My personal preference were for the Flames to have moved on from Andersson in the off-season after getting rid of the bulk of the vets - Lindholm, Zadorov, Tanev, etc. I think it would have maximized Andersson's value given his contract was an asset in itself, as well as (hindsight) before his numbers declined somewhat. This is 100% a hill that I die on.
I would still have rather sold Andersson at the deadline last season, as that would have assured the Flames of a better pick (keeping their own probably - but not necessarily). So I would have preferred to trade him then, I am 100% ok with the decision to have kept him as well. Flames were looking like playoffs was an achievable goal, so you don't want to artificially put an end to that. Plus, we don't know what the offers were anyway.
Now he will move at some point. It is what it is. If I were to guess, I believe the difference in value from my initial preference to whenver he does get moved, is probably the equaivalent of a 2nd round pick. Valuable, but I am not going to cry and pout about it either.
The Flames are in last place, and they are the only team in that bottom section that is likely to get substantially worse between now and the deadline. I think they will comfortably finish somewhere in the bottom 3, with perhaps last overall. That sucks greatly from an entertainment standpoint, but you know what? I fricken miss Johnny Gaudreau (RIP). He was so fun to watch, and though last year's team were plucky and easy to cheer for, they weren't exactly fun to watch.
Why do we really watch hockey? At the bare minimum, hockey is an entertainment business. There aren't really any players that are very entertaining right now on the team, are there? Goodness knows that no entertaining players will come here as UFAs either. If the Flames draft McKenna, this team will instantly become entertaining again. If they draft high again next draft (hopefully Dupont - that's really beating the odds, however!), how fantastic would this team become? Pretty damn entertaining.
This is going to be a boring, painful watch for the majority of this season, and perhaps next season as well. It will get better, and it will eventually become really fun to be a Flames' fan again. 2 first round picks last year, 2 first round picks (and counting) for the 2026 draft, and likely 2 first round picks for the 2027 draft too. Lots of prospects shining now. This is going to be a fun team to watch again.
I appreciate the vets right now. Backlund, Coleman, Kadri, Weegar, Huberdeau, Lomberg and Andersson. They are all playing hard and doing their best, and it would be way easier to just coast at this point. Some may be guilty of overplaying and trying to do too much, but I don't see anyone coasting. They are a very likeable bunch. When they get traded, I will be sad to see them go, even if I do get excited with the returns. There is no other way than to continue with this rebuild. It is the best way forward. You don't have to cheer for losses (I certainly don't), but you can accept them a little easier (except for a few teams like the filthy greasers up north).
I just don't understand the complaining. This team is in a full rebuild. I am not sure why there is still some angst left here, and how people are arguing, or even insinuating that the Flames are only rebuilding because nobody wanted to re-sign. Regardless of the circumstances (which contrary to everyone's opinion, is open for interpretation as none of us were in on those individual negotiations and planning), it doesn't matter squat. What matters is where the Flames are today, and where they are headed towards tomorrow. If this isn't a full tear-down rebuild, I must be crazy, as it seems more of a tear down rebuild than almost any other team I can think of that finished with the 1st overall picks in the last 20 seasons.
|