping talent that isn't generational beyond their good by date (eligible for unrestricted free agency).
- Being a buyer at the trade deadline, ever.
- Having a middle of the road scouting and development team (losing Lov here hurts).
- Making low risk / low reward picks.
- No more cap bloat. No more top heavy rosters.
In:
- Always be a seller at the trade deadline, even for core players. Only accept futures in return.
- Only sign generational talent to long term deals, bridges for everyone else.
- High risk, high reward picks. Take the projects and have the best development team in the league to polish those rocks into gems.
- Enter every draft with two or more first and second round picks. Load up on later round picks for moonshots.
- Build the best scouting and development team in the league, compensate them accordingly.
- Use excess cap space for futures.
- Your NHL roster's average age should be around 23.5 years old.
You're no longer building a Cup contender. Small market teams don't have this luxury.
You're now building a team of up and coming talent that is capable of squeaking into the playoffs consistently 3 of every 5 seasons if your scouts and development team execute.
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