Really hope Tanev is ok. Would hate to see a valuable asset out for long. Been thinking more and more about just wanting some draft picks out of trades this year. Would be great to get some decent prospects too but quality draft capital would be ideal. It’s just so rare for teams to give up sure-fire A-level prospects for rentals so I really think focusing on draft picks is the best move. If the flames come away with 2 first round picks, 2 second round picks, and 2 third round picks in exchange for Hanifin, Lindholm and Tanev… I‘ll be happy. I keep thinking we’re going to get more in return in the trades the flames have been making so I won’t hold my breath for much more than that. Finish out the season post-TDL with something like this (hoping Kylington returns):
Zary-Kadri-Posposil/Coronato
Huberdeau-Backlund-Coleman
Mangiapane-Sharangovich-Posposil/Coronato
Dube-Ruzicka-Greer/Duehr
Weegar-Soloviov
Kylington-Andersson
Gilbert-Poirier (if healthy)
Cycle in some guys from the farm for the rest of the season (eg. Klapka). Give them a taste of what the NHL regular season is like. It’s also very possible teams will send back a contract or two to the flames in a trade to make the cap work so those guys might take a roster spot from above. Either way… take the opportunity to give young guys minutes - and make it decent minutes to have an opportunity to succeed.
The coaching staff have been protecting Zary a little by not putting him out there in the last few minutes of games which can be a good thing for young players… but I would like to see them put him into more of those kind of situations to get him used to closing out a game with a lead. I know the coaches are just putting the guys out there to win but, most of the time, Zary has looked very capable defensively (with tonight’s game against the Avs being an exception). Maybe give him some games at center as well… that’s what he was drafted and developed so far to be.
Finish with a high first round pick (top five ideally), pick twice in the 20-32nd overall range (hopefully get yourself Tij Iginla with one of those), and then pick 3 times in the 2nd round (take some big swings with those ones - high risk/high reward guys).
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