What is the Flames identity?

[shutout]

When talking with people about who should be the new GM, should Sutter be kept, which players to trade or resign, and who should we draft there does not seem to be a clear indication of an identity to the Flames that should help to shape the organization and the team on ice.

Ideally there should be an identify established by the organization that helps them to determine who is the best general manager to create a team in that identity.

The GM would then look for a coach who believes in play to the strengths of the identity. Players signed or traded for should match the identity so that they all play with a sense of cohesion.

I can understand some of not going this direction with draft picks, because you should be taking the best, most talented, player available. Afterwards you can look at moving him if he does not fit with who the team is.

What is the Flames identity?

If they have one, how should that impact the GM search?
If they dont have one, should they have one?
Or is it better to patchwork quilt the organization and team with whoever is available every year?

[ForeverFlameFan]

We don't. And it starts with the organization.

[Roof-Daddy]

"We are decidedly average"

Sums it up pretty well as an organization.

[troutman]

Slump Breakers for opponents.

[Bonded]

Mediocrity

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Nm

[Jason14h]

Past best before date

[Fan69]

That is exactly 78.476239 percent of the problem. Since the hardhat days the team has never had an identity it had to come from the coach.

[flamesfan55]

Sutter

[kermitology]

Safe. Always making the safest choice, which is a path to mediocrity.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Mediocrity

[nik-]

"just make it in and anything can happen"
*proceed to mostly not make it in*

[redmile04]

These replies.. depressing.. but not incorrect.. which makes it more depressing. lol

[FiveSeven]

Turkey Commanders

[sharkov]

Building an arena and having Edmonton pay for it

[FlamesAddiction]

The Flames identity is a team that is mentally fragile and less than the sum of its parts. It's a laundry basket full of random hand puppets. It's a hamburger sundae. Last year, we had a nice big bowl of ice cream with syrup and sprinkles. We lost the sprinkles (Gaudreau) and traded the syrup for ketchup (Huberdeau), and signed mustard (Kadri). Ketchup and mustard are fine if you are putting them on a burger, but on ice cream, it's an unpalatable mess and not one that is easy to undo.

[kirant]

You know when you watch those fictional sports shows and there's the main characters near the bottom, some "elite" team near the top, and maybe a starter rival team to get the main characters motivated to play well?

And you remember how there's generally a montage sequence where everything comes together for the main characters and they start steamrolling the league?

The Flames are one of the teams that get rolled over without so much as an introduction or meaningful impact on the story. They're league space filler.

[dissentowner]

Win-curious

[Wastedyouth]

Mid

[Geeoff]

Does this team even have a core in place? Two of the best players want out.