Making the playoffs or keeping our top-10 first round pick 2025?

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

You mean, he made them contract offers, and when they wouldn't budge on their ridiculous asking price, he traded them. He still had the option of meeting their demands, but did not.

The point is his preference was to keep them. The mandate to be competitive every season hasn't changed with the GM.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by kehatch

The point is his preference was to keep them. The mandate to be competitive every season hasn't changed with the GM.

Go into work tomorrow and tell your boss is that your new plan is to insure the company fails, but things might get better in 3 years. See how far that gets you.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by kehatch

The point is his preference was to keep them. The mandate to be competitive every season hasn't changed with the GM.

They were assets. His preference was to keep them if it was at a price that made them continue to be assets, rather than liabilities. Since that wasn't possible, the next best choice was to trade them for other assets with more team control, which he did.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Go into work tomorrow and tell your boss is that your new plan is to insure the company fails, but things might get better in 3 years. See how far that gets you.

Not far in Calgary. Which is both the point and the reason we are perpetually mediocre.

[All In Good Time]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

They were assets. His preference was to keep them if it was at a price that made them continue to be assets, rather than liabilities. Since that wasn't possible, the next best choice was to trade them for other assets with more team control, which he did.

This!

Too much binary thinking around here
“If we aren’t getting rid of everybody, including the organist, we will never win”

[Groot]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Not far in Calgary. Which is both the point and the reason we are perpetually mediocre.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Go into work tomorrow and tell your boss is that your new plan is to insure the company fails, but things might get better in 3 years. See how far that gets you.

Weird analogy. Outside of pro sports with drafts, I can't think of any business that would operate this way. There is no tangible asset to be gained in the corporate world by failing.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Sure he did. He tried very hard to keep Lindholm and Hanafin. He only traded those guys when he was out of options. This is the first time we have had a sniff of success and he is in buy mode. I appreciate that he is targeting younger guys. But these types of moves are more likely to keep us mediocre then take us a big step forward.

The thing that keeps you mediocre is tanking and getting top 5 picks (see Anaheim, Columbus, San Jose, Buffalo, Chicago etc.). The way to build a winner is to accumulate picks and young assets, like Conroy is doing.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

The thing that keeps you mediocre is tanking and getting top 5 picks (see Anaheim, Columbus, San Jose, Buffalo, Chicago etc.). The way to build a winner is to accumulate picks and young assets, like Conroy is doing.

I don't agree. The things that keep you mediocre is being a poorly run franchise that makes bad decisions, and drafts poorly.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I don't agree. The things that keep you mediocre is being a poorly run franchise that makes bad decisions, and drafts poorly.

If you are bad enough to get multiple top 5 picks you almost certainly fall under that definition. Tanking almost never works.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Can’t wait to give Montreal 11th overall.

Thanks Tre

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Can’t wait to give Montreal 11th overall.

Thanks Tre

C'mon, don't be negative.

It will only be 12th-14th.

[kehatch]

Virtually every cup team spent time at the bottom. The Flames spend a lot of energy and money trying to stay mediocre. If your happy with that then fine, but don't pretend it's something else as you frown down on those of us that want the team built properly.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Wolven

Anyway.... Let's do an update!

Schedule to Trade Deadline:

• Expected Wins: Sharks (H)
• Likely Wins: Kraken (H)
• Likely Losses: Flyers (A)
• Expected Losses: Avalanche (H), Capitals (A), Lightning (A), Panthers (A), Hurricane (A), Stars (A)

• Confirmed Wins: Sabres (H), Wild (A)*, Ducks (H), Kraken (A)*,
• Confirmed Losses: Jets (A), Capitals (H), Red Wings (H)*, Leafs (H),

*Defied expectation

Standings update:
The team is still in WC2 but we are now tied with the Canucks (the tiebreakers are in the Flames favour). At this point the Canucks are the only threat to a playoff spot as the Blues have dropped away and are 6 points back. The Flames have the 16th hardest remaining schedule, Canucks have the 19th hardest, Kings have the 21st hardest, and the Blues are 23rd hardest.

From a "top10 draft" perspective, Flames have dropped down to 17th overall, in a 3-way tie with the Canucks and Blue Jackets. The Islanders are currently hot and catching up but the other mushy middle teams have cooled off (Canadiens, Rangers, UHC, Blues, Penguins, and Flyers) and there is now a 6 point gap needed to overcome for these teams to pass the Flames. The top10 pick is not looking likely but we did just watch the Blues go from a playoff position push to a top10 pick position.

