[News] Sportsnet interview with Maloney (2-parter)

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Why would you need to draft top 3 to get those better players. The Stars clearly pulled it off later. So did Boston. They are already doing their absolute best to put the worst product on the ice, one would think that would count for something with team tank. Nobody who hopes we finish last really seems to care too much about what we get back for our assets, just that they leave the team so we can get that all important top 3 pick. Team rebuild is hoping that we get good picks and prospects back for the assets we have, that is the differentiating point I believe between team tank and team rebuild.

The higher the draft pick, the better the odds to draft an impact player. Which is why most of the top players in the NHL are drafted there. The Dallas strategy is essentially banking on being smarter or luckier than everyone else. Banking on that you see something 20-30 other teams don't. Another reason is that top picks can typically play in the NHL right away, this speeds up a rebuild compared to a pick in the 20s that's usually at least 3-4 years away from making an impact. In order to expedite the rebuild even further the Flames' strategy should be drafting both in the top 3-5, and getting as many picks in the 20-60 range as they possibly can.

As for team tank vs rebuild. I don't believe any fans want to trade players for pennies on the dollar just so they can secure the 32nd place. At the same time Kadri, and Coleman are depreciating assets. They will be worth less and play worse with each year that passes. That was also the reason people wanted to trade Andersson last year, but that would've sent the wrong message to the players. With hindsight it would've been pretty nice if we could get a haul for Andersson, and lost enough games to send MTL pick 32, while drafting in the top 10, as well as getting Reschney.

[mile]

Treliving still haunting us. He was the one who brought Maloney in

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by mile

Treliving still haunting us. He was the one who brought Maloney in

Interesting. I just assumed it was Burke due to their similarities in remaining time before fossilization.

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by Bonded

How outraged should I be?

I'm zero percent outraged, just 100 percent puzzled.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Interesting. I just assumed it was Burke due to their similarities in remaining time before fossilization.

It was definitely Tre. He was the AGM under Maloney in PHX, and he often referred to him as his mentor.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by dammage79

If you've managed to piss off even the most level headed flames media folk like Haynes, you're doing your job wrong.

#firemaloney

I don't think the fans who have reacted negatively to Maloney's comments have over reacted, I think the few here calling reactions and over reaction are the ones off the mark today.

I mean at the end of the day it's just a sports team. They're going to run it how they see fit.

If you want to affect their decisions, hit their wallet. Drive up the season ticket cancellations, stop buying single game tickets or multi game packages, stop buying Fantastic swag of your team.

They'll either get the message or move.

I still maintain there are a lot of overreactions (someone suggested killing them, FYI) but it’s Maloney and Kelso’s complete failure for not predicting these reactions.

[McG]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

It was definitely Tre. He was the AGM under Maloney in PHX, and he often referred to him as his mentor.

This explains a lot!

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Good thing is I don't see any realistic transaction that can be made that gets this team higher than 27th.

This is what they are. Wanting another exciting playoff push isn't enough to make it a reality this year.

They started off too slow and don't have the goal scoring punch to pull off the type of winning streak it would take to legitimately re-enter the picture.

In spite of what management desires this year, they're going to be a basement dweller.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I thought this was part 2!

Unfortunately, this was just part duh

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

There is a world where Maloney is basically the shield for Conroy.

I'm a firm believer that you can't go out there 20 games into the season and say 'those guys in the locker room make up a bad team and this season is done.' That's just not something said by 99.9% of sports franchises (for good reason imo).

So instead of Conroy drawing heat for delivering the message, and since someone has to deliver it, Maloney is the one that can take those bullets.

Unfortunately for him, he's not great at messaging. I thought his intermission interview was 98% nothingburger. But he should not have been trotted out for a follow-up interview.

