Considering that the Blues won in 2018-19 and the Flames were a contender in 2021-22 without needing to draft 1OA, it is possible to become a contender without full-on tanking. You need some luck and not to screw up major decisions (e.g. Treliving's awful coaching hires).
If the Flames can repeat the most recent draft, they should be have some foundational pieces (e.g. repeat of the 2015-16 drafts) without needing to bottom-out like the Sabres, Hawks, or Sharks did.
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