Quote:
Originally Posted by Slanter
Yep, I understand this year was a lost year right from the start. I'm just saying these trades lock us into a lost year next year, and probably the next two at best.
Look, I said this was a personal opinion, and it really is. I've got boys 11 & 13. They're in the years where they become lifelong fans. And since they've become aware about hockey, the Flames have:
-Lost the best player on their roster to free agency (Gaudreau)
-Traded the next best player on their roster (Tkachuk)
-Traded the next best player on their roster (Lindholm)
-Traded their best player this year (Anderson)
-Traded my son's favorite player (Weegar)
Look... I know there are better players on the horizon. But we can also acknowledge this currently sucks. I can respect why the Flames management has been hesitant to do this. You're going to lose some fans now, and in the future.
So no, I don't want this team to bottom out hard. Was looking for a softer landing. But here we go.
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If the Flames had added a free agent or two in the off-season, didn't trade any vets and played to their potential and finished in 16th place and made the playoffs to get swept by Colorado in the first round, where does the talent come from to be contenders one day? They clearly don't have enough talent now. They have some promising prospects, but not enough talent to get to the top of the league. They need to add to the quantity of picks and hopefully find a Gaudreau, Hull, Suter, Loob or Wolf in the later rounds. They need to find some top talent at the start of the draft. Then they can take a legitimate run at being a contender.
I am thinking/hoping that we have two more years at the bottom before we start to rise. By then, our young guys will be vets and ready for more. If we have a couple top 5 picks, they can be contributors, too. Once we start getting close to the playoffs, we can add some free agents and go for it.
I understand your fear that the Flames will be like Edmonton or Buffalo and wind up on the bottom for a decade or more, but I think the Flames have shown through their drafting and development that is not what they are.