I wavered between 7 and 8 and ended up at 8 just because I'm a positive person. People are focused on trades and how low the team finishes, both of which are not entirely within the team's control. Even this year the Flames have played badly but won games because the other team was so bad (their win against SJ, for example). Trades take two and sometimes three parties to agree - some people think you can just make a trade happen by magic.
The flaw was MAYBE finishing too high last year, but honestly, Wolf kept them in it, Kadri couldn't be moved and Andersson was having a really bad year for him. They did better trading him this year, and I doubt they plummet just because he's gone. As was shown, Vegas had to lose a contract and roster player to even make the deal happen and that player is pretty good. I imagine the same would have happened last season.
I doubt that the absence of just Rasmus Andersson moves the Flames up 15-16 spots in the draft to get Misa or Frondell. And as it turns out, Reschny may be as good as guys higher, like Hagens, anyway.
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