ESPN Off Season grades - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Jordan! · 08-10-2021, 08:41 AM

https://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/sto...g-roster-holes

Anyone have access to the darn article??

Samonadreau · 08-10-2021, 08:47 AM

Flames with a C+, sounds about right.

@Jordan, you just bragging that Yotes got the highest rating?

Vinny01 · 08-10-2021, 08:50 AM

C+ is a little bit generous in my opinion. They added a few Sutter types and upgraded the top 6 with a somewhat questionable contract. Not having Johnny signed, and not shaking the core up I think it is a C-

Ped · 08-10-2021, 08:51 AM

Philly with an A-, which immediately damages the credibility of the article imo.

Oilers with B+; yeah, okay.

Seattle with a B; laughable

Lanny_McDonald · 08-10-2021, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Flames with a C+, sounds about right.

@Jordan, you just bragging that Yotes got the highest rating?

On the Coyotes from the article. "Grade: A+. Now this is how you tank."

So much to be proud of.

Jiri Hrdina · 08-10-2021, 08:54 AM

I would give the Flame B-/C+.
If the off-season has a positive impact it will be because the GM is delivering a squad more capable of playing the brand of hockey the coach wants them to and has a track record of success with. That's a rationale approach. And I think Coleman is going to be a strong addition.
But the loss of Gio and lack of change within the top 6 forwards is a concern.

It's also weird to grade off-seasons when the off-season isn't done.

Jordan! · 08-10-2021, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Flames with a C+, sounds about right.

@Jordan, you just bragging that Yotes got the highest rating?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

On the Coyotes from the article. "Grade: A+. Now this is how you tank."

So much to be proud of.

To be fair, this is probably the actual first time in the history of this club even going back to Winnipeg that things actually feel to be moving in the right direction.

-Billionaire Owner
-Hiring the right staff for the moment coaches, GM, scouting
-Cutting dead weight for INSANE haul of picks
-Actual movement on a new arena plan, done the right way
-Listening to the fans re: marketing - bye bye Gretzky/Moyes/Ellman head and returning to full time Kachina branding

Skyceman · 08-10-2021, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I would give the Flame B-/C+.
If the off-season has a positive impact it will be because the GM is delivering a squad more capable of playing the brand of hockey the coach wants them to and has a track record of success with. That's a rationale approach. And I think Coleman is going to be a strong addition.
But the loss of Gio and lack of change within the top 6 forwards is a concern.

It's also weird to grade off-seasons when the off-season isn't done.

Agreed

Strange Brew · 08-10-2021, 09:21 AM

Flames at about a C makes sense to me, especially based on what they have done to date. I'm sure most of us are hopeful the off season moves aren't done yet.

Giving the oilers a B+ seems weird especially since they made fun of most of their moves in the article.

Sofa GM · 08-10-2021, 09:22 AM

I don’t understand the Oilers B+

- Shipped out two young solid Dmen in Jones and Bear who were decent defensively for the Oilers and bring in Keith who is a shell of his former self and should be a bottom pair dman at this point in his career, and grossly overpay Cody Ceci who is a PTO level player for 3 years.
- Re-upped a to be 40 yr old Mike Smith to anchor the goaltending duo for two years.

- Grossly overpay Zach Hyman who possess very little upside over what he has shown since he played primarily with Matthews/Marner.

- Spend all remaining cap flexibility for the following year on a 8 yr/$9.25MM AAV contract on a 2/3 defenceman.

These aren’t good moves, what am I missing here?

Vinny01 · 08-10-2021, 09:27 AM

I don’t think the Oilers deserve praise at all and recency bias is why they are not getting more flack for the Smith multi year deal. The wheels can fall off on their goaltending very easily and the moves on the blueline are not an improvement on the defensive side of the puck.

I do think their forwards are improved but not sure that is enough to cover up the huge question marks on the blueline and in net.

For the Flames offseason to be deemed a success they need to make a big trade that adds a star forward up front and for the Oilers they need to make a big move in net if they want their offseason to be a success.

