“Make it to the playoffs an anything could happen"

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

This may be the hottest of hot takes. Yes, the Flames are 6 points out of 10th, but have 10 teams to climb over and 8 of those teams have games in hand.

This was the absolute worst possible outcome for a team struggling to make a decision on dumping their soon to be UFAs. This is a team that has opportunity to make some real significant change in direction and recover from some of the damage done organizationally by the previous manager. Superficially they have played themselves back into the race, but this really feels like smoke and mirrors. Coleman and Sharaganovich leading the team in should be a red flag here and determine sustainability of this all.

Meh. I’ll be honest I don’t care either way. After the Chicago loss I decided to just see what happens. They are playing good hockey and are getting great goaltending. I’ve seen the teams they are competing against to get in and I don’t think any of them are anything special. I think the Flames are going to get in because they have finally gelled.

In general I hope they don’t turn them into the Buffalo Sabres for the next 7 to 8 years. I don’t think that will happen though. They are fun to watch and competitive. The odds are so small on winning the cup I don’t think it will ever happen in my lifetime. The draft is a pure crap shoot. So don’t turn them into Buffalo, make good decisions and see what happens.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Almost certain some players will be coming back in deals

I think this is right, even if prospects.

Which complicates the process a little since you don't have to scout draft picks.

[dino7c]

They might use the cap space to take on players with a sweetener

Players that are decent NHLers but maybe overpaid on expiring deals. A lot of teams will need to be creative to make moves, if the Flames start wheeling and dealing they could have space to take advantage

[driveway]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

However, can we really consider the 2014 Kings who finished 9th in the NHL an underdog, having just won the cup two years earlier? With that in mind, in 18 years an underdog has only won the penultimate championship twice. The 2012 Kings and the 2019 Blues.

Penultimate means "second-to-last." The penultimate championships in the NHL would be the Western and Eastern Conference Championships. The Stanley Cup is the ultimate championship.

I am contributing to this thread.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by dino7c

They might use the cap space to take on players with a sweetener

Players that are decent NHLers but maybe overpaid on expiring deals. A lot of teams will need to be creative to make moves, if the Flames start wheeling and dealing they could have space to take advantage

They definitely might. Or younger players.

The deadline isn't today but if it was, I don't see all picks coming back.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

TBH it kind of down plays the actual way Colorado built that team though and when their rebuild actually started.

2009 Matt Duchene 3rd OV
2011 Gabriel Landeskog 2nd OV
2013 Nathan MacKinnon 1st OA
2015 Mikko Rantanen 10 OA
2017 Cale Makar 4OA

They really perfected the "Suck every other year" method of building a team, and had sprinked in some playoff appearances in the years in between, before really becoming a contender near the end of the 2019 season with the addition of Makar (As we know all too well) and then won their cup in 2022.

So took 13 years from drafting Duchene to winning the cup.

Duchene was also traded for the Byram pick(4th overall).

[Ashes]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Almost certain some players will be coming back in deals

Yeah I think so too, so then ideally we need to open up at least one more roster spot I believe. Now that Dueher is on waivers and Pelletier isn't far away, could it be a Ruzicka move next? Make the 4th line a scoring threat like what Vegas does? Pelletier ++?

Out

Lindholm
(Dueher - Waivers)
(?)

In

Pelletier
(Newly Acquired Player(s))
(Coronato likely - 29P in 27GP)

[dino7c]

Chicago got a 2nd to take Jason Dickinson

he has been their best all around player

they could have moved him for more assets but decided to sign him they like him so much

Example of a pick and a decent player for cap space

[FlamesAddiction]

I have faith in Conroy. He hasn't waivered from his position that you can't let players walk for nothing and never was it insinuated that making the playoffs are a caveat. That of course, does not exclude the possibility of of re-signing them, but it takes two to tango there.


If the Flames are in the same position at the deadline, I can't see all the big UFAs committing to an extension. Lindholm probably wants to try his luck somewhere else after a bit of a down season and Tanev probably wants to chase a Cup. Hanfin may re-sign, and I would be fine with that.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

And could even go further ...

Nobody signs a contract beyond say age 34

If you're 30 ... 4 year deal
If you're 29 ... 5 year deal

Won't do it?

Trade.

I hear you, but I don't like rigidity like that - some players are okay to sign beyond that point, and better to do so, than lose them. Not all, not most, but there are exceptions.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I hear you, but I don't like rigidity like that - some players are okay to sign beyond that point, and better to do so, than lose them. Not all, not most, but there are exceptions.

Agree on rigidity.

But have a set bar, and make the management team argue against ignoring it.

Better starting point than signing players for fear of losing them, and then getting handcuffed.

Like a gas company setting a hedging target (volume hedged by x date).

You don't want to be tied to it. But you want a "rule" in place to argue against and change.

[Finger Cookin]

Lots of analysis here, some interesting stuff. Thanks to those offering some quantitative info.

Seems like from the OP, the "make the playoffs and anything can happen" crowd might win the Cup once every six years/chances. How many true, favorite cup contenders are there at the beginning of each season? At the end of each season? Maybe 5 or 6? Only one of them wins each year, too. So about the same 1/6, despite different approaches and expectations. Maybe a 1/6 chance more frequently, but that seems like a small difference?

It's what makes sports fun and infuriating.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Chicago got a 2nd to take Jason Dickinson

he has been their best all around player

they could have moved him for more assets but decided to sign him they like him so much

Example of a pick and a decent player for cap space

Shayne Gostisbehere trade too.

They got a 2nd and a 7th for taking Gostisbehere from Philly.

He was really good for Arizona for 2 years putting up 82 points in 132 games, and then they flipped him for another 3rd round pick.