I like Jay Feaster

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

On a scale of 1-10 I'm at a 7 with Feaster right now.

that's about where I am too.

I'd say 7 qualifies as 'like.'

[bubbsy]

other than that PLL deal for a pick, which was relatively non-consequential, and the handling of irving with the heat, can't be too upset about how feaster has done as of late.

Of course the real question is what the franchise does this offseason (or prior) with iginla about to hit UFA, and then Kipper next season..

[Heavy Jack]

I think one of the moves he seems to get the most critisism for is the Regehr/Kotalik for Byron/Butler deal especially because he threw in that 2nd round pick but if you look at what he did with the Erixon deal with his back against the wall it sort of evened out with us getting 2 2nd rounders and somewhat promising prospects in Granlund/Wotherspoon + Horak on top of that.

I know Butler has been underwhelming but he is only 26 and he has put up #5 D numbers in his time here. If they continue to work with him he could turn into a serviceable 5-6 D who can log you 17 to 18 minutes a game which is what Regehr was averaging this year before he got hurt. If Butler ends up being a 5 or 6 D man down the road for us it's not that bad of a deal especially if Sieloff turns out to be a better player than McCabe (we ended up getting Buffalo's 2nd rounder when we traded down for the 21st overall and selected Sieloff 2 spots ahead of our 2nd round spot that went to Buffalo in the Kotalik deal)

If you look at the signing's from the off-season plus a full year of Cammy and you can see that Feaster is trying hard to improve the out-look of this team. Two drafts in a row as well with a different drafting philosophy is a breath of fresh air. I would give Feaster a solid 7.5 overall so far.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

I'd say I'm at an 8/10 with Feaster. Any of the questionable moves he has made have been minor deals (yes he could of got more for Regehr, but hindsight is 20/20). The larger moves he's made have been quite amazing. Considering what a mess he was left after the Sutter era, you really can't fault him on much.

- Good drafting (Jankowski signing was questionable but we'll see how that pans out)
- Hiring fan favourite alumni who seem to be filling their roles nicely
- Getting rid of bourque and actually getting an amazing return
- Realizing what this team needs to succeed under an up-tempo system and making the best possible off season signings
- Recognizing that a playoff team needs scoring depth, and although Stempniak seemed redundant at the time he's been outstanding considering his contract
- Yes Comeau and Jackman signings were questionable at the time and still are, but like I said these are minor mistakes and should be taken with a grain of salt
- He knows what the fans want and is delivering. You can't ask for much more than that.
- We are remaining a competitive team while slowly building our prospect pool. Anyone who suggested blowing up the team can look a few hours north and see a bunch of unsatisfied fans readying their pitchforks. Edmonton didn't have a bubble team to begin with, their only chance to get better was to blow it up and hope for a Crosby which hasn't happened in 7 years.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I like the Wideman and Hudler signings, Cervenka was a good move.

I like meritocracy and I hope it keeps moving forward

I like the drafting record so far.

Little concerned to see how much he changed his mind from that one night near the deadline in the 2011-12 season when he snapped, and then the next day went back to the company line.

To me that says ownership involvement, and that "I like" topics for any GM may be a waste until they let these guys do their job. Feaster was getting ready to sell and was blocked in my opinion.

That is certainly one way of looking at it. There are a few different ways of looking at it.

I notice Feaster often says things in the media - too many things. Many of them don't come to fruition at all. I won't say he 'talks out of his a$$'.

Another way is that Feaster was just trying to 'spark' this team. Much like Darryl when he used to call players up individually to his office. Feaster called out his players on TV. May never have been any real intent to begin with.

Also, perhaps the owners weren't blocking anything. Perhaps his 'brain trust' he has surrounded himself with told him to calm down? I can definitely see Conroy speaking up to keep this team intact for SURE. Weisbrod would be a guy that would probably be a bit more likely to blow it up, but who knows. I personally think this is the most plausible reasoning as to why it didn't happen - he calmed down, or the people around him calmed him down.

