Fan 960: Gaudreau 12:30PM MT. Treliving 1:00 PM MT

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by badger89

Top picks in strong drafts are the most reliable way to rebuild. And if you had to pick a three year span to do it, there wouldn't be a better time than now with two very strong drafts in 2013 and 2015.

2016 looks pretty good as well (as good as a draft can look when your considering 16 year olds anyways).

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Very noble of you.

Uhh what? I'm just saying that I like it when my team wins. Sorry if this offends you.

Originally Posted by Hackey

Isn't what makes or breaks a fan in my opinion.

I agree.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by badger89

This is why Canadian teams under perform and rarely challenge for the cup!

Top picks in strong drafts are the most reliable way to rebuild. And if you had to pick a three year span to do it, there wouldn't be a better time than now with two very strong drafts in 2013 and 2015. I really do wish we could land McDavid or Eichel next year as we need another top end talent.

It seems like the fans I talk with are all good with another year of rebuilding, but not sure that's management's plan.

Not sure what more the Flames could do to tank than they did this year. The two main goalies hadn't played in the NHL in years (or ever in Berra's case). They had Shane O'Brien getting a regular shift for the first part of the year and played two goons in most games. You need to have some players being paid to hit the cap floor. I suppose they could have done a Cammy for Heatley type move but that is just going to annoy the fan base.

They tried to suck... but Ramo was better than expected, Gio became elite and the players tried hard and here we are.

[Samiz]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Not sure what more the Flames could do to tank than they did this year. The two main goalies hadn't played in the NHL in years (or ever in Berra's case). They had Shane O'Brien getting a regular shift for the first part of the year and played two goons in most games. You need to have some players being paid to hit the cap floor. I suppose they could have done a Cammy for Heatley type move but that is just going to annoy the fan base.

They tried to suck... but Ramo was better than expected, Gio became elite and the players tried hard and here we are.

Seriously. What more can you do? Tell the players to suck? Put McGrattan and Westgarth on the first line?

We're trying to create a winning atmosphere....

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Very noble of you. At the end of the day it's just sports. Yes I cheer for wins but I'm also realistic. We probably won't be in the playoff hunt and likely in the bottom 5. So ya I rather have Mcdavid. At the end of the season this year most people were hoping for better draft position at the end. No different really. Isn't what makes or breaks a fan in my opinion.

Do you cheer for Edmonton/Vancouver to lose?

If so, does that make you a fan?

[Tinordi]

I'm a cold-eyed realist. I'll give the team 25 games to show what they're worth next year. If they are still no good then I'm cheering valiant efforts for losing causes like last year. I'd also definitely cheer against shoot out victories.

Say we land Ekblad this year, and a big time talent with a top 3 pick next year added to Gaudreau, Monahan etc. And I think we have a good shot to emerge into a contender. To me that's the lowest risk way to do it. And I care about a decade of winning hockey over one year of middling hockey and a misplaced sense of pride.

[badger89]

Originally Posted by heep223

Losing can create a culture, just as winning can. I'm not saying that I wouldn't be happy with 1st overall next year. Obviously that would be amazing. I'm just saying that a) I'm wary of the team building a losing culture and b) from a personal and selfish perspective, I could never cheer for the Flames to lose and I'm ok with that. Take this year as an example, I would way rather have the Flames play like they did, start building the culture, the support and the room and have the 4th overall pick than tank and have 1st overall.

The losing culture argument is overrated. Chicago, LA, and Pittsburgh all got over it easily enough once they drafted the talent to do so.

Sent from my SGH-T999V using Tapatalk

[Tinordi]

Yeah "losing culture" is a vastly overstated fear for a problem that people find difficult to identify. Losing cultures are those we just went through. Signing big UFAs, going all in to make the playoffs, relying on a core of big moneyed ageing players mailing it in. That's a losing culture. And that's what the management group dismantled.

Best example is Tavares. That single player almost completely turned that team around and lugged them to a playoff appearance two years ago. One player stamped out a decade long "losing culture" by being a good player. Now sure they regressed but Tavares being elite wallpapered over the most losing-ist of losing cultures himself.

