Quote:
Originally Posted by Hackey
What are the options you see?
I think if you make a hockey trade you 100% downgrade. No way you get an equal or better player to Lindholm making 5 million. I think trying to go that route would be foolish. They did that with Tkachuk and Toffoli and you downgraded twice. That seems like a treading water strategy.
A futures deal is likely a downgrade as well but at least has more potential for a home run and also gives a longer runway to try and build around those pieces. But if that's your strategy then actually commit to that strategy and go all in on it. Trying to win now and retool is likely counter productive.
Do you see another path Conroy could take?
|
I think you’re providing an answer to a question I didn’t ask. Conroy has options. Whether they are a downgrade or an upgrade is a different question. It also doesn’t matter what options I see because I’m not in the room with Conroy. Like you and nearly everyone else here, I have no first hand knowledge of what the option’s actually are. It’s probably a reasonable assumption to make that the Flames have received offers on their UFA’s, or they’ve at least had discussions about their availability and what they might be worth to other teams.
I think you’re right though that it’s hard to see a trade out there where Lindholm is dealt for a $5M player of equal or better performance. I don’t see that happening.
I will say I think this belief that’s teams are either A) contending or B) rebuilding is simplistic. Every team is building in some form or fashion. Whether you’re Vegas or San Jose every team is building. It seems to me a lot of people think it’s one or the other rebuilding or contending, and there’s nothing in between.
Can the Flames remain competitive and ‘rebuild’, yes, absolutely. An example of this is what the Canucks did with Horvat. They traded him for a package that included a 1st, prospect. And a top 9 player. They subsequently traded that 1st for a top 4 D who is a valuable piece in their line up right now. Is that a net win or loss? Time will tell.
The Flames could do the same, or similar. They could trade pending UFA’s for draft/prospect capital to then turn into players. In a sense this is exactly what they did in both Hamilton trades. It’s been floated by myself and others, what if the Flames trade Hanifin for a future based package and flip some of this assets to Philadelphia for Konekny? Or, the Flames could keep the acquired picks and prospects. Those are options.