Flamesfan05 · 08-10-2021, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyceman

Agreed

Yup, wait till training camp
After training camp, it’s only pre season
After pre season, it’s only October
After October, wait till the real season, playoffs to start
After playoffs, let’s give Treliving another year

And so on

zukes · 08-10-2021, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I would give the Flame B-/C+.
If the off-season has a positive impact it will be because the GM is delivering a squad more capable of playing the brand of hockey the coach wants them to and has a track record of success with. That's a rationale approach. And I think Coleman is going to be a strong addition.
But the loss of Gio and lack of change within the top 6 forwards is a concern.

It's also weird to grade off-seasons when the off-season isn't done.

I agree with almost everything you said here. I know that I am in the minority, but I actually still feel that the core group of forwards can get it done, so I like the additions to bolster the team defensive play and make the a little tougher to play against.

Losing Gio sucks, but nobody wanted to give up assets to keep him and trading him last season would have sent the wrong message. The only solution that would have been better is getting some future assets from a team with a ton of cap room before the expansion draft, but you would have been selling for pennies on the dollar. Plus, I suspect that the Flames would have wanted to do right by him and I think if he's going to play for a tea that isn't likely to be good, at least he gets to be the face of a new franchise rather than playing for a team like Detroit who won't be good again until Gio retires.

dammage79 · 08-10-2021, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I would give the Flame B-/C+.
If the off-season has a positive impact it will be because the GM is delivering a squad more capable of playing the brand of hockey the coach wants them to and has a track record of success with. That's a rationale approach. And I think Coleman is going to be a strong addition.
But the loss of Gio and lack of change within the top 6 forwards is a concern.

It's also weird to grade off-seasons when the off-season isn't done.

The Bottom 6 forwards are greatly improved IMO when considering who is coaching. Coleman addition adds a bit more polish in the top 6 fw group.

There is still a lot of work to be done. A flat C grade so far would be fair. C- is okay.

Vladar and Zadorov are also key acquisitions that should bring the grade up. But you also have to wait and see what Zads gets on his new deal. A more team friendly deal and bump it up to a B. A player friendly deal bump it down a bit.

Erick Estrada · 08-10-2021, 09:46 AM

The one that gets me is the Flyers getting an A-. They gave up a crap load of draft capital to get marginally better on defense and brought in one of the worst goaltenders in the league to back up Hart who is anything but a proven commodity right now. I could understand maybe giving them a B- for effort but I just can't get behind an A-.

dino7c · 08-10-2021, 09:48 AM

When your goal is to be terrible things are pretty easy

Oilers grade is a joke but as usual the media hype for the Oilers is off the charts in the summer

Flamesfan05 · 08-10-2021, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dammage79

The Bottom 6 forwards are greatly improved IMO when considering who is coaching. Coleman addition adds a bit more polish in the top 6 fw group.

There is still a lot of work to be done. A flat C grade so far would be fair. C- is okay.

Vladar and Zadorov are also key acquisitions that should bring the grade up. But you also have to wait and see what Zads gets on his new deal. A more team friendly deal and bump it up to a B. A player friendly deal bump it down a bit.

The Flames replaced Ryan and Leivo with Pitlick and Lewis

Ped · 08-10-2021, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

It's also weird to grade off-seasons when the off-season isn't done.

Off-season is not done, but the heavy lifting is pretty much over. Generally August is pretty slow in terms of player transactions, and most of the UFA who will make an impact have long signed, if not all.

Jiri Hrdina · 08-10-2021, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Yup, wait till training camp
After training camp, it’s only pre season
After pre season, it’s only October
After October, wait till the real season, playoffs to start
After playoffs, let’s give Treliving another year

And so on

What are you on about?
What's invalid about suggesting you evaluate the off-season after the off season is complete.

Burning Beard · 08-10-2021, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

The Flames replaced Ryan and Leivo with Pitlick and Lewis

Ah yes Leivo was such a great player here. Unstoppable force out there. What a thing to be negative about. But I guess that's your schtick anyways so you do you man.