What Should the Flames do at the Trade Deadline?

[Nelson]

I still say sell as many of Stone, Stajan, Versteeg and Hathaway as possible for the best picks/prospects possible. Hathaway may be at an all time high as far as value goes.

Buy no one.

[dammage79]

Yeah Steinberg made some good points yesterday. Saying they kind of have to go all out now from a business perspective. They pushed their chips in during the offseason and things havent exactly panned out the way they had hoped. They were really banking on the extra revenue from a playoffs.

He kind of half expects the Flames to table the 2019 1st along with some prospects to go out and get something.

I am inclined to agree somewhat with Steinbergs slant from yesterday as I dont think the pressure may be coming from hockey ops management but from ownership to get into the playoffs at all costs. even if it means mortgaging some of their future to do so.

I dont think its the best idea to sell more 1st round picks but then again what can you do when you kind of hung your hat on this season.

In the end, the Flames won't make a rental move of that I am confident, but I am anticipating a move that brings in yet another young core piece under cost control.

just don't know how.

[kyuss275]

I can't see flames putting 2019 on table this deadline or summer.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Yeah Steinberg made some good points yesterday. Saying they kind of have to go all out now from a business perspective. They pushed their chips in during the offseason and things havent exactly panned out the way they had hoped. They were really banking on the extra revenue from a playoffs.

He kind of half expects the Flames to table the 2019 1st along with some prospects to go out and get something.

I am inclined to agree somewhat with Steinbergs slant from yesterday as I dont think the pressure may be coming from hockey ops management but from ownership to get into the playoffs at all costs. even if it means mortgaging some of their future to do so.

I dont think its the best idea to sell more 1st round picks but then again what can you do when you kind of hung your hat on this season.

In the end, the Flames won't make a rental move of that I am confident, but I am anticipating a move that brings in yet another young core piece under cost control.

just don't know how.

They can throw away all the prospects and 1st round picks in the world, it won't make a lick of difference with this coaching staff calling the shots.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

They can throw away all the prospects and 1st round picks in the world, it won't make a lick of difference with this coaching staff calling the shots.

I agree. Im just repeating what I listened to yesterday.

[bigrangy]

If the Flames miss the playiffs, there is a 100% chance they win the lottery and the Isles draft Dahlin. That is just Flames luck.

They absolutely need to make the playoffs.

[Vinny01]

The prospects I want the Flames to keep are Valimaki, Andersson, Dube, Parsons. I am okay if they move Fox, Kylington, Gillies, Mangiapane or virtually any other prospect if the result is a non rental forward that the team needs.

I also think Stone should be shipped as I feel he has value and we have Andersson ready to step in. I think the Flames should consider moving Frolik if they get the right offer as well

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

They don't really appear to have any NEXT level in them. Their current point % streak equates to about 94 points (with most considering 96 the most conservative estimate of what it will take to get in). If we ignore their one extended hot streak, where they won 7 in a row in Jan, they have played the rest of the year at a point % that equates to 85 points!

Why do people keep doing this? Yes, if you ignore the best part of the season we look worse... not a major revelation and doesn't really mean very much. Take out our worst 7 game stretch and I imagine we'd be on a 100pt pace... also, equally meaningless.The order in which you win or lose games doesn't matter much.

[Dragomir]

We should definitely be a seller. I love this team but let’s be real, we are not good enough for a deep playoffrun. Even if we magically somehow squeak in we would be bounced in 5-6 games so it’s better to sell and prepare for next year. No shame in admitting the team is just not there yet.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by VilleN

Why do people keep doing this? Yes, if you ignore the best part of the season we look worse... not a major revelation and doesn't really mean very much. Take out our worst 7 game stretch and I imagine we'd be on a 100pt pace... also, equally meaningless.The order in which you win or lose games doesn't matter much.

Fair point. I guess, my take is that over the last 2 seasons (coincides wtih the time under the new coaching staff) i am seeing a pattern of a team that is highly inconsistent for most of both seasons, and are only in the discussion of a playoff spot due to a abnormal hot streak (or 2).

Now the counter argument to this i think is "welcome to parity in the NHL". I just don't follow other teams enough to know, whether all teams (outside the top 5, and bottom 5) see these kind of peaks and valleys. The standings tell me, even if there are other teams out there that struggle thru this, the flames are still an average to below average team amongst the middle tier of teams given that they are below them in the standings.

[Northendzone]

Not sure if this has been suggested yet, but I think the flames should try and deal Brouwer

[Mathgod]

[Roof-Daddy]

There is nothing to sell folks.

Might as well start perusing the 2018 draft class.

Oh wait...

[gargamel]

If you think this team is massively underperforming, you fire Gulutzan as soon as possible and give yourself a chance to go on a run. As long as it's not for a pure rental, I'd be fine with buying in that scenario.

On the other hand, if don't think another coach could get significantly more out of this group, you sell.

[Psytic]

Somehow acquire Ryan O'Reilly or Mark Stone. Hire Hartley as a Special Motivational Advisor to get some of that find a way Flames magic back. They looked more engaged and faster in the past and its the same team i'm not sure what happened.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Psytic

Somehow acquire Ryan O'Reilly or Mark Stone. Hire Hartley as a Special Motivational Advisor to get some of that find a way Flames magic back. They looked more engaged and faster in the past and its the same team i'm not sure what happened.

There's probably some sort of 24/7 hotline they can call for that, isn't there?

[Timbo]

We are Sellers IMO
Trade,individually or in combination anyone from this list.
Ferland
Bennett
Frolik
Brodie
Brouwer
Lazar
Stone
All UFA's can walk

[Kovaz]

Originally Posted by VilleN

Why do people keep doing this? Yes, if you ignore the best part of the season we look worse... not a major revelation and doesn't really mean very much. Take out our worst 7 game stretch and I imagine we'd be on a 100pt pace... also, equally meaningless.The order in which you win or lose games doesn't matter much.

The way I see it, it's a commentary on the way our play has been distributed. Under Gulutzan, we've been a level or two below where we need to be for the majority of both seasons, punctuated by a handful of extended winning streaks that make up the difference. It's harder to pick a "worst" 7 game stretch because it's not as concentrated. Same thing last year - we had a lot of mediocre play, then we won 10 in a row to jump into the playoffs, then a lot of mediocre play afterwards.

Contrast that with the playoff year under Hartley. We never had a winning streak longer than 4 games, but we were remarkably consistent at winning 2 after losing 1, or winning 3 after losing 2. Then we lost 8 in a row in December, and then we got right back to our win 2 lose 1 win 3 lose 1 pattern all the way to the playoffs.

Under Gulutzan, it feels like we're playing poorly 75% of the time, and we're absolutely unstoppable 25% of the time. Under Hartley, it felt like we were playing well 75% of the time, and we were the worst team in hockey 25%. Even though they both add up to roughly the same record at the end of the day.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Timbo

We are Sellers IMO
Trade,individually or in combination anyone from this list.
Ferland
Bennett
Frolik
Brodie
Brouwer
Lazar
All UFA's can walk

Crazy talk if I've ever heard it.

- Ferland and Bennett should be important pieces in our top 9 moving forward
- nobody wants Brouwer
- Lazar isn't worth much so you may as well keep him and see if he can develop
- I think you only move Brodie is it upgrades the RH shot top 9 forward situation
- I would consider moving Frolik but that's only because we have a plethora of LHed wingers on the team and in the system and he is the oldest one.

If we sell off assets it should be Stajan, Bartkowski, Hrivik and Versteeg. Problem is none of these players hold much value outside of later round picks. These picks are the easiest to aquire so may as well see how the next 20 games go

[Brick]

Sell.