Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post

Calgary4LIfe · 11-11-2023, 10:29 PM

Just some thoughts:

1) IIRC, every single one of the players that are 'unsure' about re-signing in Calgary were more than happy to re-sign if the price is right. Toffoli included. Everybody wants to play for Calgary for the next 8 years, in fact. When Calgary said no to Toffoli, Toffoli asked for a trade request. This is why he was moved. There also happened to be a buyer. There has barely been any player movement this off-season and into the season thus far. I don't expect much to change for the next couple of months.

2) Who exactly is part of the core in Calgary? Does Calgary even really have core any longer? Weegar and Andersson might be it. Backlund will be gone in a year and a half, so I can't count him as a core member any longer, even though he is a captain. Hanifin is likely gone. Zadorov was never a core member. Huberdeau and Kadri? I guess that's open to interpretation - does a long term deal automatically turn you into a core player? One of the problems with the Flames isn't that they don't draft well. it is because their best drafted players weren't retained, and instead we have a team full of mercenaries that talk about not wanting to re-sign here because they want to see what happens, as winning is #1 on their mind.. but if they get term and top dollar, they will happily stay a Flame?

3) It is great that the kids are being exposed to this. If I am looking up at these guys as a Zary or Pospisil, I am going to probably think that these are exactly the types of players and personalities that you don't win with. I have no fear that this lousy crap is going to be rubbed off on them. Draft a core. Find supplemental players through the UFA bargain-bin. When you are a good team bordering on great, then players will sign here for not outrageous term and dollar. Winning makes everywhere bearable and fun, plus the Flames will have a new building too which supposedly helps, or so I am told.

I am surprised that there hasn't been MORE controversy coming out, to be honest. That's what often happens when a team implodes. It is looking more and more like Sutter was keeping this team together with scotch tape, but his demeanour made it impossible to continue working with him. Out he goes, out goes some of the leadership on the team (Lucic and Toffoli), after a previous year of leadership leaving (Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Gudbranson, who apparently was huge in the room)...

This is just turmoil. I actually expect things to get worse. I am surprised that nobody is saying that the room sucks. Everyone is guessing at it, and I don't know what to think, to be honest, but I am betting it doesn't suck too bad if players are willing to stay here for big contracts with term.

I don't care who else comes out. We all know the direction this team is headed in, and that's fine. For me, it is all sunshine and rainbows for at least the first half. I don't think that the Flames are going to re-sign any of these UFAs, which I think is great. Losses are great, since it helps to set the direction that this team has to take, and to get a better shot at a franchise-level player in the draft. Wins are great since winning is still fun, and I personally rationalize it as the vets building up their trade value.

This a team of mercenaries. I think part of this was Treliving being a 'tough negotiator' with the RFAs, but then turning around and throwing that savings at expensive and ineffective UFAs. Now the Flames are essentially a team of mercenaries, so these trade requests should surprise nobody.

Conroy will get this right. He will trade players when value is presented. There is no need to rush - are we afraid this may lead the Flames to drop in the standings? The only deadline that matters is the trade deadline. Calgary doesn't have to worry about who is in front by how many points, and how many games are left. They deadline - that's it. That's when you see your biggest returns on vets. Let's not get so excited. Sure, players can get injured and then trades don't happen. Sure. However, I would rather do some gambling that as a group, more value will be extracted at or just before the deadline, than if the Flames trade everyone for whatever they can get this weekend.

Think of this as a soap opera. Let's see what plot twists happen, who else suddenly becomes a villain, who has a terrible accident that requires full facial reconstruction but can't even remember who they are and nobody does either (ok... strike that last one).

Point is, just enjoy what happens. Don't get so wound-up. Big changes are going to happen, and this is exciting. Enjoy what you have for the moment and try to guess who the first to move will be, where he will end up, who comes back, how they fit in. How many times will the Flames draft in the first round this year? 2025? There is lots to talk about, to research, even to dream about, and it isn't going to happen tonight, so take a step back and just breathe and enjoy the saga.

Sports is the most fun for die-hard fans because it is such a saga. You can't enjoy the winning as much if you don't have to live through the losing. That's life in general, no? Just enjoy it. This is an exciting time for this franchise - or at least, it sucks so much but we all know that there will be much better times ahead. Bandwagon fans, or casual fans, or whatever you want to call them - they don't get as emotional during wins and losses. They don't hate the losses as much, but they certainly don't love the winning as much either.

Personally, I am enjoying this because I really do believe that the right person is in charge and will guide this team through this turbulent time the right way. This is not a shot at Treliving (well, not intended to be anyway), but I would be a lot less calm if he were the one guiding this team. Conroy will get this team back on track through the draft. Enough with the mercenaries.

