Flames - how to cure the rot for 2019/20

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by btimbit

To me that drastic of a change would be like the Capitals trading Ovechkin and Backstrom 5 years ago.

As far back as 2011 the Caps were generally winning at least a round when they got to the playoffs. The Flames haven't shown themselves capable of even being in a series.

[Caged Great]

The good thing is that the Flames have a lot of high value pieces.

Perhaps some more trades like the Hamilton one are in order?

That one seemed to work out well.

[flamesforcup]

I like the idea of trading for Kadri he brings some much needed grit we could use. I think people are forgetting how elite Gaudreau is by putting him in the same sentance as Monahan as people we need to move. Monahan can go, you dont trade players like Gaudreau until you see how they do with a good centre.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Gaudreau - *Duchene - Lindholm
Tkachuk - Monahan - *Connolly
Bennett - Backlund - Czarnik
Mangiapane - Ryan - *Hathaway
Jankowski

Hanifin - Andersson
Valimaki - Brodie
Kylington - Hamonic
*Rutta

*Talbot/Bobrovski/Lehner/Mrazek
Rittich

Trade - Giordano, Frolik, Stone, Neal.

I know trading Giordano isn't going to be popular opinion, but he's going to be 36 when next season begins. Stone and Frolik should be easy to move. Neal? no comment.

Were not making the playoffs let alone winning anything with that defense.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by btimbit

To me that drastic of a change would be like the Capitals trading Ovechkin and Backstrom 5 years ago.

Those guys are another planet compared to our top 2.
Ovechkin in particular may be the best goal scorer of all time.

There's at least 50 players in the NHL I'd trade Monahan 1 for 1.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by btimbit

To me that drastic of a change would be like the Capitals trading Ovechkin and Backstrom 5 years ago.

Yea i would agree with you on Gaudreau but theres no way i want to keep Monahan hes not even on the same planet as Backstrom. I would trade him for at least 30 centres 1 for 1.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

Were not making the playoffs let alone winning anything with that defense.

Giordano is sadly going to be regressing soon. I think we should get a valuable asset in return while we can. Most of the defence are at an age where they should be better next season. Minus Gio, Brodie and Hamonic.

[AltaGuy]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Those guys are another planet compared to our top 2.
Ovechkin in particular may be the best goal scorer of all time.

There's at least 50 players in the NHL I'd trade Monahan 1 for 1.

Agreed - plus, Ovechkin is the exact type of physically gifted elite talent that we do not have. For an opposition, leaning heavily on Ovechkin in the playoffs gets you nothing.

I maintain that Patrick Kane is the example for how Gaudreau will be successful in the playoffs: i.e. Hossa and Toews were elite possession players, and Kane was not required to carry the puck into the heavy areas, retrieve the puck, or provide back-pressure.

Monahan is what he is, and also needs someone to get him the puck because of his limitations. Our major problem is that Tkachuk has the same limitations, and our offence will always falter in physical, fast games with those two skating in mud.

[Vinny01]

Francis alludes to Tkachuk wanting to eventually leave and head to the states so he will be seeking the 5 year deal this summer that takes him to UFA in his most recent article. I hope that is not the case

[Sylvanfan]

How does Kadri help you win a playoff round when he keeps getting suspended in the first couple games for the rest of the round?

[AltaGuy]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Francis alludes to Tkachuk wanting to eventually leave and head to the states so he will be seeking the 5 year deal this summer that takes him to UFA in his most recent article. I hope that is not the case

That guy is such a can't-say-it-on-here.

He's so effing transparent with his rabble rousing doom-and-gloom.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I should have known better than to open this thread.

[Kovaz]

Monahan and Gaudreau, as a pair, don't work in the playoffs.

So as I see it we have 3 choices:

1) Accept that they'll be useless and try to win a cup with $13.5M of dead weight on the top line.
2) Split them up and try to build a more playoff-capable lineup around them being on separate lines
3) Trade one of them.

I think option 1 is a no-go, unless winning in the playoffs isn't a priority for some reason.

I'd go for option 2 and commit to it - but that means if we start 3-7 and can't score goals, you don't take the easy path and put them back together. I have my doubts that would ever happen.

Option 3 is also tough but I'd take a long hard look at what's out there. We need more guys that can drive play, forecheck hard, and win puck battles in our top 6.

[yourbestfriend]

Gaudreau and Monahan by themselves, might not be the long term solution to the Flames making a deep playoff run, but they definitely aren't the problem. Their contracts alone dictate that they won't ever be traded barring an absurd overpayment.

We also just witnessed first hand what a bonafide 1st line center can do. After seeing Mackinnon's performance, we literally don't have any center on this team that can either shut someone like him down in a playoff series (no offense to Backs) or is offensive enough to go shot for shot with him. IMO, long term solution for the Flames is to add center depth to have a 1-2 combo down the middle and push down Backs to the 3rd line.

If we keep signing/trading for mediocre middle of the road players, those are the kind of results we'll get. People may scoff at the price of signing a high level player or trading for one but that's what needs to be done for this team to get over the hump.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

There's at least 50 players in the NHL I'd trade Monahan 1 for 1.

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

Yea i would agree with you on Gaudreau but theres no way i want to keep Monahan hes not even on the same planet as Backstrom. I would trade him for at least 30 centres 1 for 1.

But how many of those are realistic? Do other teams do that trade?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by btimbit

But how many of those are realistic? Do other teams do that trade?

Yeah, unfortunately other GMs watched the playoffs too

[btimbit]

The only way a 1 on 1 gets done is if you downgrade. Realistically, if you want to move a guy like Monahan you're getting picks and prospects

Unless Chiarelli gets another job

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Yeah, unfortunately other GMs watched the playoffs too

Do the Monahan haters extend this opinion to Brayden Point?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Do the Monahan haters extend this opinion to Brayden Point?

I don't hate him...these playoffs hurt his value though. Might be tough to win a trade.

[2macinnis2]

Originally Posted by Joborule

At least you know that those players were going to be the best players for their team each game, and actually get the scoreboard.

The reason why Flames have to consider adjusting their core, is because of the unlikelihood of the core players producing as the way the core is structured currently. If by some miracle that dynamic player can be added, without trading any core forward, then the Flames likely could playoff results without having to get rid of any of them.

And this is not just from this playoff round alone. This is from their play since January. The several months funk is what makes this more alarming.

Literally 1 year before winning the Cup Ovechkin was demoted to the 3rd line in the playoffs.

https://www.nhl.com/news/capitals-mo...ne/c-289285354