[Steve's Stick]

Reading Flames chat on twitter last night and that is a dark hole. Then come here and there is similar discussions -

I don't understand how people can't see that the Flames are NOT operating in a purely re-active state. They have an overall plan and are carrying it out in every decision.

Last year, they likely expected to be worse, but the hot start and Wolf changed that; but that was contingency and they operated accordingly (continue to draft/develop) while not hurting the team - I assume they made the decision that it was in the best interests of development to let their younger players have the exposure of a competitive team and that the returns offered in trades were not worth losing that experience. The cold start this year is another contingency and they are again operating according to the plan - the contingency this time is that they are making decision to not make the team better, but trying to get the pieces they have in the NHL good exposure so that they can be traded.

Everyone needs to chill and realize the plan is to be competitive for 2027-28 and in the interim draft/develop.

By competitive I mean have a young team that will make the playoffs with the pieces to be a contender.

By draft/develop I mean - draft (and as much as possible) and develop

By develop - I mean do not not unnecessarily bump a player up, until 27, let them season in the AHL since that will be better overall for their development. Yes, Gridin or Parekh more likely makes them better, but what good is it to risk their development to make a team better, so that they can finish 8th or 9th last? - give them time and space to develop fully and make the team worse by playing Farabee and Sharangovich - it's win-win - AND there's a chance that Farabee and Sharangovich, given more exposure, if they can play well-enough, might bring in an asset: so win-win-win.

I understand that we lived through BT, who was like a dog chasing cars and had no real plan other than all-in, but if you see what's happening now, it's all good - so relax.

Now there is a group of people out there who would say - well if the plan was draft and develop, why not trade Andersson or Kadri, etc. last year to get maximum value?

But, we don't know the offers: however, no version of an NHL26 trade is getting Jason Robertson or whoever - the return on any deal is going to be some version of the Lindstrom or Markstrom trades - it is unlikely those kind of deals will not be available this year for the same players (and by delaying a year, you get the added benefit of the involvement of players you respect mentoring your younger players) - at best you might get a Byram, but I would assume Buffalo wanted an extended Andersson and that was a no.

The Flames have a plan and things become a lot less anxious if you can see it - just relax - don't freak out if Parekh or Coronato is in the press box for a game - no one is suggesting the Flames are better with them off the ice, but that's the point.