11-11-2023, 10:29 PM	#728
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	Just some thoughts: 1) IIRC, every single one of the players that are 'unsure' about re-signing in Calgary were more than happy to re-sign if the price is right. Toffoli included. Everybody wants to play for Calgary for the next 8 years, in fact. When Calgary said no to Toffoli, Toffoli asked for a trade request. This is why he was moved. There also happened to be a buyer. There has barely been any player movement this off-season and into the season thus far. I don't expect much to change for the next couple of months. 2) Who exactly is part of the core in Calgary? Does Calgary even really have core any longer? Weegar and Andersson might be it. Backlund will be gone in a year and a half, so I can't count him as a core member any longer, even though he is a captain. Hanifin is likely gone. Zadorov was never a core member. Huberdeau and Kadri? I guess that's open to interpretation - does a long term deal automatically turn you into a core player? One of the problems with the Flames isn't that they don't draft well. it is because their best drafted players weren't retained, and instead we have a team full of mercenaries that talk about not wanting to re-sign here because they want to see what happens, as winning is #1 on their mind.. but if they get term and top dollar, they will happily stay a Flame? 3) It is great that the kids are being exposed to this. If I am looking up at these guys as a Zary or Pospisil, I am going to probably think that these are exactly the types of players and personalities that you don't win with. I have no fear that this lousy crap is going to be rubbed off on them. Draft a core. Find supplemental players through the UFA bargain-bin. When you are a good team bordering on great, then players will sign here for not outrageous term and dollar. Winning makes everywhere bearable and fun, plus the Flames will have a new building too which supposedly helps, or so I am told. I am surprised that there hasn't been MORE controversy coming out, to be honest. That's what often happens when a team implodes. It is looking more and more like Sutter was keeping this team together with scotch tape, but his demeanour made it impossible to continue working with him. Out he goes, out goes some of the leadership on the team (Lucic and Toffoli), after a previous year of leadership leaving (Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Gudbranson, who apparently was huge in the room)... This is just turmoil. I actually expect things to get worse. I am surprised that nobody is saying that the room sucks. Everyone is guessing at it, and I don't know what to think, to be honest, but I am betting it doesn't suck too bad if players are willing to stay here for big contracts with term. I don't care who else comes out. We all know the direction this team is headed in, and that's fine. For me, it is all sunshine and rainbows for at least the first half. I don't think that the Flames are going to re-sign any of these UFAs, which I think is great. Losses are great, since it helps to set the direction that this team has to take, and to get a better shot at a franchise-level player in the draft. Wins are great since winning is still fun, and I personally rationalize it as the vets building up their trade value. This a team of mercenaries. I think part of this was Treliving being a 'tough negotiator' with the RFAs, but then turning around and throwing that savings at expensive and ineffective UFAs. Now the Flames are essentially a team of mercenaries, so these trade requests should surprise nobody. Conroy will get this right. He will trade players when value is presented. There is no need to rush - are we afraid this may lead the Flames to drop in the standings? The only deadline that matters is the trade deadline. Calgary doesn't have to worry about who is in front by how many points, and how many games are left. They deadline - that's it. That's when you see your biggest returns on vets. Let's not get so excited. Sure, players can get injured and then trades don't happen. Sure. However, I would rather do some gambling that as a group, more value will be extracted at or just before the deadline, than if the Flames trade everyone for whatever they can get this weekend. Think of this as a soap opera. Let's see what plot twists happen, who else suddenly becomes a villain, who has a terrible accident that requires full facial reconstruction but can't even remember who they are and nobody does either (ok... strike that last one). Point is, just enjoy what happens. Don't get so wound-up. Big changes are going to happen, and this is exciting. Enjoy what you have for the moment and try to guess who the first to move will be, where he will end up, who comes back, how they fit in. How many times will the Flames draft in the first round this year? 2025? There is lots to talk about, to research, even to dream about, and it isn't going to happen tonight, so take a step back and just breathe and enjoy the saga. Sports is the most fun for die-hard fans because it is such a saga. You can't enjoy the winning as much if you don't have to live through the losing. That's life in general, no? Just enjoy it. This is an exciting time for this franchise - or at least, it sucks so much but we all know that there will be much better times ahead. Bandwagon fans, or casual fans, or whatever you want to call them - they don't get as emotional during wins and losses. They don't hate the losses as much, but they certainly don't love the winning as much either. Personally, I am enjoying this because I really do believe that the right person is in charge and will guide this team through this turbulent time the right way. This is not a shot at Treliving (well, not intended to be anyway), but I would be a lot less calm if he were the one guiding this team. Conroy will get this team back on track through the draft. Enough with the mercenaries.