Unless this season turns around by some miracle, a rebuild is definitely in the works. There are no top-level prospects coming. Calgary is not an attractive UFA destination. There is no fixing this by 'continuing to try and win' with what they have.
This team is not as shy of rebuilding as some people make them out to be. It isn't an organization run by a bunch of morons, even if this season was predicted by many. I can understand why they took the shot this year, thinking that things may be different. It is a gamble with millions and millions of bucks on the line.
Now it is appearing evident that it was a bad gamble to take. I don't for a second assume that ownership and management can look at this team and say: "What can we do to get ourselves back on the track this season.. or next season."
I also think that, moving forward, the Flames become more 'ruthless'. This isn't an attractive UFA destination - not until they go on a couple of deep playoff runs anyway, something that they haven't done since '04. So throw that out of the water. The mandate was to pay guys fairly on their deals. The UFA market has generally been awful for the Flames. So, be ruthless. "Sell" more often. When you have a piss poor season between good seasons, sell some players. Give yourself some cap hit, bottom out a little deeper and get a better pick. Take it as "Not our year", and regroup for next year.
Had they done that last season instead of trying to (and failing) to make the playoffs, this organization would have been 'x' amount better off today.
Do that every season. When you are rolling, keep rolling. When you are dipping, keep dipping. Eventually you accumulate enough talent and experience to really make some noise. This 'compete at all costs' makes little sense in the long run. Treliving's tenure started driving me nuts with his reach on UFAs and constant bleeding of picks. He sort of had the right idea at first, like when he sold Glencross, Hudler, and Russell. Be ruthless, because you are not in an average market that attracts an average number of UFAs. You are in a market that you constantly have to overpay for UFAs anyway. Treat your players well and sign them to solid deals, especially the players you identify as your core.
At this point, I would trade all the upcoming UFAs during this season. Sign nobody. There isn't enough talent on the team to win. it makes no sense to sign anybody to an extension. Flames have to rebuild for the next 2 seasons minimum. The good thing is that they do have a lot of decent prospects. They are just missing those high-end guys - the difference makers on teams. All the Flames have organizationally are essentially replacement players for who we have on the roster today. That's not really setting yourself up for improvement tomorrow.
I do think the Flames will rebuild, unless this season turns around by some miracle. I actually don't think they have a choice any longer.
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