So what does our Future look like?

[Badger Bob]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Fact is we have no idea who will be traded or who will be traded for. We also have no idea who the Flames will target on July 4th.

For all we know the lineup next year could be.

Tanguay - Weiss - Iginla
Cammalleri - Ott - Hudler
Baertschi - Stajan - Morrow
Bouma - Reinhart - Comeau

Bouwmeester - Giordano
Brodie - Wideman
Butler/Regehr - Jones

Backstrom
Ramo

I am not suggesting that will happen, but at this point everyone's future is nothing more than a question mark.

So then why'd you spend the time and effort filling out that crappy roster?

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

And I'll disagree 100% with you.

What coaches don't teach defense? Almost every successful coach has to emphasize defense both at the NHL level and at the AHL level.

Occam's razor here. Instead of acknowledging we have a lack of talent in the minors people somehow believe Ward coaches anti-offense. It's a ridiculous assertion. Pretty easy to see we don't have a lot of offensive skill in Abby. Believing that Ward inhibits offense and that we actually have a ton of talent in Abby which we could unleash with a new coach is a nice fairy tale IMO.

Don't the multiple AHL lifer veterans, that take ice time from the drafts, score? What do they do?

[FlameZilla]

Going forward with a rebuild it's obvious we need to rely on youth. Problem is we don't have a whole lot of youth ready to be relied upon. Backlund & Brodie have been very solid this year. Horak & Baertschi are playing very well together in Abbotsford. I would assume Bouma would be a lock for the 4th line next year if healthy. Maybe Breen makes the team as 7th defenceman. Ramo will be signed and brought over.

I expect Bouwmeester, Cammalleri & Tanguay to be dealt by the deadline. I would think Kiprussoff will retire, but with very few options in goal for next season I could see Feaster signing him to a short & expensive contract 'extension' to make it worth his while to ruin his lifetime stats line playing behind this terrible line up. Ignoring any possible returns we might get from departing players I think this is what we have for a line-up next year.

Glenncross Stajan Stempniak
Cervenka Backlund Hudler
Baertschi Horak Comeau
Bouma Jones Jackman
McGratton (re-signed to league minimum)

Giordano Wideman
Brodie Sarich
Smith Butler
Breen

Kipper
Ramo

[krynski]

bleek.

[FlameZilla]

We have serious organisational weaknesses at C and RW. If we pick top 4 I think Mackinnon is our best option.

Our only position of strength is LW, with Tanguay, Cammy, Glenncross, Hudler, Cervenka, Baertschi, Horak, Bouma, Ferland, Gaudreau, Agostino, Hanowski etc all most comfortable playing there. This is obviously where we need to be selling some assets to beef up other areas. We also need to make room on the big team for Sven to fully blossom.

Glenncross is a local guy, on a great contract with a NMC, and he is currently our best scoring threat so I think he is part of the solution. Tanguay should be traded to a contender for a pick & a prospect. Same for Cammalleri. They are 2 of my favourite players, but they won't be around by the time the rebuild is finished so we may as well ship them out for prospects or young players while they have some value.

I would sanction the trade of Stempniak, but we have no other top-2 line natural RW players, and there's no doubt he has chemistry with Glenncross.

The success of our franchise in the future likely hinges on the return we get for Bouwmeester. A 1st and a top prospect would be a huge step in the right direction. Come on Feaster, put your money where your mouth is!

[Sakari]

Baertschi will surely be in the lineup next year.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

So then why'd you spend the time and effort filling out that crappy roster?

to make a point that anything can happen. but that clearly went way over your head.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

What, in your opinion, is holding him back from being a legitimate top 6 center at this point (and in the future)?

I think he definitely has the defensive acumen to be a shut-down center at this point, and produces enough offense to be considered a legit #3. So what do you think is holding him back from taking that next step? Consistency? Size? Will-power?

I would say a combination of consistency and offensive skill. I think a legit #2 centre on a good team should be putting up 50-70 points. Think Daymond Langkow in his prime.

I think the team would be doing very well to have Backlund a few years down the road as their #3.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by timbit

Don't the multiple AHL lifer veterans, that take ice time from the drafts, score? What do they do?

Ummm well Ben Walter is one of their leading scorers.

Does this mean the Heat have a strong offensive lineup? Nope.

[CliffFletcher]

How long will this team be bad? Well, how long does it take to draft a new core. If you're lucky, only 3-4 seasons.

Because you can play around slotting Hudler or Backlund here and there. But to compete with the best in the conference you need 5-6 elite front-line players. And with the possible exception of Bouwmeester, none of our assets is going to yield an elite prospect. So even giving Baertschi the benefit of the doubt at this point, we're 4-5 elite prospects from building an elite core. And most of them will have to come from lottery picks.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

How long will this team be bad? Well, how long does it take to draft a new core. If you're lucky, only 3-4 seasons.

Because you can play around slotting Hudler or Backlund here and there. But to compete with the best in the conference you need 5-6 elite front-line players. And with the possible exception of Bouwmeester, none of our assets is going to yield an elite prospect. So even giving Baertschi the benefit of the doubt at this point, we're 4-5 elite prospects from building an elite core. And most of them will have to come from lottery picks.

We should be in line for 2 or 3 lottery picks over the next 3 seasons.

[Fischy13]

Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under

Going forward I would love the Flames to get at least one guy who's a good agitator and can pot a few goals from time to time, our own version of Cal Clutterbuck. We haven't had a guy who get's under the opponents skin in a long time.

I believe I heard that Turner Elson will be that guy for the flames, and he can pot some regularly. I haven't seen him, but ive asked a lot of people here in Red Deer what they think, and it sure sounds like that's what he'll be.

[Gord Wappel]

If I was GM I would;
a) be selling any older (shorter term) asset that brought picks or prospects.
b) be willing to carry on some short term (1 to 2 year) bloated contracts in exchange for picks or prospects.
So you will have some expensive but not great players for filling the roster for a couple of years.... as you weather the inevitable and unavoidable crappy period waiting for prospects to mature.
You can also get some free agents in summer with the Iggie/Bowmeester/etc. cap space.