Again, I don't think this reveals anything about what Conroy is thinking and planning to do.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

The higher the draft pick, the better the odds to draft an impact player. Which is why most of the top players in the NHL are drafted there. The Dallas strategy is essentially banking on being smarter or luckier than everyone else. Banking on that you see something 20-30 other teams don't. Another reason is that top picks can typically play in the NHL right away, this speeds up a rebuild compared to a pick in the 20s that's usually at least 3-4 years away from making an impact. In order to expedite the rebuild even further the Flames' strategy should be drafting both in the top 3-5, and getting as many picks in the 20-60 range they possibly can.

As for team tank vs rebuild. I don't believe any fans want to trade players for pennies on the dollar just so they can secure the 32nd place. At the same time Kadri, and Coleman are depreciating assets. They will be worth less and play worse with each year that passes. That was also the reason people wanted to trade Andersson last year, but that would've sent the wrong message to the players. With hindsight it would've been pretty nice if we could get a haul for Andersson, and lost enough games to send MTL pick 32, while drafting in the top 10, as well as getting Reschney.

Sure, I guess I am just not too worried about the trajectory of the team, regardless of what Don Maloney says for basically the following reasons

1) They are just a really bad team. No amount of hoping or praying will take away from the fact that at most they have 3 forwards that could possibly play on any teams top 6 (Huberdeau, Kadri, Coronato). They might have 3 dmen that could play on any other teams top 4 (Rasmus, Weegar, Bahl) and after that they barely have a dman that could play on another teams top 6. They have a great goalie who can keep them in games but can’t score goals for them. They will be bad regardless of what management does

2) due to point one they will certainly be a team that will finish bottom 5 this year, likely bottom 3 (which would ensure a top 5 pick).

3) while I hope they trade multiple vets (and expect they will) sometime this year Conroy has yet to let a single asset walk for free. Doubt that changes this year so that means they will get something for Rasmus at a minimum and I expect they will move at least one of Kadri or Coleman as well. If they do not I expect Conroy to follow his history next year and move Coleman at a minimum rather than lose him for nothing.

4) There is no reason to expect them to be any better next year. Hunter B and Gridin are the only guys who move up that may have any impact. UFAs just won’t sign on a team this bad, can’t see it happening. The backend and the forwards make it incredibly likely that next year is also a top 5 pick.

5) even in 27/28 it seems unlikely they will make massive improvements. Maybe some of the 2024 picks, 2025 picks and the top picks from 2026 and 2027 start to make an impact but it usually takes time for those guys to really be able to play at the NHL level. Probably still not a playoff team and at worst it is a pick in the 8-12 range.

I don’t really think they have done anything to try to compete since Conroy came in. They have moved three picks out in his time, a 5th for at the time 23 year old former 2nd round pick and a 2nd and a 7th for Frost and Farabee. I suspect at the end of the Frost/Farabee trade tree they end up getting more draft capital back than they sent out (due to the Conroy rule of not losing assets for free).

The only thing for me that would ever cause me concern is if they got rid of Conroy because they do have enough young assets that they could start trading them for guys that could actually help them win. But Conroy has 3 years under his belt of obviously doing next to nothing to actually win now and I don’t think that is going to change anytime soon.

[SuperMatt18]

In the end I'm not surprised by anything in that interview but don't really get the logic in doubling down after a poor reaction to the other interview.

He's not going to say they are giving up on the year and committing to picking top 3. You can't guarantee that either way so he's not going to say it.

It does reinforce that I don't think they will ever go scorched earth, they are never going to fully turn the roster over to youth, but it remains to be seen how deep they will cut.

Andersson only? Andersson and Kadri? Coleman too?

My worry when I read that is there are certain indications that they won't go as deep with trading veterans as they probably should and I do think they have been trying to plant that seed in the media through the discussions Steinberg has had on the radio.

The only part that really annoys me is the "fantasy world" comments, like it's not fantasy it's reality at this point and don't try to be condescending.

But in the end I think what remains the question mark is if they will be willing to go a bit deeper on the sell off than they wish. Nobody expects them to trade all the vets they say are the leaders of this team (Backlund, Kadri, Huberdeau, Weegar, Andersson, Coleman, Lomberg) but I do hope they are willing to move 2-3 of them and not just the pending UFA.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

And emptying their pockets for UFA help isn't realistic either.

