Rebuild is better and will hurt less.

[Newton]

So losing your best player for nothing and your heart and soul won't resign seems bad. It sucks.

but to my way of thinking the Flame's BEST season with this current group, the best possible performance was last year and they were a good team but lost to Edmonton and would have lost to the Avs. That was the ceiling for this group and I am a little ok with not watching it for 8 more years and getting smashed by Edmonton.

If they signed Johnny to the big contract - they still wouldn't have a 115 pt per season player. they would have more money spent on a now diminishing star. Still, a great player that is not easy to replace ... but also now instead of a bargain contract it's an overpayment. 14% of the cap used tied up for a decade and we would still likely never win.

Matthew Tkachuk - is a great player too. It sucks losing him. He is my favorite NHL player to watch - and his best seasons are in the future but his best dollars per performance days are behind him too if he is getting 10.5 million over 8 years. but we could still get something good in return for him.

Let's say he brings us:

1) A late first-round pick ... well ... that's usually a decent piece, doesn't replace a star.

2) I watch a lot of WHL, and I sure liked Jake Neighbours who is a St Louis prospect. Captain of the OilKings. I like Calgary taking WHL players over US college or Russia. I'm not Don Cherry I just think they more likely want to play here.

3) Jordan Kyrou I like.

But we also have the cash we didn't use on Matthew or Johnny. Cash is king in the NHL now.

No question stopping to grab great young players is a step back ...but I don't see any way we wouldn't be stepping back next year. At least now there is hope for the future. I think this summer probably saves us watching the Flames finish 6-9th and draft 19th overall and just get a little worse each year for 8 years.

[djsFlames]

With all the cash Edwards will save, maybe he can get some ####ing shovels in the ground?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Cash may be king when you can use it for purchases for a team with a young core and good prospects is one thing

This team is a mess right now and agents are likely licking their lips looking for a desperate over pay

This may be as close to rock bottom as we have seen in a long time

2 top 10 elite talents who were incredibly productive together have effectively jumped ship

Tkachuk for Kyrou straight up would be the best possible outcome but I don’t know why StL would do that

It may potentially be fair value, but these teams are not in equal negotiating positions by any means. One team doesn’t have to give up a young star, the other team is on notice

[cam_wmh]

The Flames were a contender, up until our top duo peaced out.

Thus for the viability of the club, and to appropriately rebuild,0 the most important asset the Flames must move, is Markstrom. He makes them a borderline playoff team. Acquire a Sparks, Hammond, McNiven type. Play him 2/3 of the games. Keep Wolf in the AHL for one more season, and Vladar deputizes. The roster "honesty" will likely have Vladar arguing for more, especially with Sutter -- so bit of a tight-rope walk there.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Cash may be king when you can use it for purchases for a team with a young core and good prospects is one thing

This team is a mess right now and agents are likely licking their lips looking for a desperate over pay

This may be as close to rock bottom as we have seen in a long time

2 top 10 elite talents who were incredibly productive together have effectively jumped ship

Tkachuk for Kyrou straight up would be the best possible outcome but I don’t know why StL would do that

It may potentially be fair value, but these teams are not in equal negotiating positions by any means. One team doesn’t have to give up a young star, the other team is on notice

Shhh, Tkachuk is a top 5 player just behind McDavid, Matthews

Kyrou plus...it totally wasn't Gaudreau and Lindy stirring the drink

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Shhh, Tkachuk is a top 5 player just behind McDavid, Matthews

Kyrou plus...it totally wasn't Gaudreau and Lindy stirring the drink

It certainly wasn’t Lindy, that will be proven out this year.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Cash may be king when you can use it for purchases for a team with a young core and good prospects is one thing

This team is a mess right now and agents are likely licking their lips looking for a desperate over pay

This may be as close to rock bottom as we have seen in a long time

2 top 10 elite talents who were incredibly productive together have effectively jumped ship

Tkachuk for Kyrou straight up would be the best possible outcome but I don’t know why StL would do that

It may potentially be fair value, but these teams are not in equal negotiating positions by any means. One team doesn’t have to give up a young star, the other team is on notice

Mangipanes agent says hi.

