[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Super-Rye

Wolf has been great the last 2 games. Team wasn't great in front of him last night though. If Wolf keeps this up this team will win more than it loses. The team in front of him has a lot of holes but a great goaltender covers some of that up, ala Kipper.

The management team needs to be honest with this team though. Even IF they turn this around and even IF they find a way to challenge for a playoff spot by the end of the year, this team isn't going to contend for a cup. UFAs should still be traded and guys like Kadri and/or Coleman should be moved IF the packages are right.

I'll never cheer for losses and you can't expect that locker room to purposely try and lose. Once stuff like that happens this team is in trouble and really will be 5+ years away from being good. I think they got something cooking here. Some players are really starting to look like gamers and with the right moves this team could be very competitive in a couple seasons.

I understand the want for a high draft pick. I think part of the issue is this team is long overdue for some changes and it's driving some people absolutely batty. Just keep in mind this team can finish bottom 5 and not draft top 4, or it could finish bottom 10 and draft 1st overall. All of these things are out of our control so let's just enjoy the wins when we get them and enjoy that losses aren't heartbreaking in a season like this. As flames fans we have a win/win situation

Let the young players continue to develop into impactful players. If Wolf, Coronato, Zary, Parekh and Gridin are helping this team win a bunch at the end of the season, so be it. If Wolf studs into a superstar now and it costs you a top 3 pick i think you take that. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush and all.

Hopefully the team moves out some vets to make room for some young players, and then the season will play out how it plays out. I hope they get a top 4 pick, like really hope, but if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. It's not worth complaining about for the next 6 months.

There's more than 1 way to skin a cat. Lots of talk about following the Dallas model, but I find the Bruins 2010s model to be more interesting. When they won the cup their best players were homegrown (Lucic, Marchand, Bergeron) but none were top picks. They had traded their franchise player and 1st overall pick Jumbo Joe about 5 years prior and had not a lot to show for it. They also fell butt first into Seguin 2nd overall and was a rookie on their cup team, and would ultimately trade him not long after for....also not a lot. But they were competitive for a big window, fought for cups and won one. Ultimately that franchise did it by drafting well ALL over the draft. Flames just need to focus on what they can control, making their picks count and developing their guys. Everything else is just noise.

Amen! I like that the Flames have never bottomed out into an embarrassingly bad team year after year and do believe hockey gods reward those teams too. Conroy and his staff have given me every reason to believe a full tank strategy isn’t necessary and that the competitive culture they’re maintaining now will reap success sooner than a possible ‘lost decade’ if tanking was embraced. As a fan and still (very) amateur (barely) competitive athlete I hold my teammates to a higher standard than strategic lameness. I’m happy to see this years Flames battling back some respectability and will be cheering individual and team successes.