[News] Sportsnet interview with Maloney (2-parter)

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

Do you think throwing bologna slices on the ice would send the message?

Bologna slices with Maloney's face on em.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Yeah the most disorienting thing about this whole situation is reading Francis articles and agreeing with what he’s saying.

… cats and dogs living together…

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Man after all this dies down and the Flames inevitably extend Craig, heads should roll in their PR and comms department. What a brutal series of unforced errors.

Nailed it.

From the local media to the national this Maloney interview is being viewed as a big misstep and has obviously riled up the online fans at the very least.

[SuperMatt18]

The part that worried me a bit about Conroy was when Maloney dropped the "some of those guys would help us now" or however it was worded.

Kind of felt like he didn't agree with letting all those UFAs walk / trading them.

[Burning Beard]

43 pages of discussion based off some old dudes rambling. Way to go guys!

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Doesn't Murray Edwards live in Europe?

The Sens new owner didn't really have direct connections to Ottawa (born in France, grew up in Montreal, and later lived in Toronto).

I think the Pens were also purchased by a non-local group.

I bet with the Flames, there would be outside interest especially with the sweet new arena.

All true, maybe there is hope one day. But I think the current group have first rights to increase their stake so more likely it just gets passed around the current group. I'm curious how the others outside of Edwards feel about the direction.

[Gaskal]

A lot of the stuff ol' Don is saying, being a mouthpiece for ownership and all, I can understand where it's coming from. But like others have pointed it out, boy was that delivery off the mark!

I don't think the Flames are completely tone-deaf or they would have had Conroy say this stuff publicly instead of Maloney - they know the fans are ready for a rebuild. Rest assured... If Eric Francis is saying it, if Boomer & Warrener are saying it, if the fans are practically screaming for a proper one seen through the right way, it's not as if the head shed are stuffing their fingers into their ears and saying "lalala" on purpose in spite of all this appetite.

Do you hang the gloves up and sell right away? I don't, there's not much point when you have the least amount of leverage and especially not when it's still a buyer's market. Signaling to other organizations that you're mailing it in this early will only get you lowballed in the offers. And even though the Flames have been firmly parked at the bottom of the standings for the majority of the year so far, what harm could it really do in waiting it out until the TDL, particularly when your place in the standings aren't looking likely to waver much between now and then anyway? So I understand where the organization is coming from when they say they'll reevaluate where the team is at when the deadline comes. We'll probably still be in dead last or next to dead last. No sense in antagonizing the players who give a damn about the team and culture and are aiming to win every night, standings be damned.

On that note - regarding Kadri, also understand the comments from Maloney there. I think if he wasn't so enamored with the team and city he would be shopped more aggressively. Loves it in Calgary, wanted to come here in particular, and brings a winning culture - and that doesn't happen very often. I think he probably retires a Flame unless another GM wants to blow their brains out asset wise. You want to make the player happy first and foremost, and if Kadri really likes it here, it leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth if you publicly declare plans to send him away later this year. If he miraculously has the patience to sit through a rebuild and mentor our young centres, who am I to question that.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

43 pages of discussion based off some old dudes rambling. Way to go guys!

I’m sorry for rambling.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The part that worried me a bit about Conroy was when Maloney dropped the "some of those guys would help us now" or however it was worded.

Kind of felt like he didn't agree with letting all those UFAs walk / trading them.

That one seemed like a nothing comment to me - just “we’re bad and the players we traded would have made us not so bad”. Just a statement of fact as to why the team sucks.

I know people argue about this but a lot of people still just don’t pay attention to team building - just how they are doing.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Yeah the most disorienting thing about this whole situation is reading Francis articles and agreeing with what he’s saying.

… cats and dogs living together…

You can bet Uncle Eric is loving every second of this.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I still feel like they could have just said something like "of course we are not happy with where we are, no team wants to be in last place but that's where we find ourselves right now. We aren't going to give up on this season, but we also aren't going to make any short term decisions that only help us win now and not for the long term and still are focused on what's best long term for this season. Our focus remains on building a winning team long term through the draft and the start to this season doesn't change that"

Even the question about high picks from Francis, just say "our priority is building a strong team through the draft and we believe that needs to be our focus whether we pick 1st overall or 17th overall".

Why downplay the benefit that a 1st overall pick gives you.

I still don't really get how they think the message they've went with here is attractive to any portion of the fan base.

This is the post.

If Maloney or the Flames felt the need to address the fans via interview, it was as simple as this post, but they bungled it so ####ing badly and it was insulting to an informed fanbase.

I've been happy with Conroy's moves for the most part and I think the team is finally heading to Tank Town, but now Maloney's comments coupled with Conroy's lack of contract leads me to believe we are going back to the 2005-2013 Flames where we chased 8th perpetually - trading firsts for old players, signing guys like Freddy Modin and Ales Kotalik.

[Vinny01]

When you look back at the last rebuild. The Flames made their 1st of 3 top 6 picks in 2013 and by the draft in 2017 they would trade 2 1st and 5 2nds (including a 34th overall pick) for win now pieces. Hamilton was the only one that made sense as he could have been a decade plus piece when he was acquired

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The part that worried me a bit about Conroy was when Maloney dropped the "some of those guys would help us now" or however it was worded.

