How long until we are competitive and an outsiders view on things

[lvsteven]

Well, I've been watching all this from the sidelines of Vegas, where hockey isn't exactly adored but forced upon the city by the transplanted Canadians (like myself) and east coast Americans who still love their home town teams.

My first reaction to the trade was like a lot of people I'm sure. "FINALLY."
And I mean that with the best warmest feelings.
I want iginla to win a Stanley cup as bad as I want the flames to.

I was at his first game vs Chicago and remember it as one of my fondest hockey memories.

But then I wonder if his forcing the trade with Boston off the table was the worst for us.

We get a few decent college guys that aren't special, and a first round pick that will be so late they may not matter.

Iginla must have know the guys who would be coming to cow town and I don't blame him for choosing the pens.

Anyhow honestly, when can we be expected to be decent again?

Edmonton is still pretty terrible, and have been rebuilding for how long?

My hockey IQ sucks so maybe some of you smart hockey minds here can give me some realistic expectations.

Thx!

[Psytic]

Cant really say yet. The guys we currently have aren't enough to get us to respectability. After this draft or next if we have a few gamers maybe 3 to 4 yrs after if all goes well but its all a gamble as we know.

[Nsd1]

Way to early to tell. As jay feasted said last night, their not calling it a rebuild yet. They could trade a few vets and retool with a mix of young guns and vets or they could burn it to the ground. I say at least another year before we know the true direction management wants to go.

[Street Pharmacist]

I'm not sure, but a full for sale is stupid. Starting from scratch with kids who only learn how to lose badly every game rarely turns around

[lvsteven]

What's the general consensus on feaster... Because to me it seems he wants to appease practically everyone.

This will just keep the team stuck where they are.
What you want to bet kipper deals are out there but he's worried about backlash and a fight since he doesn't care to move.

Additionally, he's the damn BOSS... Sometimes you do what is BEST for the organization vs what an employee wants.

[Stay Golden]

all depends how much they gut this team and just what UFA's even are willing to sign here and if any of them are First line talent.

[afc wimbledon]

My fear is that the organization has never seemed to really accept or embrace post lockout NHL facts of life like you can only build through the draft, that leaves them several steps behind the opposition in crucial areas like scouting.

That doesn't bode well for the future for a long long time.

[The Fonz]

3 years

[Fire]

It will be at least 3 more years of pain before we make the playoffs again.

[kyuss275]

Going to depend on what they do at the deadline and the summer.

If they re-tool they could be back in a play off spot in 2 years, with very little chance of being a cup contender.

If they re-build it will probably take 3-4 years to get back into the playoffs, but going forward from that point, they might have a better chance at winning the cup.

[browna]

As long as the right mix of youth, and translating the cap room we have (and a lower cap hit, bad for other teams) into good players, this summer, maybe sooner then as gloom and doom as it looks now.

And, although with the cap and a lot of other factors (Kirpusoff) its just not the same league or situation, I do recall our first year of Flames season tickets in 02'-03 personally in the Dome watching the Flames get blown out 6-0 and 7-1, to Phoenix and CLB.

And Iginla getting hammered from behind from someone on WSH, with no response from the Flames. This was all around/in Feb 2003, just after Sutter took the coaching duties. That was as bad as it got IMO in the dark days and it seemed there was no hope or light at the end of the tunnel from the roster through and through.

A year later though, with the full year of the right leadership behind the bench and that guy also taking over as GM (Sutter replaced Button after 2003) we're all of a sudden in the playoff hunt, with many of the same peices that looked like junk (Regher) the year before playing key roles.

Different ways to make it back..question is, does the current GM and coach have the skills, and ability to aid in that process, or does the likes of King and Edwards still hold too much control?

[Icon]

depends what other moves happen at the deadline / July 1 / draft.

Possibly 2-3yrs if we can bring in some good prospects.

I'm going to guess 4 based on the ones we have at the moment.

[Buff]

How long will Feaster be in charge?

[Professor Successor]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

My fear is that the organization has never seemed to really accept or embrace post lockout NHL facts of life like you can only build through the draft, that leaves them several steps behind the opposition in crucial areas like scouting.

That doesn't bode well for the future for a long long time.

I'm of this mindset as well. So for as optimistic as I'd like to be, I will say 5 or 6 years.

I really don't know the business so I'm probably oversimplifying and stating the obvious, but for as much as fans have been clamoring for first line centre, I think the organization needs to find the kind of people who can draft these types of players even more.

[Enoch Root]

It will come down to the draft picks and how soon / if the Flames hit a home run.

THey are several good pieces away - that is simply a numbers game - but the key is that stud that you can build around.

Maybe they get him in this year's draft and they are only atwo or three years away. Maybe they don't hit a home run for a while.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Professor Successor

I'm of this mindset as well. So for as optimistic as I'd like to be, I will say 5 or 6 years.

I really don't know the business so I'm probably oversimplifying and stating the obvious, but for as much as fans have been clamoring for first line centre, I think the organization needs to find the kind of people who can draft these types of players even more.

I tend to think we have to watch several more years of the owners fumbling around thinking they have a handle on things, eventually they will admit they are hosed and need to bring in someone who is experienced in building an organization as opposed to just trying to get the team into the playoffs.

If this is the case I could see it being another 7 or 8 years before it bears fruit.

[Table 5]

I can see us back in the playoffs in 3 years... the parity in this league means it probably won't take you half a decade to get back on track. And I'm sure I have my homer glasses on, but I do like where are going with Sven, Backlund, Brodie, Gaudreau, Horak, Jankowski, Gillies etc. We just need more of these guys. More is more.

The biggest holes are of course a #1 center prospect, and a #1 dman prospect, but hopefully this years draft addresses one of them... and we'll probably have the next year or two to address the other.

[bubbsy]

my guess is that the flames are 4 years before making a true push for the playoffs.

Considering this step is only taking place after 4 seasons of missed playoffs = slow clap for king and the flames management crew.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

My fear is that the organization has never seemed to really accept or embrace post lockout NHL facts of life like you can only build through the draft, that leaves them several steps behind the opposition in crucial areas like scouting.

That doesn't bode well for the future for a long long time.

There are other ways to build a team. It's great to have a steady set of prospects moving up through your ranks, but many of the recent cup winners have been led by free agent or trade acquisitions.

The idea you can only build through the draft is equally as harming as the idea that you can only build via trade/FAs. It's all about asset management as a whole.

[St. Pats]

Going to completely depend on moving assets out for a good return. Then some good drafts and draft day deals. If they do it right then it's half a decade away from being competitive.