[News Roundup] The rebuild was supposed to be more painful than this

[sureLoss]

The rebuild was supposed to be more painful than this
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...166/story.html

This was supposed to hurt. Hurt like hell. Hurt like trying to pass a kidney stone the size of a croquet ball.

Six months of uninterrupted discomfort bordering on agony. Morphine, not patience, the only prescribed medicine capable of dulling the pain.

Instead, it’s been the most fun in years.
...
No, they’re nowhere near a playoff spot.

Admit it, though, this dismissed rabble is starting to grow on you. If only just a little bit ...

Calgary's hard-working Flames strike right note with fans
http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/03/25...note-with-fans

The Calgary Flames are Canada's Feel Good Team.

It may sound odd to say about a 26th-place team but standing ovations at the last three home games hammer home the point -- this city loves this team like no other.

Think about it.

You could spend weeks debating which organization is the bigger gong show right now -- the Edmonton Oilers or the Vancouver Canucks. Fans are furious in both cities, and who can blame them?

The Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets both

Calgary Flames believe Colborne just Scratching the Surface
http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/03/25...ng-the-surface

Rewind to late September, and Burke had just helped pull the strings on a trade with his old employer, acquiring lanky centre Joe Colborne — a Calgary kid, former first-round get of the Boston Bruins and a guy with a 6-foot-5 frame and some untapped offensive potential — from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional draft choice.

The Flames fanbase was buzzing, at least until Burke told reporters the new guy might just be the next coming of ... defensive-minded faceoff ace David Steckel?!?

“Brian, and I’ve seen him do it with so many guys, is extremely good at not putting pressure on his players,” Colborne said after Tuesday’s optional skate at the Saddledome.

“I’m sure he was hoping I would be a little more of an offensive threat than Stecks is, but (Burke) is so good at taking the pressure and blame off a lot of guys. I’m sure he was just hoping there wouldn’t be too many expectations when I came in.”

Wotherspoon beginning to attract attention for all the right reasons
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...087/story.html

“I don’t find (the media attention) a pain at all. You’ve got to enjoy it. It’s fun.”

Which Bob Hartley would be happy to hear.

The coach, after all, wants no wallflowers in his lineup.

“He’s starting to feel good about himself,” Hartley says of Wotherspoon. “Gosh, that’s great. We don’t want timid kids, sitting in their stalls, looking at the carpet.”

New on the scene, Wotherspoon came advertised, as a shutdown defender. One of those quietly efficient rearguards.

But he may have opened eyes — and raised expectations — with his perfect shot-pass to a wide-open Joe Colborne.

“All the credit goes to Spooner — he made an NHL pass there,” says Colborne. “Fake shot. Froze (goalie Alex) Stalock. Froze the defencemen. Found me with a crisp pass right on the tape. Flat. It doesn’t get any better than that. Those are the ones you dream of getting.”

Adds Hartley: “What a pass. I would have bet my house that he was shooting. Then, suddenly, pow — that rifle across to Colby.”

[Dion]

We haven't had a team work as hard as they do since the playoffs of 2004. It's no wonder fans have enjoyed this season with thier never give up attitude. The change has been nice and I hope the work ethic never dies.

[Scoutski]

It's true, somehow this year has been more enjoyable than when it was down to the last few games trying to squeak into the playoffs. Yay for feelgood.

[schteve_d]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Adds Hartley: “What a pass. I would have bet my house that he was shooting. Then, suddenly, pow — that rifle across to Colby.”

Even the coach is having fun by the sounds of it. This season really has been fun to be a Flames fan! I'm looking forward to the next 2-3 seasons.

[nik-]

Ehhh that's jumping the gun, there's still a lot of pain coming. It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

[schteve_d]

Originally Posted by nik-

Ehhh that's jumping the gun, there's still a lot of pain coming.

Probably right, but as long as we can see progress and have some feel-good stories to follow, games with heart and passion and see the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm in.

Can't even imagine what it must be like to be a fan of the "other" way of rebuilding.

[tvp2003]

I had forgotten about the Steckel quote... with 9 goals and 25 points, he's already far exceeded Steckel's best year offensively

[Aarongavey]

Colborne was a nice pickup by Feaster, I have to say that Feaster put together a pretty respectable team for a rebuilding year, looking forward to Burke improving this teams record next year.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by nik-

Ehhh that's jumping the gun, there's still a lot of pain coming. It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

Maybe so, but if they continue to compete hard every night, unlike what is happening in Edmonton, fans will be patient and supportive. It's been quite awhile since there has been this kind of excitement and optomism about the prospects we have in the organization.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Colborne was a nice pickup by Feaster, I have to say that Feaster put together a pretty respectable team for a rebuilding year, looking forward to Burke improving this teams record next year.

I think it was Burke that pressured Feaster into making that trade. Colburne wasn't the kind of player Feaster had envisioned playing for the Flames.

