2020 off-season - what now?

[SofaProfessor]

Maybe I'm just an eternal optimist or I like being hurt over and over again. I dunno. But I feel like a lot of the pieces are there, there just needs to be a serious assessment of how they're put together. Everyone that has come in just keeps Gaudreau and Monahan glued together on that top line. It worked in the past but it has been figured out since and they can't carry a true top line together.

I'm not opposed to making some big trades I'm just not sure what you get back for some of these guys that improves the team from where it stands now. Maybe you can package a few guys together to get one piece but Treliving is trading in a flat cap world. Do you burn it all down and go full rebuild because they got bounced two years in a row? Load up on picks and look a few years down the road? Might be best for the long term health of the team so my daughter can enjoy Flames hockey when she's old enough to appreciate the game. Unfortunately her father will be dead from the stress and emotional pain of it all by then.

[Corral]

What now? Not much. You trade Gaudreau to an eastern team as he desires. This changes the identity of the team. Bring back some skilled size.

You now likely have to decide if talbot is your #1 goalie. Rittich has to leave based on the playoffs.

A complete tear down is so not in the cards it’s really not worth much discussion.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

I would strip Gio of the C.

Give it to Matthew since he's seemingly the only guy who gave a F tonight on the roster.

I agree with this.

Tkachuk seems like the type that just wants to win and is currently the best leader on the team. It's time give him a bigger role. We need to build around him and give him every reason to see Calgary as his future. After seeing the team without him in the line-up, it's pretty clear to me that he is the difference maker.

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by Corral

What now? Not much. You trade Gaudreau to an eastern team as he desires. This changes the identity of the team. Bring back some skilled size.

You now likely have to decide if talbot is your #1 goalie. Rittich has to leave based on the playoffs.

A complete tear down is so not in the cards it’s really not worth much discussion.

Gaudreau for Couturier?

Heck, throw in Janko for good measure...

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Gaudreau for Couturier?

Why?

Philly is a Cup Contender. They are not going to sacrifice significant players from their active (awesome) roster.

Also, the Flames need to target picks. Full stop.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Why?

Philly is a Cup Contender. They are not going to sacrifice significant players from their active (awesome) roster.

Also, the Flames need to target picks. Full stop.

There are very few teams that Flames can target picks for and ridiculous to suggest that is all they should chase.

Buffalo and New Jersey make good trade partners for Monahan and Gaudreau but the Flames need to look at all options.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

Wolf is what, 3-4 years away from backing up in the NHL? 5-6 years till he could be a bonafide starter?

Exactly. It is too early to start hoping for Wolf to develop into a bonafide starter/all-star starter.

I remember the same discussions happening about Parsons, and Gillies. Not saying that Wolf will amount to nothing. I do have high hopes for the kid, but he is a few years away at the very least.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I fully expect that we sign some older goalie to a giant, long-term contract.

Then Wolf turns into a stud but the other contract totally hampers our ability to put a good team in front of him.

That would be a very Flames things to do.

The one thing this team has been very reluctant to do is to sign any goalie to a lengthy, big salary contract. Actually would not be a flames thing at all. What would be is that Wolf looks promising but struggles initially in the NHL because rookie growing pains, then the Flames cut his playing time down to 10-20 games behind a vet and never give him enough time to bloom in the role then he goes elsewhere and does it. That would be the Flames way of messing it up.

[OldSam]

While I have a lot more to say, until Flames management make a decision on the direction of the team, until they decide what is happening with the coaching staff, there is not much to do with the players. Keep Ward, sell off assets and go cheap on players and start the rebuild. Go for a proven coach, then have a really good study of what players suit his plan.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

There are very few teams that Flames can target picks for and ridiculous to suggest that is all they should chase.

Buffalo and New Jersey make good trade partners for Monahan and Gaudreau but the Flames need to look at all options.

Why is it ridiculous to only target picks?

Building through the draft is the only consistently proven way to build a foundation to win a Stanley Cup. It's the truth.

We have a crap prospect pool that offers little hope going forward - and great needs at centre, defence, and goaltending. Need to build a foundation of centres, goalies and defenders. That's where the road starts.