We're not an enticing destination right now for any player that would make a difference.

The current roster make up means they're going to move in the direction that's best for them even if Maloney/whoever else have to be dragged along kicking and screaming.

[Goriders]

Not sure why everyone is losing their mind over Maloney. Essentially he said:

- they have to start playing consistently more like the last 3 months of the previous season. Intense and hard to play against. They do.
- they need more speed in the lineup. They do.
- the season so far has been terribly disappointing. It has.
- Said they have a good group of vets. They do.
- Said they have some promising young players. They do.
- Said they have a great goaltending tandem. They do.
- Said Parekh needs more time to physically mature and learn the league. He does.
- They don’t want to put young players in a position to fail. Good idea.
- Players sometimes make the development decisions for them with their play. That is true.
- Confidence is a huge part of the game. It is.
- Throwing young guys in when they aren’t ready and losing a ton of games is not good for the team culture. It’s not.
- They are constantly reassessing. I’m sure they are.
- They want a team that is fun to watch and that people can be proud of. Why wouldn’t you?

I agree with everything he said.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Goriders

Not sure why everyone is losing their mind over Maloney. Essentially he said:

- they have to start playing consistently more like the last 3 months of the previous season. Intense and hard to play against. They do.
- they need more speed in the lineup. They do.
- the season so far has been terribly disappointing. It has.
- Said they have a good group of vets. They do.
- Said they have some promising young players. They do.
- Said they have a great goaltending tandem. They do.
- Said Parekh needs more time to physically mature and learn the league. He does.
- They don’t want to put young players in a position to fail. Good idea.
- Players sometimes make the development decisions for them with their play. That is true.
- Confidence is a huge part of the game. It is.
- Throwing young guys in when they aren’t ready and losing a ton of games is not good for the team culture. It’s not.
- They are constantly reassessing. I’m sure they are.
- They want a team that is fun to watch and that people can be proud of. Why wouldn’t you?

I agree with everything he said.

Seems reasonable. Best to not communicate with the fanbase probably though. But when you put the interview like that it does seem both like an accurate summary and reasonable.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Seems reasonable. Best to not communicate with the fanbase probably though. But when you put the interview like that it does seem both like an accurate summary and reasonable.

Except that Goriders' summary conveniently left out any mention of the inconsistencies, contradictions, condescension, and the completely tone deaf message that was conveyed. One would have to live in a fantasy world to think that interview had any positive merit, or struck any positive chord with the fanbase.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

I said it before but Maloney seems like a used car salesman. A very strange person to trot out twice to speak on behalf of the org. I could see the intermission interview, they are on the road and need to fill airtime. But I'm not sure why they let him do the followup. All of their actions scream rebuild to me, but this is definitely a weird one.

A bad one. Most salesmen typically at least try to be persuasive. Maloney comes across as abrasive, if anything.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Except that Goriders' summary conveniently left out any mention of the inconsistencies, contradictions, condescension, and the completely tone deaf message that was conveyed. One would have to live in a fantasy world to think that interview had any positive merit, or struck any positive chord with the fanbase.

So it was a correct message with an awful delivery. Sounds on brand for Maloney, frankly.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

A bad one. Most salesmen typically at least try to be persuasive. Maloney comes across as abrasive, if anything.

He came across as a Lord, explaining to the serfs why taxes need to be raised again, as he wipes the Champagne stain from his ascot.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Except that Goriders' summary conveniently left out any mention of the inconsistencies, contradictions, condescension, and the completely tone deaf message that was conveyed. One would have to live in a fantasy world to think that interview had any positive merit, or struck any positive chord with the fanbase.

Sure, that is why I said it is best not to communicate. Maloney is a terrible communicator but there was nothing said that indicated they would change course from the rebuilding process they have been undertaking for 3 years now. There was nothing even that said definitively they would not be trading the vets. But it was clearly a bad interview.