[Flashpoint]

4 more assists and Wotherspoon ties Erixon's NHL points output.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Dion

Maybe so, but if they continue to compete hard every night, unlike what is happening in Edmonton, fans will be patient and supportive. It's been quite awhile since there has been this kind of excitement and optomism about the prospects we have in the organization.

Yeah, I'm just predicting regression next year and I'm thinking people might go off the deep end if we're worse next year. This won't be a linear process.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by nik-

Ehhh that's jumping the gun, there's still a lot of pain coming. It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

Maybe.

But there's a relatively equal chance that this is as bad as it gets.

Regardless, this season has been a lot of fun. Pretty much undeniable by all accounts.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Dion

I think it was Burke that pressured Feaster into making that trade. Colburne wasn't the kind of player Feaster had envisioned playing for the Flames.

Seems doubtful, Feaster and Weisbrod had said the team had to get bigger long before Burke was involved in the organization. Either way Feaster put together a pretty good rebuilding team this year, I look forward to seeing how Burke can improve on the Flames record next year.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by nik-

Ehhh that's jumping the gun, there's still a lot of pain coming. It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

Maybe. Maybe not.

If the wheels were going to fall off, it would've happened this year. No Kipper, no Iggy, no Bo, no first line, barely an NHL-calibre defence, no goaltending.

It is possible that everyone regresses horribly next year. But Ramo will have a full year in North America. He and Ortio look like they can stabilize the goaltending position for now, and with Gillies on the way + other drafted prospects, I'm not super concerned about the crease going into next year.

Monahan, Colborne, Byron, Russell, Brodie, and Backlund are all going to be better for their experiences this year. Especially Brodie and Backlund - one is becoming a top pairing defenseman before our eyes at the age of 23, the other is finally starting to resemble the top 6 centre we envisioned when we drafted him.

With any luck, Sven finally takes the steps necessary to be a front-line NHL player next year; I think back to the Capitals game where he was the most dominant player on the ice for multiple shifts. That's who we need him to be all the time.

Add in some free agent moves and trades, to go along with whoever we snag in the draft?

I wouldn't be shocked by a step back next year. But continuity from the top down, and a consistent vision and message from the coaches should limit the negative results.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by nik-

Yeah, I'm just predicting regression next year and I'm thinking people might go off the deep end if we're worse next year. This won't be a linear process.

The folks that tend to be negative will be even more negative but I think most of us understand that you don't rebuild an organization overnight

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Maybe. Maybe not.

If the wheels were going to fall off, it would've happened this year. No Kipper, no Iggy, no Bo, no first line, barely an NHL-calibre defence, no goaltending.

It is possible that everyone regresses horribly next year. But Ramo will have a full year in North America. He and Ortio look like they can stabilize the goaltending position for now, and with Gillies on the way + other drafted prospects, I'm not super concerned about the crease going into next year.

Monahan, Colborne, Byron, Russell, Brodie, and Backlund are all going to be better for their experiences this year. Especially Brodie and Backlund - one is becoming a top pairing defenseman before our eyes at the age of 23, the other is finally starting to resemble the top 6 centre we envisioned when we drafted him.

With any luck, Sven finally takes the steps necessary to be a front-line NHL player next year; I think back to the Capitals game where he was the most dominant player on the ice for multiple shifts. That's who we need him to be all the time.

Add in some free agent moves and trades, to go along with whoever we snag in the draft?

I wouldn't be shocked by a step back next year. But continuity from the top down, and a consistent vision and message from the coaches should limit the negative results.

When can I expect my pizza roll?

[Table 5]

This year kind of reminds me of the Brian Sutter years back in the 90s. Not a ton of talent (although I think more than we had back then), but with coaches who squeeze every drop of effort out of the team.

The only issue with that is it's hard to sustain that level of effort/heart for a really long time. At some point, you have to be good, regardless of effort, as well. The Flames, as an organization, always seem to be either talented, or hard-working. It's been decades since we had both clicking at the same time.

At least with this team, there does seem to be a glimmer of hope at the end of the road. I'll take it any day of the week over the entitled and lazy pity-party we've had to watch over the last 5-6 years.

Having said that, I do think there will be regression next year. Things are just going a little too well right now.

[Matty81]

Definitely been competitive this year... even if it doesn't get worse, the success of a rebuild typically isn't solely judged by how painful it is, it's what the team achieves in the end.

Give me two or three years of pain for a couple cups every time over one or two semi bad years to get back to being the 6th-8th place team in the west.

While this season has been fun, the team is still missing two or maybe even three high end young players to build a cup contender around.

Now that the Flames are doing the charge of the light brigade through the meaningless home stretch this draft looks less likely to add one. Monahan looks like one of those pieces. Hopefully Gaudreau, Poirier or Baertschi develop into another or Burke is able to add one via trade.

[Greybeard]

Our home record has been incredible since the Vancouver incident.... 10-3. It's fun to go to a game and the fans are totally behind the team. Maximum effort every night and tons of thrills.