2021 Off season: You're in charge, what would you do?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

- Move Johnny for the best return you can get
- Monahan is tricky. Is his decline due to an injury and therefore can be corrected? If so you are trading him at his lowest. If the decline is just organic, then look to move him too
- Float Tkachuk out there to see what you can get for him. He is the most valuable asset still this organization has - so it only makes sense to trade him if the value is there
- Protect Backlund and Gio in the draft. The latter will have high value next TDL on an expiring contract (perhaps as much as a 1st).

Over who?

Which one of Hanifin, Tanev, or Andersson are you willing to lose for nothing?

[Oling_Roachinen]

“Hey Seattle we’ll trade all our roster players for your expansion draft picks”

[dammage79]

1. Move one of Tkachuk or Gaudreau. Both have 1 year left at their rates, so the question is which one do you keep moving long term. I'm on the Tkachuk side of things because youth.

2. Make room at LW for Mangiapne and Dube.

3. Get out there and get some RW. I'm looking straight at Valeri Nichushkin.

4. Stop dumpster diving for depth and get the youth rolling. Build a strong asset base. This organization has been too thin over the years.

5. Overhaul the pro scouting staff.

6. If Ian Clark is available, sign him and bring him back for Marky

7. We need centers, young centers. Identify and acquire throughout the organization.

[bubbsy]

Monahan has gotta go. He is completely useless at this point. He can barely hold the puck in the offensive zone without flubbing it every time.

Gaudreau has to go if he can't be extended to a similar contract he's on.

Trade Giordano, let him chase a cup.

Tkachuk is the major question mark....

[sketchyt]

I'd hire a better GM.

[Gaskal]

With Sutter on board for 3 years I have to lean towards a super aggressive re-tool involving core pieces, the same thing as Peters first year where we executed the trade for Lindholm and Hanifin involving pieces that were perceived as core at the time, Dougie and Ferland.

I think the pieces moving this offseason are Monahan and Tkachuk. Feels like Gaudreau may opt to stay if he looks at the forever messed up goalie situation in Philly, lol.

[Burning Beard]

I agree. Doesn't hurt to try to win for 2 season with Markstrom while Sutter is here. Make some bold moves this summer and see where it goes. If it doesn't work out then blow it up.

[Funkhouser]

1) play the kids the rest of this season
2) extend Gaudreau...if he won’t then trade him
3) trade Tkachuk and Monahan (Eichel or too prospects/young stars)
4) expose Gio
5) Re-sign Stone, pencil in Mackey and Phillips

Build around:

Gaudreau (?) Lindholm Mangiapane
Pelletier Dube
Lucic Backlund Phillips

Hanafin Tanev
Mackey Anderson
Valimaki Stone

Markstrom

[NewFan]

The team needs to look after 4-5 years. Which players will be useful for that time if the team become contender or at least better than now.
Dube, Valimaki, Andersson, Kylington from today's roster? May be Mangiapane, Tkachuk or Lindholm?
Don't rush to sell the players but try to get best value for all players during off season and next season.
Main focus after 5 year we must have at least 1 first line C and 2 top pairing D and G.
If you can get young blue chip prospects and plus high draft picks for Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Hanifin, Tanev, Lindholm and Markstrom would be great for speed our rebuild.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Now that the Flames have been eliminated from the playoffs we need to start thinking about the future. If you were in charge, what would you do with this team. Even starting right now, would you bring up a bunch of guys who deserve it? I know people don't like to use the word "tank" but what do you do for the rest of the season?

For me, it's easy. The season is done, the wins amount to nothing at this point. Every year we hear the same thing "never try to lose games or you'll get used to it" and stuff like that. Well, this team seems to already be used to losing games, the fact that most years we're in this situation just shows that it doesn't matter. Accept it and embrace it. I know Sutter won't try to lose but maybe put Monahan on the IR, rest Markstrom a bit more and bring up all the kids you can, they deserve to play on this team more than the current roster. Johnny is actually playing great, let him keep it up and raise his trade value. Ultimately, just try to get the best possible draft pick.

At the draft make moves. Try your hardest to move Monahan, Gaudreau, Tkachcuk, Gio and anyone else you can. Target picks in next 2 drafts and take less to make them unprotected. Draft the best Center available. This team needs to build depth down the middle, wingers are always available. If you can get the top D or the top G in the draft around your pick, do that but otherwise draft some centers (unless there is a huge drop off from the top wingers).

In the expansion draft, expose both Gio and Backlund. If Seattle takes Backlund, so be it but if it's fine if he's there to mentor the new batch of kids. If they take Gio, so be it and if they don't, trade him next year.

