QOTD: What should be the Flames #1 New Years resolution?

[Bingo]

Its the day for giving up bad habits, which habit do the Flames need to give up to be successful for the rest of the season?

[Finger Cookin]

Of those choices, easily the deadline.

[killer_carlson]

I said improve the PK because I think the team has been getting less truculent in December and not playing physical. Too afraid that a penalty will result in a goal and not hitting on the forecheck or finishing checks elsewhere on the ice

[Gaskal]

Playoffs.

[bob-loblaw]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Playoffs.

This. If you're not at the very bottom then you have to go for it. The young guys will learn a lot more about effort and systems by striving for that goal.

[Bingo]

The Flames spent the better part of 5 seasons lying to themselves about a failed core, and what should be done with the roster.

The team has surprised everyone including the guys at the top, and they've admitted that.

But will they turn a rebuild year into a go for it year and mortgage picks and prospects? Or will they stay the course and trade UFAs like Glencross?

The most interesting thing would be a do it all scenario

1) deal Glencross for futures
2) move out excess prospect depth up front for NHL ready young defenseman to balance things out
3) cheap rental to fill in for Glencross

so interesting.

[driveway]

Stop giving up the 1st goal. Now is time to start learning how to win.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Our penalty kill has been our Achilles heel all year. We are very good 5 on 5 and we have a pretty good power play. Having a penalty kill in the bottom 5 will keep us from winning a lot of games we otherwise should.

[Joborule]

Win in Anaheim = playoffs.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Get a young 2nd pairing defenceman.

[driveway]

Originally Posted by Bingo

But will they turn a rebuild year into a go for it year and mortgage picks and prospects? Or will they stay the course and trade UFAs like Glencross?

If they mortgage picks and prospects to go for it this year I will be so frigging angry.

The performance this year is an awesome bonus which bodes well for the future. We should trade exactly zero picks and not a single player younger than 27, doing so would be much, much more foolish than any of the attempts to make the playoffs with the 2009-2012 Flames.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by driveway

If they mortgage picks and prospects to go for it this year I will be so frigging angry.

The performance this year is an awesome bonus which bodes well for the future. We should trade exactly zero picks and not a single player younger than 27, doing so would be much, much more foolish than any of the attempts to make the playoffs with the 2009-2012 Flames.

Meh, if we can add legit NHL players for 3rd round and later picks, I'd be perfectly happy with that. Guys like Hemsky and Meszaros were being traded for scratch-tickets last year.

If we see prices like that THIS season, id be perfectly happy adding some veteran talent for a throw-away draft pick, especially a defenceman (who's not displacing any rookies).

You're basically buying playoff experience for your young guys at the cost of a draft pick that has a less than 5% chance of ever becoming even a replacement-level player.

I'd do that.

[Split98]

I say don't get obsessed with the short term at the trade deadline, but I still hope we get something for Glencross at the deadline.

[ForeverFlameFan]

If I could add one, I would want a 60 minute effort every night. That, or not playing catch-up for a lot of games.

[Burner]

I wanted to add a selection - get more 4th round draft picks - Brodie, Gaudreau and Colborne ( for a 4th) are all from the fourth round.

[StrykerSteve]

Anaheim. Without question.

[drewtastic]

Interestingly, what's reassuring about this thread is that, whatever poll selections could be listed, they'd all essentially be "tweaks" to the current overall structure, rather than major structural revamps. This is because there are so many solid foundational pieces in place already--overall team fitness/conditioning, total-team buy-in to the coach's message, hard-working and resilient team culture, to name a few.

It's awesome to think that any additions to the roster will be improvements to a team whose roles and culture are clearly defined and entrenched. How much better is this than all those years where we were led to believe that an aging core was just a couple of pieces away? It's been a refreshing and exciting process, and one can't help but feel confident going forward!

[dammage79]

Just get a darned win in the Honda Center.

[Mony]

While they are all important, definitely the trade deadline one. Keep gathering up a bunch of prospects and picks, not doing what is only good for the short-term.

Playoff experience would be an awesome bonus for this year's Flames, but it's not nearly a necessity.

If I had to rank it in order:
1. Ownership and not getting obsessed with short term
2. Improve penalty killing - that could win them quite a few more games
3. Stop giving up the first goal every night - while this is a horrible habit we have, it's a young group that is learning and still manages to overcome this deficit quite often, they have a strong enough identity now that it isn't much of a problem yet. Later on, it will be if it continues.
4. Win a game in Anaheim - every team has a kryptonite. We can beat LA at Staples Center consistently and Edmonton at any point in time. Just like how we suck in Honda Center and whenever we face the Canucks.

[saillias]

Every year a team like SJ or Anaheim SELL assets at the trade deadline and make the playoffs in a top seed. Buying at the trade deadline is for suckers.