[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Makes sense, but you also don't want to wait too long and make it harder to bottom out fully once you do make moves. It would be tragic if the Flames held on too long and ended up in the 7-10 draft range instead of 3-6, which could provide a legitimate elite talent in a hurry.

If I'm Conroy, I'd target a player focused deal similar to the Toffoli trade for someone like Tanev now (limiting his injury risk). Shifting to focus more on futures for Hanifin and Lindholm in mid to late February, allowing the depleted lineup to fully bottom out for the remaining 25-30 games.

If the Flames ended the year with a top 5 draft pick of their own, a Sharangovich level young player and pick via Tanev trade, and another 2 firsts and mix of later picks or prospect via Lindholm and Hanifin, it would be pretty fair to think this team can turn around in a hurry with players like Zary, Coronato, Honzek and Wolf already in the conversation.

The Flames are not bottoming out into a top 5 pick regardless of when they trade the UFA's.