My biggest frustration is the fans of other teams crapping all over the Flames day in and day out, and now I had to shut off my cellphonetelephone today due to all the mouth breathing Greaser fans texting me about this trade and how the Flames never get their guy. I knew the Knights would win this "sweepstakes" the millisecond they were linked, so I am not overly disappointed they got Eichel. Just pissed at the ass hats up north thinking this proves some point about how the Oilers are so much better. UGH
I actually love this thread haha, I had all these thoughts ruminating in my head and now a place to vent (hopefully safely lol). This may be a bit long...
For me, it's not just a miss on Eichel because a rational person would say it's a bit of a gamble no matter how you slice it. But, this inability to make change or to do anything with a semblance of purpose or direction is what bothers me. Now, I'm not saying that there is no purpose (that's obviously to win), but that the way this organization has gone about it over decades is either too late, too lateral, too patchwork and the result is what we've seen over 30 years: mediocrity.
I moved to Calgary in 1990 (just missing the cup the previous year or so - even if I was very young then) and fell in love with hockey and the Flames were and have been my team since. It has not been a kind 3 decades as a fan.
From our good teams in the 90s but never making it past the 1st round (I still remember hearing Bure's OT goal that one year on my battery powered radio) to the "Young Guns" era, to having the pleasure at seeing Iggy play (and ultimately getting to be at his retirement ceremony) but not have much team success, to the Treliving era, mediocre, "ho-hum," same old, hopeless would be some words to describe how I think looking back. There were certainly bright spots interspersed but they were never truly planned in any sense of the word. It almost feels like we "luck" into any success we have.
I was a bit too young in the 90s to truly know what needed to change for more success, but looking back at the other times, the Young guns era was awful. Bad hockey, lack of playoff hockey, it was not a good time... and yet, even then we seemed to have no identity or plan moving forward. We were never good enough to make the playoffs, but never bad enough to pick high. When we did pick, it wasn't great. We kept icing this semi-competitive team and all those years just seemed to be a big waste. We did trade away Savard and St. Louis which certainly didn't come back to bite us.
Then, came 2004. What a run, what a time, first playoff hockey in forever, game 7 of the finals (we won in 6!). I'm not ashamed to say I shed some tears after losing that one, I was in the dome and felt numb walking out. But, looking back at it, it was a fluke run, a cinderella run and clearly one we have not been able to replicate since then. From there it was more years of mediocre, not being able to get Iggy a true center, relying on Kipper to be competitive and nothing to show for it. Then Dion gets traded (in hindsight, not a bad move as this was perhaps one of the only times I remember trading high) for spare parts (though Stajan did give us one of the most memorable moments when he scored that goal after he lost his child), Kipper retires and Iggy gets traded.
Now we're into the Treliving era, one where there has been movement all the time and yet, we're still mediocre in every way. The bright spots mainly have been through drafting and I give credit to our scouts for finding gems, but the overall vision just seems to be lacking, or at least, a few steps behind. We had a window, Johnny coming in, Monahan playing the way he did, Lindholm and Hanifin and before that Hamilton... squandered on patchwork goaltending. Highest pick ever in Bennett! Markstrom! Squandered on mediocre coaching.
Now, the identity seems to rest squarely with Sutter and his brand of hockey. But again, this feels 2 years too late. He has a 3 year contract in the midst of mediocre hockey and complicated contract negotiations. Maybe it would have been a good time to rebuild or retool but that's not going to happen with Sutter, he wants to win, but can we?
Throughout all this, it just feels to me like the vision or direction is either unclear, or too late, or just lacking completely. I think it just felt like a whole vision/direction was resting on this potential trade. Eichel meant going for it, gunning to keep Gaudreau, perhaps keeping Tkachuk or trading him for assets that can help now and later, all while Sutter is here and Markstrom is in net. Now? Not only is the team basically the same, the overall vision/direction seems to be as well.
The sad part is, I'm not sure how/when this changes but certainly having a true star player to build a team around, build a vision around is one way, and it feels like we missed that.
Man, it feels good to get that off my chest. I doubt anyone will read the whole thing or any of it but I needed that. Cathartic. Thanks for this thread!
