[News] LeBrun/Dreger - Flames open for Business

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Unless Conroy gets his asking price he’ll ride out the contracts. I don’t think there is any urgency on his part at all. Team is trending the in the right direction. I’m sure he’s constantly surveying the market for the FAs.

I absolutely see a scenario where anyone that won’t sign an extension is going see out their contracts with the Flames.

Then I think they use that cap space along with other assets in the summer to upgrade our #1c and #1 D.

Not easy to trade for a #1 centre and a #1 d, they are seldom available.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Unless Conroy gets his asking price he’ll ride out the contracts. I don’t think there is any urgency on his part at all. Team is trending the in the right direction. I’m sure he’s constantly surveying the market for the FAs.

I absolutely see a scenario where anyone that won’t sign an extension is going see out their contracts with the Flames.

Then I think they use that cap space along with other assets in the summer to upgrade our #1c and #1 D.

That would be the opposite of everything Conroy has ever said about expiring contracts since he became GM. He is either signing them or trading them. I would be floored if he had even one of the UFA’s not fall into either of those categories, let alone all 4.

[PeteMoss]

The one guy I would probably consider moving sooner rather than later is Tanev if you can get the proper price for him. Its only a matter of time before he's (more) banged up since he puts himself in harm's way so often even though he's avoid major injuries since here in Calgary - pretty much every year he misses games due to injury.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Unless Conroy gets his asking price he’ll ride out the contracts. I don’t think there is any urgency on his part at all. Team is trending the in the right direction. I’m sure he’s constantly surveying the market for the FAs.

I absolutely see a scenario where anyone that won’t sign an extension is going see out their contracts with the Flames.

Then I think they use that cap space along with other assets in the summer to upgrade our #1c and #1 D.

So Conroy walks four huge trading assets to UFA with nothing in return and then uses "other assets" to acquire literally the two hardest to acquire pieces in the NHL?

[dammage79]

The play is to move em all asap. Even if the team is playing well. One thing you cannot have is being left holding the skirt when the deadline passes.

IDC if they hold off until nearer to the deadline, but they absolutely have to be moved.

[Roof-Daddy]

Going to be quite disappointed if any of the big 4 get walked to free agency.

[cannon7]

Apparently "open for business" means "wait and see".

What would we do without "hockey insiders"?

[Hackey]

I'm not expecting trades anytime soon but in the final month or two before the deadline I hope they really start working the phones.

[stemit14]

The flames have 40 games until the trade deadline. Imagine a crazy scenario where the flames go something like 27-8-5 in that time without trading or signing anyone. An insanely good record to be sure and something this team has really not shown to be capable of. This is just an stress-test hypothetical of the team’s resolve and commitment to not letting the UFAs walk to free agency. If the players still refused to re-sign 1 week before the trade deadline, everyone on the team is playing well, the team is firmly in a playoff spot, Lindholm leads the team in points, Hanifin leads the defence in scoring, Tanev is healthy, and Zadorov has rescinded his trade request… what do the flames do at the deadline in this scenario?

I imagine the most popular response on the forum will still be “trade them all - get young assets and build for the future because this team cannot beat the top teams in a playoff series.” And, honestly, that might still be my answer as well. But I really don’t know what management/ownership would do. How often has a team ever done that when in a solid playoff position at the TDL? With a record like that, Conroy could potentially sell ownership on the idea of still making the playoffs even after trading everyone but you’d hurt your chances of going deep if it’s all picks/prospects coming back.

Any trades with teams for the UFA’s will likely be a futures trade since those teams would not want to give up roster players that they need for playoffs. It would also mean the flames would preferentially want to trade with teams in the east so they won’t be helping to improve any teams in the west that they potentially could face in the playoffs.

Just a crazy scenario to consider.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by stemit14

The flames have 40 games until the trade deadline. Imagine a crazy scenario where the flames go something like 27-8-5 in that time without trading or signing anyone. An insanely good record to be sure and something this team has really not shown to be capable of. This is just an stress-test hypothetical of the team’s resolve and commitment to not letting the UFAs walk to free agency. If the players still refused to re-sign 1 week before the trade deadline, everyone on the team is playing well, the team is firmly in a playoff spot, Lindholm leads the team in points, Hanifin leads the defence in scoring, Tanev is healthy, and Zadorov has rescinded his trade request… what do the flames do at the deadline in this scenario?

I imagine the most popular response on the forum will still be “trade them all - get young assets and build for the future because this team cannot beat the top teams in a playoff series.” And, honestly, that might still be my answer as well. But I really don’t know what management/ownership would do. How often has a team ever done that when in a solid playoff position at the TDL? With a record like that, Conroy could potentially sell ownership on the idea of still making the playoffs even after trading everyone but you’d hurt your chances of going deep if it’s all picks/prospects coming back.

Any trades with teams for the UFA’s will likely be a futures trade since those teams would not want to give up roster players that they need for playoffs. It would also mean the flames would preferentially want to trade with teams in the east so they won’t be helping to improve any teams in the west that they potentially could face in the playoffs.

Just a crazy scenario to consider.