I really don't believe that the owners are that meddlesome.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by bingo

to me that says ownership involvement, and that "i like" topics for any gm may be a waste until they let these guys do their job. Feaster was getting ready to sell and was blocked in my opinion.

+1

[Vinny01]

I am a big fan of what Feaster has done considering what he inherited and the mandate he has to work with. He made some great moves with the Cammy and Erixon trades. The Regehr trade was not the greatest but Reggie was crazy over-rated by this fanbase. I still think if he was willing to take on salary he could have got a better player.

He went all in on Brad Richards because he thought he had a shot at bringing him in because of a past relationship. It was and still is a glaring need for this team but it does look like we dodged a serious bullet there.

Wideman, Cervenka, Hudler all look like great pickups. He has the balls to listen to his AGM and scouts convince him to take a high school player with our 1st pick even when there is a good chance he won't be working here when/if Jankowski pans out.

Weisbroad, Conroy, Hartley are all good hockey people and I like the direction the organization is heading I just hope if this team falls out that he is allowed to make some rebuilding trades for the future.

[Super-Rye]

Feaster has done a good job of surround himself with very good hockey people, and it shows in his signings and draft picks. He clearly has a vision on what type of team he wants this to be, and goes out and acquires players that fit the bill.

The one thing that bothers me is he hasn't shown he is willing to pull off a big trade yet. It's both a good and a bad thing. I mean, any knob could have come in here and traded off anyone and everyone, but time is coming where something will have to give.

[Diemenz]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Little concerned to see how much he changed his mind from that one night near the deadline in the 2011-12 season when he snapped, and then the next day went back to the company line.

To me that says ownership involvement, and that "I like" topics for any GM may be a waste until they let these guys do their job. Feaster was getting ready to sell and was blocked in my opinion.

The thing about this "Mind Changing" is that its completed void of all merit. It can be spun so many ways that unless someone here is in on the real story everything we say is most likely wrong.

Case in point: (Totally hypothetical)
Feaster could have been talking about 1 player in that interview. That 1 player could have been Olli. For all we know Olli and his agent were looking for an extension and Feaster was saying that the "changes coming" were that Olli was not getting an extension. Remember how bad Olli's play fell off after that Feaster moment? (I don't believe this is what happened im just doing my Best Eric Francis impersonation)

Lets be honest Sutter gave everyone a NTC/NMC there was really nothing Feaster could do at the trade deadline.

[FAN]

I dug up what I said about the Wideman signing, "Personally, I think Wideman would help the Flames make the playoffs but he's not a defenseman I want playing into the playoffs..." As for Hudler, my initial thought was that it was a good signing but wasn't sure where the size would come from. Too early to change my mind.

[Bill Bumface]

Keeping Stempniak looks like it may have been a very good call.

[CaramonLS]

If the Regehr trade was Kotalik / Regehr for Butler or Butler, I might have been ok with it and understood his reasoning (apparently this from all indications was on the table, but he didn't take it), but then added the 2nd to get both.

We would still have a deficit of 2nd round picks if Erixon didn't put a gun to Jay's head and force a trade. Jay still hasn't shown he can make a good trade to improve the club much yet, IMHO.

And 'big game hunting' Brad Richards would have been a long term franchise crippling move if it has gone through.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by Super-Rye

Feaster has done a good job of surround himself with very good hockey people, and it shows in his signings and draft picks. He clearly has a vision on what type of team he wants this to be, and goes out and acquires players that fit the bill.

The one thing that bothers me is he hasn't shown he is willing to pull off a big trade yet. It's both a good and a bad thing. I mean, any knob could have come in here and traded off anyone and everyone, but time is coming where something will have to give.

Maybe not a blockbuster trade, but I consider the Bourque/Cammy trade to be fairly big. Sending out an under-achieving winger and acquiring a first/second line forward is always a pretty big deal.

As for Feaster, I'm pretty pleased with what he has done so far.

