Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathgod
I think you give the team until the end of December to show what they're made of. If they're not within 2-3 points of a playoff spot at that point, you pivot and embrace the tank.
There's no guarantee we're getting McKenna even with a last place finish, and even if we do, there's no guarantee he's going to be a Kucherov or Pasta level winger. He's having a just OK season so far at Penn State.
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I would normally agree with you 100% on 'lets see what this team is made of' by some arbitrary point on the calendar in which to act. However, I really don't any longer. What does this team need to show you between now and December, or the trade deadline (or whatever arbitrary point you want to pick) that you don't already know now about them?
This team is a flawed. There best players that push the game are mostly all on the wrong side of 30. They have promising young players coming up through the system. However, they lack players in their prime with skill. If things go right and they out-compete every other team again, maybe they squeak into the playoffs. Maybe. However, they would most assuredly be first round fodder. They are neither skilled enough, nor defensive enough, nor big enough to compete.
I feel I have seen all I need to see out of this team from the last few years. I am very optimistic regarding the future, but I don't see the 'now'.
As for the 'there will be no chance at Mckenna' talk - two things (and this isn't just directed at you, but in general as I see a lot of posts about him on this page):
1) He is still likely to be the best player in the draft, and better than anyone the Flames have in their organization at the moment.
2) It isn't even necessarily about McKenna. It is about getting a 'franchise level' player to help build around. I am not pinning my hopes on McKenna or bust - it is finding a franchise player to build around.
One of the arguments I also see is "There are very good players drafted throughout the draft still, not just at the top of the draft." There are of course, but those players are few and far between. Your best chance at getting a star player is at the start of the draft, not the middle or end. It can happen, but it rare. I will add to this as well - how much better off would the Flames be by drafting a top 3 pick, and then finding another star later in the draft as well? I believe that the strength of this organization is through drafting and development, and I would like to see the Flames leverage this as much as possible.
I am a Flames' fan first and foremost, so I will watch and cheer and do all that stuff no matter in which direction they go. I just think that this is by design, and that we really know what this team is made of right now. It is a lot closer to picking 1st overall then it is to winning a cup. I think the natural progression would be to just lean in the direction it is closest to for now, instead of trying to fight against the current. I take offence (not from you MathGod - I haven't seen you post anything like this) that by having the opinion that this team should be targeting a high pick, that I am somehow less of a fan, or that I am 'pissing on this team', etc.
I am not openly cheering for losses. They are just easier to get over knowing that this is (IMO) the right path forward, as much as it sucks.