Quote:
Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
I disagree with the notion of bringing in depth defencemen for the playoffs. Why? I get that you want to reward them for having a great season, but for too long this organization kept throwing away picks on depth defencemen that don't really move the needle.
On top of this - Solovyov, Kuznetsov and Poirier will all need waivers next season (Solovyov has passed through waivers already this season, but he is having a pretty good season). Parekh will be pushing to make the team too. Brzustewicz looked great at camp, and though he had a slow start, his points are really starting to come now, and I expect him to push again. Morin is a dark horse. Grushnikov was labeled as being "almost NHL ready" at the trade - he is still waiver ineligible for another season, but he should start getting some looks.
I would rather test out what we have in-house if the need arises rather than go put up some more roadblocks in front of players, and take away picks like Mews, Mangiapane, Wolf just to try and improve the team for... what exactly? The Flames are probably not going to win or lose a series at this point with a mild upgrade or two on defence. Just keep those picks and use them at the draft, and give some young kids the necessary experience for their continued development.
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I don’t know. I think it’s too easy to say those depth D didn’t help. How would we know? First of all, ‘moving the needle’ implies an impact player. You’re not getting an impact player for a mid round pick. You can get a complimentary player, and most teams, especially playoff teams need those too. Do we know what would have happened if the Flames didn’t trade for Forbort and/Gustavson? No. We don’t. Would they have been better off keeping this picks? Who knows.
As a GM, you have to assume risk. To me, the discussion is more a methodology based. Are you trying to ice a competitive team, or are you trying to build a long term pipeline of prospects? Hard to do both. I know many prefer the latter, and I don’t disagree with that approach but I can also understand why the Flames did what they did back then. I think these larger directional decisions are made above the GM.
On a somewhat related note, I came across an Eric Tulsky quote from his interview with LeBrun post Rantinen trade. ‘We believe that if you have cap space to use, there are always ways to use it’. To me, if the Flames do not find a way to use their cap space between now and the deadline to be on the other side of this discussion and acquire additional picks, that would be a failure.