Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Making the playoffs or keeping our top-10 first round pick 2025?

stemit14 · 12-26-2024, 11:26 PM

I’m considering this year to be a bit of a wash as far as collecting elite talent through the draft at this point. Don’t think they’ll finish bottom 10 in the league and they likely only get to pick outside the top 20 with New Jersey and Florida’s picks. Might get some decent depth players from the draft but not expecting much.

I am getting the feeling this will be a poor draft looking back. Mostly just a gut feeling but it seems like drafts where the consensus top picks are continually changing can lead to disappointing drafts years later when we look back. And there’s apparently a big drop off after the top 4. So if the flames are going to miss an 11th-16th overall pick I guess it’s good it’s this year. Who knows though.

My hope will be the flames trade Andersson and Kadri some time in the next 6 months and get some more picks and hopefully a decent center prospect… use cap space to spend on Coronato and Zary extensions (go with higher salary to buy some UFA years). Only spend on short term deals for UFA players to get to the cap floor if necessary. If not needed to get to the cap floor, just let it ride with the young players… don’t bother signing UFA players for the purpose of trading them at the deadline. Usually not worth it.

Finish bottom 2-3 next year. Vegas has injury trouble and finishes bottom 10 in 2026. Win the draft lottery to get the top pick in the draft to select McKenna and hopefully get the best center available with the Vegas pick. Likely struggle again in 2026-2027 and get another top 10 pick. By the 2027-2028 season, the team will have a plethora of talent both in the NHL and in development:

McKenna
Zary
Vegas pick from 2026
Calgary’s 1st round pick from 2027
New Jersey’s 1st round pick from 2025
Florida’s 1st round pick from 2025
Coronato
Basha
Misa
Suniev
Center acquired from Andersson trade
Honzek
Gridin

That’s just at forward and I’m certainly missing a bunch of players already in the system and I’m omitting any players that are still to be picked outside the first round in the next 3 drafts. And I’m omitting any trades that could potentially return other 1st round picks - there won’t be many left besides potentially Andersson. Start dipping into free agency in 2028 to fill wholes in the team that it looks like the 2024-2027 draft picks missed on.

Takes crazy luck, great scouting and patience to build a contender. Here’s hoping.

12-26-2024, 11:26 PM	#143
stemit14 Franchise Player Join Date: Aug 2013 Exp:	I’m considering this year to be a bit of a wash as far as collecting elite talent through the draft at this point. Don’t think they’ll finish bottom 10 in the league and they likely only get to pick outside the top 20 with New Jersey and Florida’s picks. Might get some decent depth players from the draft but not expecting much. I am getting the feeling this will be a poor draft looking back. Mostly just a gut feeling but it seems like drafts where the consensus top picks are continually changing can lead to disappointing drafts years later when we look back. And there’s apparently a big drop off after the top 4. So if the flames are going to miss an 11th-16th overall pick I guess it’s good it’s this year. Who knows though. My hope will be the flames trade Andersson and Kadri some time in the next 6 months and get some more picks and hopefully a decent center prospect… use cap space to spend on Coronato and Zary extensions (go with higher salary to buy some UFA years). Only spend on short term deals for UFA players to get to the cap floor if necessary. If not needed to get to the cap floor, just let it ride with the young players… don’t bother signing UFA players for the purpose of trading them at the deadline. Usually not worth it. Finish bottom 2-3 next year. Vegas has injury trouble and finishes bottom 10 in 2026. Win the draft lottery to get the top pick in the draft to select McKenna and hopefully get the best center available with the Vegas pick. Likely struggle again in 2026-2027 and get another top 10 pick. By the 2027-2028 season, the team will have a plethora of talent both in the NHL and in development: McKenna Zary Vegas pick from 2026 Calgary’s 1st round pick from 2027 New Jersey’s 1st round pick from 2025 Florida’s 1st round pick from 2025 Coronato Basha Misa Suniev Center acquired from Andersson trade Honzek Gridin That’s just at forward and I’m certainly missing a bunch of players already in the system and I’m omitting any players that are still to be picked outside the first round in the next 3 drafts. And I’m omitting any trades that could potentially return other 1st round picks - there won’t be many left besides potentially Andersson. Start dipping into free agency in 2028 to fill wholes in the team that it looks like the 2024-2027 draft picks missed on. Takes crazy luck, great scouting and patience to build a contender. Here’s hoping. Last edited by stemit14; 12-26-2024 at 11:32 PM.