Easy. We wouldn't sell because they wouldn't be able to justify. It would be sold to the fan base as "think of them as internal rentals instead of paying for rentals on the market".

Then we'd do decent maybe even win a round, and then the UFA's would walk, we'd be much weaker heading into the next season and without added picks and prospects from trading our UFA's. Mushy middle again.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by stemit14

The flames have 40 games until the trade deadline. Imagine a crazy scenario where the flames go something like 27-8-5 in that time without trading or signing anyone. An insanely good record to be sure and something this team has really not shown to be capable of. This is just an stress-test hypothetical of the team’s resolve and commitment to not letting the UFAs walk to free agency. If the players still refused to re-sign 1 week before the trade deadline, everyone on the team is playing well, the team is firmly in a playoff spot, Lindholm leads the team in points, Hanifin leads the defence in scoring, Tanev is healthy, and Zadorov has rescinded his trade request… what do the flames do at the deadline in this scenario?

I imagine the most popular response on the forum will still be “trade them all - get young assets and build for the future because this team cannot beat the top teams in a playoff series.” And, honestly, that might still be my answer as well. But I really don’t know what management/ownership would do. How often has a team ever done that when in a solid playoff position at the TDL? With a record like that, Conroy could potentially sell ownership on the idea of still making the playoffs even after trading everyone but you’d hurt your chances of going deep if it’s all picks/prospects coming back.

Any trades with teams for the UFA’s will likely be a futures trade since those teams would not want to give up roster players that they need for playoffs. It would also mean the flames would preferentially want to trade with teams in the east so they won’t be helping to improve any teams in the west that they potentially could face in the playoffs.

Just a crazy scenario to consider.

This record would put the Flames at a 106 point pace at the deadline and likely the hottest team in the league over an extended period.

Hopefully the fans in this town would be excited as hell about the team and the damage they could do in the playoffs. But I'm sure you'd have some people clamoring to tear it all down and start over again in the hopes you could get back to the same situation again in several years.

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeah, that record would have the Flames 34-11-7 from their 2-7-1 start. If they do that, they probably aren't selling and those kind of feel good vibes might even result in an extension or two.

[traptor]

A quarter way through the season...

The flames leading producer is lindholm, on pace for 56 points and 19 goals.
Leading scorer is coleman on pace for 22 goals.

We have only one player on pace for more then 20 goals...

Our goalies are a .901 and an .883.

It's simple stats but they tell a big story. This team doesn't have top end talent even close to a contender. And not even in the level of a low talent wildcard team like the 2023 kraken or the 2012 coyotes.


This team HAS to sell.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by traptor

A quarter way through the season...

The flames leading producer is lindholm, on pace for 56 points and 19 goals.
Leading scorer is coleman on pace for 22 goals.

We have only one player on pace for more then 20 goals...

Our goalies are a .901 and an .883.

It's simple stats but they tell a big story. This team doesn't have top end talent even close to a contender. And not even in the level of a low talent wildcard team like the 2023 kraken or the 2012 coyotes.


This team HAS to sell.

Meh, team results matter most.

I'll take a dozen 10 goal scorers and playoffs over a couple 35 goal scorers and come up short. The make up of this team screams "by committee" anyways.

This isn't the Oilers, we don't fall in love with the individual stats sheet and somehow conflate that with team success when one isn't necessarily predictive of the other (hello media).

[traptor]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Meh, team results matter most.

I'll take a dozen 10 goal scorers and playoffs over a couple 35 goal scorers and come up short. The make up of this team screams "by committee" anyways.

This isn't the Oilers, we don't fall in love with the individual stats sheet and somehow conflate that with team success when one isn't necessarily predictive of the other (hello media).

Suite yourself man but I want both, a talented and deep team. The oilers are a joke but properly built contenders have it. Heck, we had it two seasons ago.

The production of our top players is so low that it would nearly unprecedented for a playoff team let alone a contender.

It's easier to get depth then talent.

Here's the quarter mark team stat: team is on pace for 78 points.

The team has to sell.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Meh, team results matter most.

I'll take a dozen 10 goal scorers and playoffs over a couple 35 goal scorers and come up short. The make up of this team screams "by committee" anyways.

This isn't the Oilers, we don't fall in love with the individual stats sheet and somehow conflate that with team success when one isn't necessarily predictive of the other (hello media).

I agree, team results matter most, and this team’s results aren’t particularly pretty.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I agree, team results matter most, and this team’s results aren’t particularly pretty.

Pretty good for the last month.

[Poe969]

Typical Flames fashion. The team is bad and they're in a great spot to sell and bottom out, but they string together a few good games and all is good. How long until we hear "this team could make some noise in the playoffs" or "if they get going this team could be scary!"

[CalgaryFan1988]

I'm hopeful that Conroy sees the big picture, that all UFA's must be dealt.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Typical Flames fashion. The team is bad and they're in a great spot to sell and bottom out, but they string together a few good games and all is good. How long until we hear "this team could make some noise in the playoffs" or "if they get going this team could be scary!"

Is it typical Flames fashion?

The Flames haven’t said anything one way or another, and even insiders can’t get the story straight. Maybe you’re just projecting your own feelings onto the team.