[Roof-Daddy]

I get that it's not really any of my business, but I would be really curious to find out when exactly Gaudreau started dating this nurse from Philly.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was right around the time he went from 1.2-1.3 point per game Johnny to 0.7-0.8 point per game Johnny. (As in last season during the break roughly)

Long distance relationships can have a pretty negative affect on some people. They just can't handle it, plus he's never put down roots in Calgary. I read somewhere he doesn't even have his own place here.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Why is it ridiculous to only target picks?

Building through the draft is the only way to build a foundation to win a Stanley Cup. It's the truth.

We have a crap prospect pool that offers little hope going forward. Need to build a foundation of centres, goalies and defenders. That's where the road starts.

Because there is the smallest handful of teams that can take those salaries on why providing picks as the primary return.

Flat cap makes it hard unless you want to target mid 1st round picks along with cap dumps to make it work.

Take Buffalo and New Jersey our. What teams are making high picks offers with cap space for those 2 players.

Maybe something like Johansen and 9th overall for Monahan and 19th?

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Corral

What now? Not much. You trade Gaudreau to an eastern team as he desires. This changes the identity of the team. Bring back some skilled size.

You now likely have to decide if talbot is your #1 goalie. Rittich has to leave based on the playoffs.

A complete tear down is so not in the cards it’s really not worth much discussion.

That doesn’t seem fair.

Ward threw him in ice cold after not playing a game for half a year in the most important game of the year.

Of course he was rusty and looked terrible.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Why is it ridiculous to only target picks?

Building through the draft is the only consistently proven way to build a foundation to win a Stanley Cup. It's the truth.

We have a crap prospect pool that offers little hope going forward - and great needs at centre, defence, and goaltending. Need to build a foundation of centres, goalies and defenders. That's where the road starts.

I personally wouldn’t trade for picks at all.

I hope this organization is finally learning to go all in or all out. Maybe it would help get this franchise get out of the constant middle they find themselves in.

Maybe then they can finally draft top 3 and pick themselves up a franchise game breaker like a Heiskanen, or Barkov, or Mackinnon or a Matthews and etc. The Flames have depth right now, that’s what carried them to the 5 wins they had this post season. But without that elite superstar, this team will constantly be stuck in the middle missing the playoffs or losing in the first round.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

That doesn’t seem fair.

Ward threw him in ice cold after not playing a game for half a year in the most important game of the year.

Of course he was rusty and looked terrible.

I think it's not yesterday but rather that it's 2 years now after a decent year where the team has shown zero qualms in letting it be known that they have zero trust in him come playoff time.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Guess hockeydb, wikipedia and the NHL record book are all wrong for keeping regular season and playoffs statistics separated.

I'll send them an email.

You didn't say who has more regular season goals from the 2013 draft than Monahan. So technically I'm right. MacKinnon now has more goals. Playoff goals count as goals. I'd say more important goals when comparing players.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I personally wouldn’t trade for picks at all.

I hope this organization is finally learning to go all in or all out. Maybe it would help get this franchise get out of the constant middle they find themselves in.

Maybe then they can finally draft top 3 and pick themselves up a franchise game breaker like a Heiskanen, or Barkov, or Mackinnon or a Matthews and etc. The Flames have depth right now, that’s what carried them to the 5 wins they had this post season. But without that elite superstar, this team will constantly be stuck in the middle missing the playoffs or losing in the first round.

Wouldn't trading Monahan and Gaudreau for picks be all out and help us pick at the top of the draft?

The elite superstar(s) are needed. They need to pick at the top of the draft, or they'll wander in mediocrity forever. Drafting at the top isn't the only thing you need to do (see: Oilers), but it is the foundational piece.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Gaudreau for Couturier?

Heck, throw in Janko for good measure...

Couturier is everything the Flames.

Of course, he’s everything the Flyers need.

Why would the Flyers trade their best player to downgrade their team, now and in the future?


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[dino7c]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Why?

Philly is a Cup Contender. They are not going to sacrifice significant players from their active (awesome) roster.

Also, the Flames need to target picks. Full stop.

Well they are in tough against a 12 seed

[Flash Walken]

Retaining cap hit on valuable players will never be more valuable than it will be this offseason with a flat cap.

A rebuilding team looking to trade good value contracts in exchange for horrific value contracts will be able to ask for a premium return that wouldn't be available in other years.

Trade Gaudreau at 50% retained to St. Louis for Steen ++++, or to Dallas for Comeau/Johns ++++ or Vegas for Statsny ++++ or Boston for Krejci +++