I started the comparison to Alex Formenton because I recall so many outraged with giving up a 2nd for Lazar. A tonne of Flames fans like the move too, but some were strangely hell-bent on stating that the 2nd was way more valuable.
A couple points I'd like to isolate and stress:
1) Treliving obviously has decided the Flames are starting a (minimum) three-year window of contending. Lazar has a chance to help out during this time-frame. Even a good 2nd round pick would not be helping in the next three seasons. Lazar fits the age of our young core and our compete window.
2) Someone above noted that Lazar is a "Project" and you shouldn't spend a 2nd on a "Project". I think a 2nd by the very definition of the pick is a huge project. Hell -> Klimchuk and Poirier and Shinkaruk are projects and they were picked 1st round of a strong draft!
3) Of course the Flames wouldn't likely pick Alex Formenton with #47 overall. But I think it's flawed to do any other comparison. In my opinion...if you look at the 5 or 6 picks following #47 OA negative posters will always cherry-pick the best of the bunch and claim we could have had that player instead of Lazar. But the Flames wouldn't have got 6 shots at making the pick...just one. So that's the comparison as ridiculous and hypothetical and pointless as it is!!
Still stoked with the trade. So not-a-rental. Treliving, as always, had a great plan when executing the move. The lack of play at the end of the year proves that. Now it's up to Lazar to prove him right! I know he'll be motivated!
|