Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinny01
I think this is more of an example of how risky it is to try and tear things right down to the studs in a rebuild. People clamoring for a tear down rebuild are highly likely to see something similar happen to the Flames.
Stutzle, Tkachuk, Sanderson are all fantastic top 5 picks all are or will be superstars. Ottawa started their rebuild 6 years ago and we are accusing them of trying to rush things? I have no interest in the Flames being a complete bottom feeder for 7+ years.
I am not sure at how people can look at Ottawa and think that is the right path for the Flames to take.
I think Ottawa has plenty of talent but they have the same problem as the 2010’s Oilers where they have a bunch of young guys and their vets are a generation apart. Giroux is 35-36, Stutzle is 21-22. They don’t have enough of the middle guys to bridge the old and young. Those Oilers had the Hall, Eberle, Nuge hit the club boys and the Ference, Smyth old dads. Ottawa has made the same mistake.
Here is the question. What market similar to Calgary bottomed out and turned it around? Not a warm climate, tax haven, but a small market team where free agents don’t flock and they built it up from tanking and picking high. Honestly the closest example is Edmonton who hit a once in a generation lottery, had 11 top 10 picks in 13 years and still haven’t won the division, or more than 8 games in a single playoff run while the generational player is in his 9th year in the league.
The focus should not be on tanking as hard as you can for th highest pick by stripping your team to absolutely nothing. Acquire as many picks as you can for assets that are on their way out due to close tract expiry and at this stage use all of those picks to draft and develop players.
In my opinion there are plenty more examples of similar markets to Calgary getting caught in the endless rebuild cycle when they go tank styles instead of coming out as a dominant force
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How about Chicago, Pittsburg and Colorado. Chicago has worse winters than Calgary, not to mention it's dirty and dangerous. Pittsburgh isn't exactly high on any great cities of the world list. Denver is about as close an anagram to Calgary as you can get. On a high prairie plane close to the mountains and far from the coasts. Similiar population as well.
Those three teams have 7 of the 18 cups won in the salary cap era.
As to your other point about not wanting to watch a bottom feeder, the Flames have two playoff series wins in the salary cap era. Two! You're already committed to watching one of the bottom feeder teams in the league when it comes to playoff success.