These next 9 games are going to be tough.

Quick update following the Avs game because it changed the standings a bunch.

Marching to the Trade Deadline:

• Expected Wins: Sharks (H)
• Likely Wins: Kraken (H)
• Likely Losses: Flyers (A)
• Expected Losses: Capitals (A), Lightning (A), Panthers (A), Hurricane (A), Stars (A)

• Confirmed Wins: Sabres (H), Wild (A)*, Ducks (H), Kraken (A)*,
• Confirmed Losses: Jets (A), Capitals (H), Red Wings (H)*, Leafs (H), Avalanche (H),

*Defied expectation

Playoff standings update:
The team is now outside of a playoff spot. Ouch. 2 points back on the Canucks with even games played.

Tankathon Update:

• The Flames have the 16th hardest remaining schedule
• Canucks have the 9th hardest (big jump after their Sharks game!)
• Kings have the 20st hardest
• Blues are 23rd hardest (no change)

"Top10 draft" Update:
Flames have dropped down to 19th overall. Both New York teams are 2-3 points behind with a game in hand but they both have difficult schedules in front of them. Canadiens and UHC are both 4 points back and even games played and they have pretty easy schedules (25 and 21, respectively). Top10 is not likely but it is possible.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Virtually every cup team spent time at the bottom. The Flames spend a lot of energy and money trying to stay mediocre. If your happy with that then fine, but don't pretend it's something else as you frown down on those of us that want the team built properly.

So what's your solution? Get rid of Wolf? Because this is not a bottom-5 team with Wolf in goal.

[All In Good Time]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

So what's your solution? Get rid of Wolf? Because this is not a bottom-5 team with Wolf in goal.

Why even bother
Obviously the solution is to forfeit the next 270 games or so, save money on popcorn and ice making, start ripping the dome down now and we will move into the new building and immediately be champions.
Easy actually, every other previous champion simply wasted money actually losing games

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

The thing that keeps you mediocre is tanking and getting top 5 picks (see Anaheim, Columbus, San Jose, Buffalo, Chicago etc.). The way to build a winner is to accumulate picks and young assets, like Conroy is doing.

Chicago?

They recently won 3 Stanley Cups by getting premium top picks.

They are doing that again, and have accumulated a potential generational talent, a large prospect base, and numerous future picks.

They also have cap space and, most importantly, a sought after city.

They tried retooling on the fly, it didn't work, so they went scorched earth.

Conroy has done a very good job, but Calgary lacks premium talent.

But tanking for Calgary has sailed, Wolf likely prevents that from happening.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

So what's your solution? Get rid of Wolf? Because this is not a bottom-5 team with Wolf in goal.

Don't bother.

That same poster was screaming for the Flames to play Wolf more. Now that they are, he's whining that they aren't tanking. There is no plan, just a chance to complain after every loss.

[littlereddevil]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Chicago?

They recently won 3 Stanley Cups by getting premium top picks.

They are doing that again, and have accumulated a potential generational talent, a large prospect base, and numerous future picks.

They also have cap space and, most importantly, a sought after city.

They tried retooling on the fly, it didn't work, so they went scorched earth.

Conroy has done a very good job, but Calgary lacks premium talent.

But tanking for Calgary has sailed, Wolf likely prevents that from happening.

Those Blackhawk teams would never have been successful without them finding Keith and Seabrook, both of them drafted outside the lottery positions. Also Crawford was a key contributor to their success outside Kane, Toews and Hossa. To be a successful contender, you need not only forward talent, but defensive strength, secondary scoring and great goaltending.

Bedard may be the next generational talent but they still have to build solid pieces around him which takes time and patience, and by then, will Bedard have the patience to stay on a losing team or will he follow the likes of Eichel, Reinhart, etc. in wanting out as soon as he gets his first chance?

[Roof-Daddy]

It's too funny, every time this team works it's way back into the drivers seat of the playoff picture, they jerk the wheel and end up back in the rhubarb. Boneheads

You just know this is gonna end with the worst possible out come.

Hopefully at the very least the young guys keep progressing, especially Wolf. He's in a bit of a rut tight now. If he's going to keep us from drafting high, he best be for real.