Kind of felt like he didn't agree with letting all those UFAs walk / trading them.

Yes, me as well.

I have been saying 'follow their actions, not their words' for the entire rebuild (Conroy’s tenure). But the lack of an extension, combined with these comments, warrants cause for pause. What REALLY concerns me is the fact that there have been no actions from Conroy for a year.

I have no doubt that he was given the green light to do a quick rebiggle. But now, 2 years later, the team isn't better, they're 32nd. And my concern is that there is no longer an appetite to continue on the path Conroy has been walking.

Again, to the argument: judge them by what they do, not what they say, I ask this: what actions? The only actions we have to assess are zero activity from Conroy and a sudden appearance from DM.

IMO, there is reason to worry that the tides have shifted.

[Igottago]

So its in the news today that Vancouver is shopping their vets (not Hughes). Which probably means Hughes is gone eventually. Seems like they are ready to lean into a bad season and starting over.
Imagine they get a top 3 pick and the Flames don't.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

According to Friedman there have not been an good offers for those guys.

Yes, but that could be at least partially because of the way the Flames are framing discussions. If they are saying 'we aren't looking to trade these guys' then other GMs may just be thinking 'okay, I wait until you're more interested in talking'.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

That one seemed like a nothing comment to me - just “we’re bad and the players we traded would have made us not so bad”. Just a statement of fact as to why the team sucks.

I know people argue about this but a lot of people still just don’t pay attention to team building - just how they are doing.

Maybe...or maybe Ownership is actually frustrated they had to move all those players and frustrated they haven't been able to add.

In the offseason I had heard that ownership expected to make the playoffs this year and was frustrated that they couldn't find a way to add in trade or free agency.

I had kind of shrugged it off as the typical rumors attributed to Edwards because of the actions of the team, but I am wondering at this point if it was true.

The lack of a contract for Conroy does indicate maybe there is a disconnect between Conroy and Maloney / Edwards.

And Seravalli being so blunt about Maloney needing to go so Conroy can have success seemed a little pointed too. To me Frank's comments screamed that there is a power struggle going on.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yes, but that could be at least partially because of the way the Flames are framing discussions. If they are saying 'we aren't looking to trade these guys' then other GMs may just be thinking 'okay, I wait until you're more interested in talking'.

This.

Teams arent going to just start negotiating against themselves

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Maybe...or maybe Ownership is actually frustrated they had to move all those players and frustrated they haven't been able to add.

In the offseason I had heard that ownership expected to make the playoffs this year and was frustrated that they couldn't find a way to add in trade or free agency.

I had kind of shrugged it off as the typical rumors attributed to Edwards because of the actions of the team, but I am wondering at this point if it was true.

The lack of a contract for Conroy does indicate maybe there is a disconnect between Conroy and Maloney / Edwards.

And Seravalli being so blunt about Maloney needing to go so Conroy can have success seemed a little pointed too. To me Frank's comments screamed that there is a power struggle going on.



This.

Teams arent going to just start negotiating against themselves

If they truly wanted to improve and make the playoffs last and this year they would have spent some money in the last two off seasons and added at the last trade deadline.

I just don't think they handle things well.

I think they are terrified of a return to 1993-1997, and with that they are convinced that you don't need to worry about the vocal minority and instead focus on what the quiet majority needs to hear.

So many connected to things saying Conroy will get done, so I just lean into that and wait.

[Freeway]

I think when your first several years of franchise ownership are a white-knuckle ride to keep things afloat due to forces beyond your control, it leaves some scar tissue.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Freeway

I think when your first several years of franchise ownership are a white-knuckle ride to keep things afloat due to forces beyond your control, it leaves some scar tissue.

But with a 35 year lease on a brand new facility isn’t there far more stability then back then?

Wouldn’t the last 30+ years of mediocrity also create scar tissue?

It feels like the Flames owners have a vision for how a team should be built and they have not wavered from that approach despite seeing the last 2 era’s of the team accumulate the 3rd fewest playoff wins in the league in the cap era (referenced in the below link and must be excluding Seattle) but only the Arizona/Utah club and the Blue Jackets have less playoff wins than the flames in the cap era

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...-land-delusion

[traptor]

Originally Posted by Bingo

If they truly wanted to improve and make the playoffs last and this year they would have spent some money in the last two off seasons and added at the last trade deadline.

I just don't think they handle things well.

I think they are terrified of a return to 1993-1997, and with that they are convinced that you don't need to worry about the vocal minority and instead focus on what the quiet majority needs to hear.

So many connected to things saying Conroy will get done, so I just lean into that and wait.

They did add last year. They moved a 2nd for Frost + Farabee. Not a big add, and a move that could've helped now and in the future, but it was an add and a 2nd is not nothing.


If you believe the media around the team like Steinberg, they made a strong attempt for Lindgren but he didn't want to play in Canada. Then they made a strong attempt to trade for K'Andre Miller.
I fully understand they didn't make these moves, but intent does count for something (if you believe they were serious)