[taxbuster]

Disagree. Still have a decent support group and a terrific coach. Round out the cap space with strong middling players on each line...ones who WANT to be in Calgary and some who might be just a bit pissed with those leaving....enough to fight hard to contend from the middle. Who knows?

Flames should be able to get a decent return on Tkachuk if he goes to a team and signs with them...and that's where they need to start.

[rhino]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

With all the cash Edwards will save, maybe he can get some ####ing shovels in the ground?

Not how it works

[rhino]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

It certainly wasn’t Lindy, that will be proven out this year.

No? How many times was it Lindholm in getting a puck then getting it to Johnny?

[Sofa GM]

With a half decent return on Tkachuk there is still a real chance the Flames outperform the Oilers this year.

[Ashasx]

It would be cool if there was a CP poll asking fans what they want (rebuild versus retool) rather than what they think will happen.

[Jore]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

It would be cool if there was a CP poll asking fans what they want (rebuild versus retool) rather than what they think will happen.

Better yet, both what they want and what they think will happen

[camm13]

I too would like to see a rebuild. I just don't see it happening with mgmt/ownership. We still have a decent group, that can probably have us finishing 18th-24ish. What we can get for Tkachuk will set the direction of where this team is going next year. They've commited to UFA's like Markstrom, Tanev, Zadorov that this team isn't rebuilding. I don't all of a sudden see them shipping everyone out, especially when the new event center is still in limbo, and they still want to put people in seats should it finally finalize.

[Newton]

I dont think rebuild has to mean "Trade everything away, lose for 11 consecutive years and hope for a 9% chance of drafting Conner McDavid"

I think they can add good players who are younger and emerging stars and shift the window a season or two later... and that would be more exciting than watching this team peak at a second round loss and just get worse for 8 straight years which seemed to be the plan.

[SeanCharles]

I think most people would rather see the team commit to collecting emerging young players and solid futures to get excited about as opposed to spinning our wheels as a middling team that just lost its two top guys.

I’m a season ticket holder and would continue to go and support if they take this approach. If they decide to add older guys and continue to go for it I will seriously reconsider my financial investment in a team that is clearly too blind, stubborn or ignorant to face reality.

This sucks but we need to adapt to the situation we now find ourselves in.

[camm13]

Originally Posted by Newton

I dont think rebuild has to mean "Trade everything away, lose for 11 consecutive years and hope for a 9% chance of drafting Conner McDavid"

I think they can add good players who are younger and emerging stars and shift the window a season or two later... and that would be more exciting than watching this team peak at a second round loss and just get worse for 8 straight years which seemed to be the plan.

That sounds more like re tooling vs rebuilding.

[djsFlames]

Only dreams now.

(peaceful gorilla face)

[Flamescuprun2018]

Yes poll please! Need to send a message to BT and ownership. Of course they won't listen because they know better but...

Poll needs to clearly spell out the degree of change (edit further):

Status quo: Recoup 2 top 6 wingers for Tkachuk; no changes to core

Minor retool: One top 6 winger + picks/prospects for Tkachuk; no changes to core

Major retool: Recoup blue chip prospect(s) and draft picks for Tkachuk and at least 1 additional move of core

Rebuild: Recoup picks and prospects only for Tkachuk and move several core players out for additional picks/prospects

Complete tear down: Most of Tkachuk; Lindholm; Hanifin; Markstrom; Toffoli; Backlund and Tanev traded in next year for numerous picks and some blue chip prospects. Cap minimum club for 2-3 years or sell cap space for prospects/picks. Noone over 27 yrs old left. Untouchables are only Wolf; Pelletier; Coronato and two/three of our younger Dmen.

[Dion]

I want a NY Rangers style retool, Remain competitive and pick up assests along the way.