[you got PHANUEFED]

Whats to like he through money at both of those guys its just turned out that they have played up to there contract.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by you got PHANUEFED

Whats to like he through money at both of those guys its just turned out that they have played up to there contract.

He could have not thrown money at these two guys.....

[AR_Six]

I still don't think Wideman will prove to be a good value signing in the long run. They're paying him more than he's worth. That being said, they're not paying all that MUCH more than he's worth (for me he's aav 4.5ish), so it's not the end of the world.

Hudler was signed for about fair value at the time for the market, I think, and it may turn out (if he keeps playing like this) that he was a bit undervalued at that time and the Flames were the beneficiaries.

Feaster hasn't done a bad job, for me, and to the extent that "Going for it" rather than trading depreciating assets and re-building right away once he took over was an organizational decision rather than something he decided, I'd say he's done a very good job given the hand he was dealt.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by AR_Six

I still don't think Wideman will prove to be a good value signing in the long run. They're paying him more than he's worth. That being said, they're not paying all that MUCH more than he's worth (for me he's aav 4.5ish), so it's not the end of the world.

Hudler was signed for about fair value at the time for the market, I think, and it may turn out (if he keeps playing like this) that he was a bit undervalued at that time and the Flames were the beneficiaries.

Feaster hasn't done a bad job, for me, and to the extent that "Going for it" rather than trading depreciating assets and re-building right away once he took over was an organizational decision rather than something he decided, I'd say he's done a very good job given the hand he was dealt.

Playing to what they're worth only becomes a factor when it is way out of line - like a guy worth $3M costing $6M. Is he worth $4M? $4.5M? $5M? $6M? Who cares?

By definition, free agency acquisitions are expensive. But if he continues to do what they acquired him for (top 4, RH shot, and good PP) then he is a good signing.

If he continues to play like he has so far, than he is an outstanding signing.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by AR_Six

I still don't think Wideman will prove to be a good value signing in the long run. They're paying him more than he's worth. That being said, they're not paying all that MUCH more than he's worth (for me he's aav 4.5ish), so it's not the end of the world.

Hudler was signed for about fair value at the time for the market, I think, and it may turn out (if he keeps playing like this) that he was a bit undervalued at that time and the Flames were the beneficiaries.

Feaster hasn't done a bad job, for me, and to the extent that "Going for it" rather than trading depreciating assets and re-building right away once he took over was an organizational decision rather than something he decided, I'd say he's done a very good job given the hand he was dealt.

It's all about what a player is worth to that particular team. Wideman might not be worth $5.5 million average to the Canucks, but he sure is for the Flames. Offense from the defense was an issue for this team.

Out of curiousity, if you think Wideman is worth a million less, what do you think Garrison is worth? Maybe $3 million average or so?

[clancy]

Overall, I am more confident in that future of this team than I was two years ago. He has made more good decisions than bad ones. There isnt a gm who is batting 1.000. I beleive he has a vision that is shared by the organization. He is open and honest with the fans and media.
He could lose a few pounds, and get a different haircut, but overall I like the guy.

[Ark2]

No one on this board has any actual idea what the extent of ownership’s involvement in the day-to-day management of hockey operations is, so I find quite a few of the posts in this thread ridiculous. Fact is, we don't know what Feaster is, and is not allowed to do, so I think it is only fair to base our evaluations on what we know. We know that Feaster said that the goal for last season was to make the playoffs. He didn't add any addendum that this was only the case if management let him do “X” or “Y”, he said that it was to make the playoffs. He didn’t, so season 1 is a failure. Right now, we are outside of a playoff spot in a shortened season that looks like it could be a repeat of season 2. At this point, I don’t really see what there is to “like” about him.

As a fan, I want a team that is either good today, or that I can expect to be good in the future. The team is certainly not good now, and it is very doubtful that it will be any good in the foreseeable future, so again, I fail to see what there is to like about his performance so far. Sure, much of what is wrong with the Flames is not his fault, but he has not changed anything either. Until we start seeing some actual results, he is not deserving of any praise.