For a rant, this was the one of the tamest and most level-headed things I've read.
Get that crap out of here. I'm here to read irrational and vitriolic anger!
__________________
"You know, that's kinda why I came here, to show that I don't suck that much" ~ Devin Cooley, Professional Goaltender
The Following User Says Thank You to Cali Panthers Fan For This Useful Post:
I dont care about Eichel. As long as we don't get boned on the Chucky and Johnny negotiations / or trades if we cant retain them. Preparing myself for that possibility.
1) Taylor Hall (thinking they had a better offer)
2) Mark Stone (went to bed thinking they had a deal done)
3) Jason Zucker (last minute complications)
4) Nazem Kadri (rejected trade)
5) Jack Eichel (thinking they had a better offer)
Fun :')
The Following User Says Thank You to AustinL_NHL For This Useful Post:
I dont care about Eichel. As long as we don't get boned on the Chucky and Johnny negotiations / or trades if we cant retain them. Preparing myself for that possibility.
Writing on the wall. You really think Boston Pizza is going to handle the gaudreau situation properly at this point? The time for that was in the off-season. The flames will be a playoff team, keep Gaudreau and get bounced in round one then Johnny will walk as a Ufa. I'd put money on it. Then Tkachuk will sign his 9m qualifying offer and get traded for some version of Brannstrom+2nd or walk as a Ufa. Then the chatter will turn to lindholm and hanifin's deals coming up. Can't wait to see how those pan out lol
The Following User Says Thank You to TheoFleury For This Useful Post:
Writing on the wall. You really think Boston Pizza is going to handle the gaudreau situation properly at this point? The time for that was in the off-season. The flames will be a playoff team, keep Gaudreau and get bounced in round one then Johnny will walk as a Ufa. I'd put money on it. Then Tkachuk will sign his 9m qualifying offer and get traded for some version of Brannstrom+2nd or walk as a Ufa. Then the chatter will turn to lindholm and hanifin's deals coming up. Can't wait to see how those pan out lol
For a rant, this was the one of the tamest and most level-headed things I've read.
Get that crap out of here. I'm here to read irrational and vitriolic anger!
Haha, I think the thing with me is not anger so much as frustration. Which honestly, before posting, felt worse than just a more concentrated burst of anger.
It was nice to be able to put all the jumbled mess in my head into words on "paper," really did seem it was therapeutic.
Imagine failing the start of a rebuild.
Rebuilding to create an average team.
Miss out on players that can salvage the team.
Best players end up leaving for nothing or little.
Ruining the chance of the start of rebuild 2.0.
We pay average UFAs in attempt at one last shot.
Rebuild 2.0 happens when new arena will be completed.
We spend 10 years being trash in a new building.
Things finally start looking better, boom, AI attempts to rid humans to save the planet.
It’s all over.
__________________
Crypto/AI Developer.
Last edited by FiveSeven; 11-04-2021 at 02:28 PM.
The Following User Says Thank You to FiveSeven For This Useful Post:
1) Taylor Hall (thinking they had a better offer)
2) Mark Stone (went to bed thinking they had a deal done)
3) Jason Zucker (last minute complications)
4) Nazem Kadri (rejected trade)
5) Jack Eichel (thinking they had a better offer)
Bridesmaid Brad is incredibly lucky that 2 of the worst GMs in the league are his neighbours. He wouldn’t get anywhere near the undeserved slack he does without those two.
I feel like this place could use a positivity safe space lately. Nothing but doom and gloom from people who know better than an NHL GM, without knowing any of the actual facts behind the scenes.
Team is playing great, we got Sutter, we have a goalie, the defense is looking good post-Gio. Things could be a HELL of a lot worse.
I feel like this place could use a positivity safe space lately. Nothing but doom and gloom from people who know better than an NHL GM, without knowing any of the actual facts behind the scenes.
Team is playing great, we got Sutter, we have a goalie, the defense is looking good post-Gio. Things could be a HELL of a lot worse.
Wrong thread
The Following User Says Thank You to DeluxeMoustache For This Useful Post:
