I was 100% fine with his interview between periods. 100% fine wasn't exactly accurate, but i felt it was vastly overblown with the reaction. I think he shouldn't have said squat. For the record, I think the Flames should just went about their business without saying much at all until whatever trades they end up completing this year are actually competed. Then immediately come out and do a "State of the Union" address of some sort. No need for a cringey letter apologizing to fans, and promising things that everyone knows will be hard to deliver. Just a short state of the union that the Flames are just doing a youth movement, and sometimes when you do a youth movement, you have a season like this. It is honest, it is respectful, and it doesn't piss anyone off (will, there will always be someone pissed off no matter what, but the majority of fans will be fine.
So yeah, I was 'fine' with what Maloney brought up - a bit cringey, but otherwise fine.
Then this Francis piece gets published? Yeah - I did a 180.
Why in the world is this a good idea to come out and double-down on the comments that got people angry? I don't get it.
For instance:
Excuse me? Unexpected? Looking at the roster, most people expected to finish at the bottom of the standings. All the trades made were mostly for futures - picks that were used to select prospects at the draft, not for 'win now' players. There is a lot of unused cap space - the 5th most cap space, and that doesn't include the $1.875 million retained on Markstrom.
So the natural question I would ask is:
Are you incompetent, or do you think us fans are a bunch of morons and that you can just bull#### us like this?
Am I being too unreasonable? Is there another way to take this?
He also says this:
So you need to sell tickets.. by lying to the fan base about the expectations? Again, is this incompetence, or are the Flames trying to do a 'bait-and-switch' here? It sounds like the Flames misrepresenting something here. It doesn't smell good. I feel it is calling into question the fan base's intelligence, no? This really stinks. I can't quite put my finger on this, but this makes me angry here. Flames are still saving a lot of cap space here. They are also getting a new mostly publicly funded building here. You still trying to deceive the general public into buying tickets assuming this team is going to be successful? Sigh.
A Dallas model. Ok. Sure, there's no doubt that Dallas has had a LOT more success in the last three consecutive seasons than the Flames have had since '04. That's three consecutive conference finals appearances. However, the question needs to be asked again - is the Dallas "Model" really the way to go here? Why not the Colorado model that resulted in a cup? Dallas hasn't won squat, but they did win a lottery. The Dallas Model has always sounded overly optimistic to me, and similar to "What we've always done in Calgary" - at least to a point, right?
So, where the Flames are in at the moment isn't the plan? These 20 games have been very disappointing? Or were they expected when you look at the roster, the cap space, and the plethora of futures that are accumulated? There has been no impetus on avoiding the bottom of the standings here, so how can you call this a "very disappointing 20 games."?? Heck, i would be a little perturbed if I am a player here. Like: "Where the F is the help here?" As a fan - am I supposed to be enter this season expecting the Flames to do well? Am I not supposed to look at the roster construction and assume things aren't going to go well, and now suddenly find myself very disappointed as I didn't expect this?
Again, insinuating that this is somehow an 'unexpected setback' that requires reevaluation? Some on... stop with the bull####. The Flames didn't have to say squat, but for Maloney to come out and say what he said leaves room for only two explanations:
1) The Flames are an incompetent mess thinking that this season was supposed to be much more successful than this
2) The Flames think us fans are morons, and that they can just lie like this.
This is rather disappointing. Not because of where the Flames are at, but because the President of the Calgary Flames just went public bull####ting the fan base here. If it isn't bull####ting, then it is sheer incompetence. Is there a third angle I am missing? I think it makes it so much worse by stating: "We still need to sell tickets." Sell tickets by trying to lie to the fan base about expectations? I don't think that's right. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, actually.
If you have read any of my posts over the last few days, i have had the complete opposite viewpoint until now. This interview just left a bad taste somehow. It was hard to stomach. Not because I disagree with the direction of the team, or this and that. It just really felt like the President of the Flames simply bull####ting the fan base, while citing a need to sell tickets in that interview. It was just unnecessary.
All I could think of was this:
Keep these guy away from the microphone. I feel like not spending another dollar on the Flames this season and next simply because I feel like Maloney is trying to cheat me somehow. Sure, call it an overreaction, but that's how that interview sat with me. Should have just sad nothing.
They either clearly think fans are morons or they are morons if they think this team can compete. I would agree with basically your entire post. I am not too worried because they have done nothing to improve the team for the last 3 years and I doubt that will change. But this team with that backend is so bad that they won’t be getting much better anytime soon. .500 for the rest of the year seems like a pipe dream and that would only get them 75 points. Can’t see them going much better than .450 hockey the rest of the year in their best case scenario which would result in 69 points which would be lower than every teams current pace outside off Nashville. More likely they play closer to .400 hockey than .450 imo.
But it was a pretty dumb interview that really makes them seem completely incompetent if they were actually trying to win this season. Not throwing 7.25 million a year at Gavrikov and deciding to go with Hanley as your top 4 LHD tells me they never really thought they could win this year.
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Maloney doubling down might be the worst career move I’ve seen in decades.
I’ve got nothing, this is yikes.
I might have misunderstood from the notes on Francis’ segment, but sounds like ownership is good to go for a rebuild but it’s the management group (Maloney) resisting? Any truth to that?
The first piece just seemed like a marketing misstep from an old man.
But this was insulting, contradictory, inconsistent, tonedeaf, and misguided. And they had time to prepare! I will be sending a note to my rep- they need to do something clear and positive to fix this. And if big changes haven't happened by the deadline, I'm out.
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The first piece just seemed like a marketing misstep from an old man.
But this was insulting, contradictory, inconsistent, tonedeaf, and misguided. And they had time to prepare! I will be sending a note to my rep- they need to do something clear and positive to fix this. And if big changes haven't happened by the deadline, I'm out.
Hey…be careful what you say about “an old man”. I’m one of those (75) and I can still find all my marbles, even on a bad day. My tax clients depend on that.
Maloney should NEVER be in front of people or a mic. What a bozo.
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Hey...where'd my avatar go?
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Hey…be careful what you say about “an old man”. I’m one of those (75) and I can still find all my marbles, even on a bad day. My tax clients depend on that.
Maloney should NEVER be in front of people or a mic. What a bozo.
My late father was sharp and competent until his early 80s. Then he developed what was probably vascular dementia and began to decline rather rapidly. Stuff like that happens at different ages with different people, and of course many people never go through it at all.
I was wondering in another thread if Maloney has some medical issue that may be affecting his judgement. That occasionally happens to people much younger than 67.
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Like Calgary4LIfe, I wasn’t that worked up about part 1. I thought maybe it was just spin. Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was off base, but I thought maybe purposefully so.
Part 2, painted a different picture. Not a pull back after the media and fan response. Instead, he pretty much says the fans are stupid.Then he doubles down on the position that this team could actually be competitive. Add to that he throws the Tkachuk pick around as some amazing one off statistic.First, we were damn lucky to get him where we did. Second? Where the ##### is he? He injured? Haven’t seen him all year. No, wait. He left. Hmmm why? Why did our game breaker franchise type players leave?
Personally, I lay it on mismanagement from top to bottom. I don’t know if Murray meddles or doesn’t. If he does, you’d think there’d be some pretty solid direction to listen to a player with the potential to be the heart of a franchise and part of a cup contender. Like, maybe the identity could be a bit of a riot every night and maybe that’s a guy that should be captain.Pretty bad example to use - one of your best drafted players in 2 decades but oh ummm couldn’t keep him in the organization.
Yup, you did manage to get this fan who doesn’t understand what really needs to happen, riled up. I hope Maloneys messaging and the subsequent reaction of the fan base serves to inform Murray of the fact that fans do want a couple of #1-3 picks. A Celebrini type, a Bedard type. I hope he’s listening and realizes that further down the org chart, there’s a guy who gets it and at the top of the org chart there is a guy alienating the fan base.
I hope these interviews serve the fact that the first guy moved for future considerations is Don Maloney.
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Enduring Calgary Flames hockey since 1980.
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So you're suggesting I'm a puppet or bought and paid for?
New bell ringer for insult level, you should be proud.
Maybe don't go through life looking for weak reasons to to denigrate those that have opposing opinions to your rumble stripped views.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
When can I get the keys?
Bingo,
I was up late, and didn't mean to be as confrontational towards yourself, as that was written. Apologies for insinuating what you wrote, but I am going to PM you.
My intent was Murray's reach is vast, and certainly can be influential. It was all to be insultating towards M.E, and again I apologize.
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I hope these interviews serve the fact that the first guy moved for future considerations is Don Maloney.
Just for a moment, my eyes tricked me and I thought you wrote ‘furniture considerations’. And yeah, I could get behind trading Maloney for a couch or a slightly used desk.
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Reggie just jumped in to this extended live thanksgiving thing they are doing and voted soundly for team tank and then ripped Bouchard's d ability, fun listen right now if you're a fan of the show.
Reggie just jumped in to this extended live thanksgiving thing they are doing and voted soundly for team tank and then ripped Bouchard's d ability, fun listen right now if you're a fan of the show.
I've had it on all day in the background while I'm working. It's great lol.
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"look at the difference between Matthew Schaefer at 1, and Parekh at 10 (9)"
"at 1, you get someone who comes in and plays in all situations...I'm not saying Parekh is not going to be able to, but it's going take some time"
Goes on to talk about the difference between drafting top-3 vs. elsewhere. "You can't just go out and buy those guys in free agency, you just can't"
Reggie: "I'm a fan, but I think there are certain people in the organization that are deathly afraid of becoming the Buffalo Sabres"
Rhett pipes in and talks about how no one but Buffalo is Buffalo, effectively.
Reggie pretty critical of the organization, calls the Flames fear of doing it (bottoming out) problematic. Reggie thinks it'd be beneficial to bottom it out.
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I think Buffalo is part of it but I really think they look at the decade of darkness up north and fear that as well. The wandering the desert comment referred to them among other teams. Fact remains since Edmonton started their decade of darkness they have won 9 playoff rounds to the Flames 2 and been past the second round 3 times to the flames none
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I think Buffalo is part of it but I really think they look at the decade of darkness up north and fear that as well. The wandering the desert comment referred to them among other teams. Fact remains since Edmonton started their decade of darkness they have won 9 playoff rounds to the Flames 2 and been past the second round 3 times to the flames none
I could see the oilers experience being worrisome as well. Think of how that team’s last 10 years would have looked if not for that one lottery ball. They likely would have just remained irrelevant at the bottom of the standings and would be the western equivalent of the Sabres to this day.
Not that the flames should let that scare them from rebuilding. Edmonton, like Buffalo, has long been a poorly managed team. Terrible at drafting and developing. Terrible signings. If the flames avoid being a poorly managed team (which I think they will avoid with Conroy at the helm), then I think the rebuild can be successful.
I could see the oilers experience being worrisome as well. Think of how that team’s last 10 years would have looked if not for that one lottery ball. They likely would have just remained irrelevant at the bottom of the standings and would be the western equivalent of the Sabres to this day.
Not that the flames should let that scare them from rebuilding. Edmonton, like Buffalo, has long been a poorly managed team. Terrible at drafting and developing. Terrible signings. If the flames avoid being a poorly managed team (which I think they will avoid with Conroy at the helm), then I think the rebuild can be successful.
Exactly this. The response to the concerns is simple:
Don't be one of the worst managed organizations in the league.
The lottery ball guarantees nothing, AND you need the top picks, and you need to be a well (if not great) managed team.
The only way the long stretch of rubbish happens is if you're not good enough at taking care of your own business. If that management team is too afraid of handling a difficult position, then they're the wrong management team.
Last edited by ComixZone; 11-27-2025 at 10:17 PM.
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I think Buffalo is part of it but I really think they look at the decade of darkness up north and fear that as well. The wandering the desert comment referred to them among other teams. Fact remains since Edmonton started their decade of darkness they have won 9 playoff rounds to the Flames 2 and been past the second round 3 times to the flames none
Fair but Oilers dont get McDavid under the current rules...it would be 2 decades of darkness and counting
Fair but Oilers dont get McDavid under the current rules...it would be 2 decades of darkness and counting
Agreed. Hopefully the flames get some lottery luck.
Looking at our team post lockout we made the playoffs 9 times, lost in the fist round 7 of those times (unless you want to count the bubble play-in) and are on track to miss for the 12th time.
Personally I think the flames have been too good at drafting to have the same issue as the Oilers who really struggled to draft any players outside of the 1st round where Calgary has picked some strong players in later rounds.
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player on a team with Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Coffee and Fuhr.