[Phanuthier]

Somewhat off topic, but did anyone catch Dave King's interview on Treliving on the FAN960? Singing his praises at how great he is, hard worker etc. Patching things up, buying time, create ways of finding players who could buy some time to fix short term, insisted on putting young players in the lineup, hard worker (said many times)..... a lot different from the Weisbrod ghost (aka. he was managing the Penske file).

[ForeverFlameFan]

We're not going to suck that bad to get McDavid. That's why I keep wanting us to do our best and make the playoffs next year.

If I was an Oilers fan, I would have the greatest attitude of getting McDavid.

We are Flames' fans. We're better than this. We finished 4th place, 10 points ahead of the Oilers (who were 3rd).

Sorry for the posters that want McDavid/Eichel, we aren't landing him.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

We're not going to suck that bad to get McDavid. That's why I keep wanting us to do our best and make the playoffs next year.

Flames have a better chance of winning draft lottery than they do of making playoffs next year. It's reasonable to predict a last place finish in the West. They could be as high as 10th to 12th, but that's unlikely imo.

[nik-]

I think a 3rd last finish is realistic for us next year.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Best example is Tavares. That single player almost completely turned that team around and lugged them to a playoff appearance two years ago. One player stamped out a decade long "losing culture" by being a good player. Now sure they regressed but Tavares being elite wallpapered over the most losing-ist of losing cultures himself.

You could also look at Chicago too, the first year that Toews and Kane were in their lineup, they a lot better team and haven't looked back. Guys like Sharp, Keith, Seabrooke had been through the bad teams and haven't really been affected by it. Same with Pittsburgh where once Malkin showed up to go with Crosby they were a strong team.

Losing cultures like Edmonton...that happens when the players you have in your lineup together aren't really good enough to make the team win.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by heep223

Uhh what? I'm just saying that I like it when my team wins. Sorry if this offends you.



I agree.

It doesn't offend me in the least I just find it funny some people act like it makes you a better fan or something. I'm not cheering for losses but given the choice ya Id take Mcdavid over a first round knock out. If Flames are close to a playoff spot yes I will cheer for wins. At that point the wins greatly outweigh the losses. If were 28th at the end of the year ya I'll cheer for losses to land Mcdavid or Eichel. A superstar for the next decade means more than a couple meaningless wins at the end of the season.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by nik-

I think a 3rd last finish is realistic for us next year.

I think you are completely underestimating the tanking ability of some of the teams out there.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I think you are completely underestimating the tanking ability of some of the teams out there.

I agree.

Question: How many teams are flirting with rebuild/falling graces next year? Wouldn't merely keeping up our current effort push us up a few slots on the rankings?

If we're injury plagued next year, maybe I could see us languishing around the bottom again, but if healthy? I could see us shoot up quite a few spots (probably not playoff spot though).

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I think you are completely underestimating the tanking ability of some of the teams out there.

Absolutely not. I know there are some hardcore tankers out there. Buffalo is below us because they're setting up for the tankiest tank in history. If Carolina does their sell off, they'll be there too.

Florida will be better next year if Barkov stays healthy, and now that they have a legit goaltender. Edmonton ... who knows.

3rd is our basement, I could see us hitting it.

[Coach]

If you don't think the Oilers are going to tank their balls off for McDavid I think you're dreaming. It's the start of their perpetual rebuild.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by MattyC

If you don't think the Oilers are going to tank their balls off for McDavid I think you're dreaming. It's the start of their perpetual rebuild.

They've been tanking their balls off for 5 years now. So they have any balls left?

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

If we'Maybe.. jury plagued next year, maybe I could see us languishing around the bottom again, but if healthy? I could see us shoot up quite a few spots (probably not playoff spot though).

Who do the Flames pass in the standings?
First, the Oilers are likely to finish higher. I know they are no good, but...
Winnipeg, Nashville, Phoenix? Maybe, but no real reasons to think Flames to be certainly better than
Can't see Flames being better than any playoff teams this year.