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Originally Posted by TheScorpion
Yup, this is remarkably concerning. Feels like it would've been incredibly easy to auction him off a year ago when extension talks wouldn't even be part of the equation. All the talk about doing right by the players and ticking off the box of token extension talks for respect purposes only for those players to turn around and screw CGY at every turn. Big time opportunity cost manifesting here.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighLifeMan
What is there to learn? Players in Rasmus' position hold the cards. That's the reality of the NHL today. It's not Conroy's fault that a few players have held him over a barrel and have been unwilling to consider other options.
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The last thing management should believe is that a player will do anything except what’s best for himself. Today’s players have strong preferences for where they want to play, and they aren’t afraid to use every bit of leverage they have to get there.
It sucks. The Flames are at a big disadvantage compared to other franchises. Not quite to the degree we saw in the pre-cap NHL, but it’s getting close.
* Gotta be careful about drafting players who may not want to play in Canada.
* Gotta overpay in free agency.
* On most players’ no-trade lists to hockey trades are extremely difficult to pull off.
* If you try to trade or sell off a veteran in a re-tool, they can crater their value by making it known they won’t extend.
This puts management in an incredibly tough position. They have to be compliant and accommodating to get guys to play in this market in the first place. But those same players will use every means they have to serve their own interests regardless of the interest of the franchise.
I get why the Flames play nice with players. But I think they need to reconsider that strategy. They have to be more ruthless about asset management and move guys on the Flames term and timeline, not the players’.