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

Vinny01 · 11-15-2023, 08:06 AM

Just like in 2012-2013 the flames entered the year with a new coach and a couple of free agent adds to help push the flames to a playoff spot. It was a lockout shortened season and it went poorly for the Flames. Iggy was in his last year and the org was forced to enter the rebuild they tried to avoid for 3-4 years prior. Iginla controlled his destiny which severely limited the Flames return in trade. For some reason they felt they needed to immediately dump Bouwmeester even though he had another season and they got very little for him as well. Kipper opted to retire.

What they had in the system?
On the roster they had guys under 25 in Brodie and Backlund
Gio was approaching 30 but was the clear successor to the captaincy
Sven Baertschi was the top prospect but they also had this Gaudreau kid who was starting to look like a legit top prospect
Feaster did a terrible job of getting assets but he did clear the cap sheet so it was clean when Burke and Treliving came in to continue the build. The team entered their first rebuild draft with 3x 1st including 6th overall but no 2nd because that was moved a year earlier for Cammalleri. The team hits on the 6th pick with Monahan but that was it for the draft and by Christmas in Monahan’s first year Feaster was fired. We all know how it went and the team would make the playoffs early and then start a run of in and out for a near decade. They won a round twice and the division twice. They had a franchise player who should have succeeded Giordano as captain but he didn’t want to stay and the team decided to double down and chase some win now pieces which brings us to today

2013: strengths. - superstar prospect in the system, clean cap sheet, solid top D pair already established, some decent veterans
Weaknesses- very few legit prospects, got very little for their expiring veterans

2023-2024: this team is once again in a spot where they must rebuild. They had a massive disappointing season where many blamed the coach for a bad vibe and hoped that running it back would work. They lose their top 2 drafted stars from the last rebuild and add Huberdeau and Kadri (using a 1st to dump the other top name of the previous rebuild). Clearly these moves were terrible and Treliving decided he wasn’t going to stick around. The flames have Conroy as the guy who will tear it down and get to build it up as opposed to the last time when Feaster did the tear down and Treliving did the build. This team appears to have another late round star in the system with Dustin Wolf. They currently have 4 strong pending UFA’s they can deal for hopefully a strong return. They have all their picks. Recent first rounders Zary, Pelletier, Coronato all look like they will play and Honzek is also a strong prospect. Biggest issue is the long term deals for Huberdeau and Kadri. I can see a situation where Kadri plays his way into being traded but Huberdeau is arguably the absolute worst contract in the league. This team also doesn’t really have a Brodie or Backlund but Andersson is 27 and Weegar is still solid. I don’t think these guys are the level of Brodano but at least they still have a strong top pair to build with. Andersson might be their best trade chip

Strengths: all their picks, better prospect system, good assets to sel, 2 good D locked for a few years
Weaknesses: boat anchor contracts, outside of Wolf no potential superstars in the system. Lack of guys in the 23-26 age bracket

I am curious from you all which situation is better? I guess it will be more clear once Conroy makes these deals to bring in futures. I thought the Flames did a good job of building a competitive team in relatively short order once they moved on from the Iggy-Kipper Era. I might be a fool but I think they can turn this thing around in a similar fashion (drafting high in 3 drafts) but a lot will depend on how they do with their rental assets and how their draft picks pan out.

Personally I think Conroy has a decent setup to start a solid rebuild. I think there are better players in the system and I have more confidence in the scouts now than I did 10 years ago. Which situation do you think is better?

11-15-2023, 08:06 AM	#1
Vinny01 Franchise Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CGY Exp:	Better rebuild situation 2013 or 2024? Just like in 2012-2013 the flames entered the year with a new coach and a couple of free agent adds to help push the flames to a playoff spot. It was a lockout shortened season and it went poorly for the Flames. Iggy was in his last year and the org was forced to enter the rebuild they tried to avoid for 3-4 years prior. Iginla controlled his destiny which severely limited the Flames return in trade. For some reason they felt they needed to immediately dump Bouwmeester even though he had another season and they got very little for him as well. Kipper opted to retire. What they had in the system? On the roster they had guys under 25 in Brodie and Backlund Gio was approaching 30 but was the clear successor to the captaincy Sven Baertschi was the top prospect but they also had this Gaudreau kid who was starting to look like a legit top prospect Feaster did a terrible job of getting assets but he did clear the cap sheet so it was clean when Burke and Treliving came in to continue the build. The team entered their first rebuild draft with 3x 1st including 6th overall but no 2nd because that was moved a year earlier for Cammalleri. The team hits on the 6th pick with Monahan but that was it for the draft and by Christmas in Monahan’s first year Feaster was fired. We all know how it went and the team would make the playoffs early and then start a run of in and out for a near decade. They won a round twice and the division twice. They had a franchise player who should have succeeded Giordano as captain but he didn’t want to stay and the team decided to double down and chase some win now pieces which brings us to today 2013: strengths. - superstar prospect in the system, clean cap sheet, solid top D pair already established, some decent veterans Weaknesses- very few legit prospects, got very little for their expiring veterans 2023-2024: this team is once again in a spot where they must rebuild. They had a massive disappointing season where many blamed the coach for a bad vibe and hoped that running it back would work. They lose their top 2 drafted stars from the last rebuild and add Huberdeau and Kadri (using a 1st to dump the other top name of the previous rebuild). Clearly these moves were terrible and Treliving decided he wasn’t going to stick around. The flames have Conroy as the guy who will tear it down and get to build it up as opposed to the last time when Feaster did the tear down and Treliving did the build. This team appears to have another late round star in the system with Dustin Wolf. They currently have 4 strong pending UFA’s they can deal for hopefully a strong return. They have all their picks. Recent first rounders Zary, Pelletier, Coronato all look like they will play and Honzek is also a strong prospect. Biggest issue is the long term deals for Huberdeau and Kadri. I can see a situation where Kadri plays his way into being traded but Huberdeau is arguably the absolute worst contract in the league. This team also doesn’t really have a Brodie or Backlund but Andersson is 27 and Weegar is still solid. I don’t think these guys are the level of Brodano but at least they still have a strong top pair to build with. Andersson might be their best trade chip Strengths: all their picks, better prospect system, good assets to sel, 2 good D locked for a few years Weaknesses: boat anchor contracts, outside of Wolf no potential superstars in the system. Lack of guys in the 23-26 age bracket I am curious from you all which situation is better? I guess it will be more clear once Conroy makes these deals to bring in futures. I thought the Flames did a good job of building a competitive team in relatively short order once they moved on from the Iggy-Kipper Era. I might be a fool but I think they can turn this thing around in a similar fashion (drafting high in 3 drafts) but a lot will depend on how they do with their rental assets and how their draft picks pan out. Personally I think Conroy has a decent setup to start a solid rebuild. I think there are better players in the system and I have more confidence in the scouts now than I did 10 years ago. Which situation do you think is better?