[browna]

Am all for it, but has to be the right player.

Flames got a lot of good vibes from the players and agents around the league by the performance this year. New building underway, money to spend on long term contracts, increased cap.

It's just finding the right player who will be there around as long as the Kadri and Huberdeau. Willing to go through maybe one more year of pain until turning the corner.

Raatanen would've been that top player, no question. Conroy has to have known something to have been bullish on that.

Marner less so. Age is right but unproven in crunch time and trends on the soft side.

So yeah it can't be forced. But Conroy has learned the last two trade deadlines and UFA July last year that when push comes to shove, for all the current and future positives with this organization and that acknowledged around the league, there's still a bigger carrot/better out there for many players.

He really wanted someone in addition to Mantha last summer and for all the chats around the cap space and players interested here, in the end less came out of that than he thought too, last summer and all season for trades.

So, at some point he may have to pay a premium to get a top guy in this year as opposed to a year closer to the new building. And the team needs to be bolstered (this that player wouldn't want to be the only add) to get anywhere near the playoffs next year, and that's assuming goaltending is as good next as it was this.