A New Perspective on this Season

[ThisIsAnOutrage]

It’s time to breathe easy

With last year’s magic faded away and the sky-high hopes of the summer lost to the wind, what are we left with?


The bulk of the season to find the answers, that’s what


We’ve got talent, and we’ve got dead wood. Coming off the books next year: Hiller, Ramo, Hudler, Ortio (rfa), Jones, Colbourne (rfa), Jooris (rfa), Russell, Gaudreau, Monahan, and Grant. Two of those guys we resign for sure, but as for the rest? We have room to make changes and deadline deals.


We are also missing some energy players right now too in Ferland and Bouma, and have some serviceable defensemen to swap into the line-up with Smid and Nakladal kicking around the system if we want to scratch whichever defensemen you think is the most underperforming on any given day. There are a bunch of prospects in the system that we think will be able to make the jump to the NHL in the coming years one of whom is looking really good in goal. Better yet, we’re not going to be asking these guys to fill top-line minutes since we know who we expect our stars to be. The lustre of the Jack Adams has faded off of Hartley and he too can go if needed. Even without trades this team can have a really different look to it next year.


So for the rest of the season it’s keep your chin up, savour the wins we get, and Go Flames Go, because sooner rather than later, they are going to go, whether it’s the whole team up the standings, or the dead wood out the door.

Enjoy the ride.

[polak]

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by polak

But you're not just being negative. Nope, nope, nope.

[Flamenspiel]

I agree, take it easy, enjoy watching our core of younger players and replenish the system with shrewd trades for some high draft picks. Its like 2013-2014 again, teams like Tampa Bay among others rebuilt in this way, a couple of years up, a couple down until they were full fledged contenders.

The other thing is that the way the draft is now configured finishing 4-8 from the bottom still gives you a very good chance at 1-3. As we know the Flames have a knack for staying out of the bottom, so this should suit the franchise well.

[Flamescuprun2018]

As difficult as it is to accept, this is a good year to miss the playoffs and land a top prospect. There are several big and super skilled wingers who will go in top 10. Our organizational weakness is size and skill on the wing. Ferland type players with finish.

We are in excellent shape at centre, defence and in goal going forward with prospect development thus far.

Hoping we can secure at least one other 1st round pick (Hudler) and a couple 2nd or 3rd round picks (Russell, Jones). May see Wideman move as well with retained salary this year and next. We still have a bit of cap space to do such.

Also hoping we can secure at least a 3rd or 4th rounder for one of Hiller or Ramo at deadline but that is fading the longer their 0.860 save percentages persist.

Tre will earn his keep this year by how many prospects he collects in a year where he will be free to sell at the deadline (non-playoff bound Flames).