[Rumour] Toffoli, Lindholm, Backlund, and Hanifin unlikely to re-sign

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by Bonded

He can really only blame himself by forcing Sutter in as a coach rather than canning Tre.

Definitely agree with that but I’m curious as to if the players lied in their exit interviews. Sounds like they said they wouldn’t come back with Sutter around but now what’s the issue? Could it be as simple as one person wanting out which caused a trickle down effect.

[Azhouse]

Good luck to Toronto (not really). Treliving was a horrible GM.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

It is irksome that the club went and stomached 8 million in dead cash to get rid of the guy the players didn't get along with and brought in a guy they had strong relationships with - FOR the players - and they repay the team this way for making that compromise.

The Flames deserve a lot better. Especially the class acts who are running the show now.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Ferarri

Definitely agree with that but I’m curious as to if the players lied in their exit interviews. Sounds like they said they wouldn’t come back with Sutter around but now what’s the issue? Could it be as simple as one person wanting out which caused a trickle down effect.

Goes back to Gaudreau walking which led to Tkachuk walking and then watching their starting goaltenders #### the bed for a year. Bringing back the same team feels like a coin flip. I'd think about moving on if I was a player as well.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

It is irksome that the club went and stomached 8 million in dead cash to get rid of the guy the players didn't get along with and brought in a guy they had strong relationships with - FOR the players - and they repay the team this way for making that compromise.

The Flames deserve a lot better. Especially the class acts who are running the show now.

If they went into a rebuild Sutter wasn't the coach for the team anyways.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Azhouse

Good luck to Toronto (not really). Treliving was a horrible GM.

Good at finagling favorable bridge contracts and the occasional big trade.

Aggressively bad at evaluating coaches and being proactive. Doesn't have a good pulse on his players.

Trainwreck at free agency and thus talent/player evaluation.

[blender]

I wonder if Colorado goes after Lindholm. He would.put them back in the conversation for sure.
What do they have that the Flames would want?

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Good at finagling favorable bridge contracts and the occasional big trade.

Aggressively bad at evaluating coaches and being proactive. Doesn't have a good pulse on his players.

Trainwreck at free agency and thus talent/player evaluation.

Also he seemed to work in isolation at times and didn’t consult with the other AGM’s (alluded to by Conroy). I’m glad there’s a new philosophy and they’re going to be more collaborative. Sure Conroy should have final say but what’s the point of having a staff if you beat to your own drum. Maybe some of the stupid moves he made could have been avoided if he didn’t think he was the smartest guy in the room and took his own advice about the “process.”

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by blender

I wonder if Colorado goes after Lindholm. He would.put them back in the conversation for sure.
What do they have that the Flames would want?

Makar

[troutman]

Sutter is fired and they still want out. Maybe the problem is higher up?

[OldSam]

Pretty disappointed in these players. It is their choice, but I don't have to like it. So, to all of them...bye. Get something good for them, Conny, and don't look back.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sutter is fired and they still want out. Maybe the problem is higher up?

IMO. If ordinary fans are ####ting on Edwards left and right and even Barn Burner openly worrying about which "marching orders" Connie is getting from the ownership mandate I feel like that says something

[FurnaceFace]

Makes sense as a player now that it’s known the cap is flat for another year and the huge jump is all next off season. Wait and sign when you can get more cash and bet on yourself having a great season. Kind of a snowball effect once one or two guys don’t want to commit long term, the rest start to question it too and with many of them expecting this is their last move to start thinking about what they really want.

I think it’s short term pain for (hopefully) goodness down the road. Now CC, channel your inner Jim Nill and build up a prospect and roster base like the Stars have.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sutter is fired and they still want out. Maybe the problem is higher up?

It’s not a problem, it’s timing.

Even if they all came back at discounted rates, they weren’t good enough to make it last year. Everyone is a year older and slower. There is no help coming, and any move they could make would not return a player who’d get them any closer to contention.

Toffoli has 2 cups. Backlund and Lindholm have never been out of the 2nd round. Tanev’s been to a final.

These guys have already gotten paid, they have their generational wealth secured.

They want to win.

They don’t see this roster, with Kadri and Huberdeau as the other “best players” as capable of winning within the next two or three years, which is their window.

And neither does anyone else. You don’t. I don’t. The coach doesn’t. The GM doesn’t. Hell, Murray probably doesn’t.

They’re not good enough. They don’t have enough good players, and the ones they do have are the wrong age. They had a window, maybe, with Gaudreau and Tkachuk.

They don’t anymore. It’s over. They missed.

That’s okay. They tried harder than anyone could reasonably have expected them to.

But it’s time.

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sutter is fired and they still want out. Maybe the problem is higher up?

Pretty sure they couldn’t handle the news of the guy behind Harvey the Hound retiring.

[Paulie Walnuts]

It was unlikely we would bring all 4 back anyways unless Backlund was going to sign a discount deal and Toffoli with the raises Hanifin and Lindholm would get.

I still think Lindholm signs in the end. I think they are using the media to squeeze every last penny from us.

Backlund might also have hurt feelings if Andersson is named captain.

How would we fit these 4 plus Tanev and Kylington.

Only so much cap space.

Unfortunately Edwards had to bring his buddy back which really sank our teams image.

[GreenLantern2814]

^^^Three separate points of emotional conjecture in one post is impressive.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by troutman

Sutter is fired and they still want out. Maybe the problem is higher up?

Edwards has always been one of most hardline owners in league labour disputes. There’s been grumbling about player treatment (no chartered planes to all-star games, etc). Not to mention the ongoing arena saga. Then there are the stories about him blowing a gasket and getting personal when the Gaudreau negotiations went pear-shaped.

Safe to say Edwards isn’t beloved by the players.

[Remember1989]

[Rumour] GM Craig Conroy unlikely to re-sign

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by Remember1989

[Rumour] GM Craig Conroy unlikely to re-sign

Hearing Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudey have also requested a trade.