So, where do we find our Shea Weber ?

[playmaker]

Taking into account our current depressing soft d-core and promising prospect pool, there is certainly a big hole in our system - a true 1st pairing leader, a big pylon who can reliably log 20+ minutes with no real weaknesses in his game. I mean a guy like

Webber, Chara, Pronger, Phaneuf or Seabrook

Brodie is not the man - no doubt he's capable of playing 1st pairing minutes but IMHO as a complementary, offensive minded guy. Correct me if I'm wrong but the Flames have to choose from the following options:

1. Hope for the best and see one of our prospects (Wotherspoon, Roy, Ramage ?) sky-rocket to the elite level.

2. Draft D heavy next year, even when highly skilled forwards are available.

3. Free agency. Very unlikely in my opinion - with our luck we'd get either a mixed bag or post apex journeyman

4. Trade. The downside is obliterated forward pool

5. We don't need one - see '06 Canes or '09 Pens

I can't resist of saying that giving up 2nd round pick in Cammalleri trade still makes my blood boil. Had we traded Bourque for a prospect or a pick, we'd now have Haag, Santini or Heatherington in our defence pool.

Long story short, in our future play off run ...

Brodie - X
Wotherspoon/Ramage/Breen - Sieloff/Roy/Rafikov
Martin/Kanzig/Giordano - Butler/O'Brien/Cundari

... who the heck is our X man and how will we get him ?

[doctajones428]

Gio will turn into our Weber after a bounce back season and given the C

[flamesfan6]

Originally Posted by doctajones428

Gio will turn into our Weber after a bounce back season and given the C

serious? i can't actually tell .. but gio ain't going to be anywhere close to those mentioned

[sun]

Trade for him.

[herashak]

we could use a #1 and a #3. Brodie is our #2 and wotherspoon our future #4. so ekblad + another first round pick we acquire next year? Ekblad and a guy like brycen martin or joe hicketts?

[djsFlames]

Aaron Ekblad. 2014 Draft..

[blankall]

If we end up with a very high draft pick always go bpa with a preference for forwards. Defensemen are harder to predict and become available far more often. A dman will hit their prime after their UFA years start.

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by flamesfan6

serious? i can't actually tell .. but gio ain't going to be anywhere close to those mentioned

... and he's turning 30 in October

[MisterJoji]

Who needs Weber when we have a Chara = Kanzig.

[Caged Great]

We will need to spend a high pick or two on getting one soon, but it isn't the #1 problem.

We still need a couple good forwards (Monahan level or better) as well. It really depends what's on the board when the Flames go to pick.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Who is Therian? I know there used to be a marginal NHL player but past that I have no idea who that is.

As for getting a defenseman like Weber - luck?

[Yanda]

I hope the flames trade more vets at the deadline and try to add more 1st round picks. Then we can draft a forward and a defensemen with a late 1st.

[Enoch Root]

by continuing to patiently utilize the draft and acquire assets.

In a couple years, when we have lots of assets to work with, we can start to go after the missing pieces

[Rubicant]

I really hope we end up with ekblad this draft - he appears to be a potential franchise defenceman.

[puckluck2]

The better question is how do we get a player like Suter?

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

The better question is how do we get a player like Suter?

Sign a player like Parise at the same time.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Same place the Flames will acquire most of their pieces from - the draft.

Patience is the key.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by playmaker

Taking into account our current depressing soft d-core and promising prospect pool, there is certainly a big hole in our system - a true 1st pairing leader, a big pylon who can reliably log 20+ minutes with no real weaknesses in his game. I mean a guy like

Webber, Chara, Therien, Pronger, Phaneuf or Seabrook

Brodie is not the man - no doubt he's capable of playing 1st pairing minutes but IMHO as a complementary, offensive minded guy. Correct me if I'm wrong but the Flames have to choose from the following options:

1. Hope for the best and see one of our prospects (Wotherspoon, Roy, Ramage ?) sky-rocket to the elite level.

2. Draft D heavy next year, even when highly skilled forwards are available.

3. Free agency. Very unlikely in my opinion - with our luck we'd get either a mixed bag or post apex journeyman

4. Trade. The downside is obliterated forward pool

5. We don't need one - see '06 Canes or '09 Pens

I can't resist of saying that giving up 2nd round pick in Cammalleri trade still makes my blood boil. Had we traded Bourque for a prospect or a pick, we'd now have Haag, Santini or Heatherington in our defence pool.

Long story short, in our future play off run ...

Brodie - X
Wotherspoon/Ramage/Breen - Sieloff/Roy/Rafikov
Martin/Kanzig/Giordano - Butler/O'Brien/Cundari

... who the heck is our X man and how will we get him ?

Who the heck is Therien?

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Who the heck is Therien?

I meant Chris Therien from 90s Flyers but you're right (and me probably drunk) as he certainly does not belong to that group - corrected. The rest is OK though.

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

Toronto....there was a time that Shea Weber was Nashvilles Dion Phaneuf