As for trades, try to take prospects and picks along with bigger contracts. Essentially, build for the future. As fur UFA's, sign 1 year deals if possible. The sabres had the right idea with Hall but it didn't really work out. If they can sign a big UFA to an over priced 1 year deal, they should be able to collect even more assets at the deadline.

Now I now every choice is based on other people too. It's easy to say "trade Monahan" but another team has to want him. I'm sure there are teams who could use a guy like him, especially as a second line C with retained salary. And UFA's have to want to sign with the Flames, nevermind sign 1 year deals. I just think they need to embrace the rebuild. People have said that they didn't bring Sutter here for a rebuild but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of having him for a rebuild. If he could instill hard work ethic in a bunch of younger players that will be the future team, the team will be better because of it.

IMO this team just isn't good enough. Sutter has them playing well in his time here but so did every other coach, until they didn't. This team isn't going to get better with age and they're more than 1 or 2 pieces away from being a contender. It seems like every year this team trys to just add a bit here or there. The fact that they're doing that most years is telling because they always end up in the same situation, just trying to add 1 or 2 pieces to sneak in to the playoffs. Stop doing the same thing year in and year out, be honest with the team and the fans. This team isn't good enough and needs to change. Don't try to do things too fast, do them properly for once.

I agree with pretty much every word of this post, so I don't know if I have much to add.

[howard_the_duck]

Do whatever you can to add 1st round picks in the 2022 and 2023 draft. More draft capital is needed to set the table for a potential franchise altering window.

Retain a veteran presence to help the young players through what is hopefully a quick rebuild, but trade any assets that prevent you from having a shot at a lottery pick. No one is off limits.

That's where the franchise needs to go, IMO.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Over who?

Which one of Hanifin, Tanev, or Andersson are you willing to lose for nothing?

Tanev.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Tanev.

... this seems absolutely insane to me I actually can’t tell if you’re joking and I missed something.

[Vinny01]

It is a really tough spot to be in. The way the organization is positioned makes it tougher to go the full rebuild route than some think. This is a bottom 10 team this year they were a top 2 team 2 years ago with much of the same roster. All I am saying when I state this is it is tough to say the past will predict the future when you are a bubble team.

What I think will happen:
Retool around players that the organization believes are part of the core. I assume that is Tkachuk, Lindholm, Mangiapane, Dube, Hanifin, Valimaki, Andersson, Markstrom. I think vets like Backlund and Tanev will still be here during a retool. I think the only way the team loses Gio is through expansion but they won’t trade him.

It likely means a few larger deals around Gaudreau and Monahan. I think the only way Tkachuk goes is if he requests a move.

If the team truly wants to rebuild and start from scratch the players you look to move immediately shifts to Lindholm, Markstrom and Tkachuk. You want to take your time to cash in on all 3 of these assets to allow you to tank and truly suck. Why waste good cheap years of Lindholm if the team plans to suck for the remainder of his deal? They might as well fire Sutter as well since he likely has them playing too good to be in contention for the high pick

I don’t think the team decides to go down this path however. They will not take one bad year in a Covid season and decide to completely tear it down. I do think we see significant change and a team built to play the Sutter style game. The goal will be to have a hardworking, defensive team that will outwork the more skilled groups in the league. Sucks to not be one of the skilled groups especially because it seemed like this team was on that path.

As a season ticket holder of the team does decide to go through a tankbuild I will accept that and watch every game from the comfort of my couch and will not renew my tickets. I am not sure how others feel but I think the fact this team wants to avoid losing ticket holders they will be pushing to be a competitive team when fans are allowed back in.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

... this seems absolutely insane to me I actually can’t tell if you’re joking and I missed something.

He's been terrific no doubt. Probably the Flames' MVP for this season.
But he still has a 4.5M hit for the next 3 years with no guarantee that he doesn't suffer some sort of fall off particularly given how he plays.

But my basic premise is that, if Gio plays as well as he had for the last stretch next season, that he would be a premium trade chip next TDL for a franchise that needs those badly.

I just think protecting Tanev over Gio isn't a slam dunk if you look at it from an asset POV.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Scorched earth for the next three seasons, sell hope to the fans and draft top 3 at least twice. Rebuild with some high end talent. Young Guns 2.0

OK, but of the four things you listed, Young Guns 1.0 only did the bolded ones. Maybe let's not do Young Guns 2.0.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

He's been terrific no doubt. Probably the Flames' MVP for this season.
But he still has a 4.5M hit for the next 3 years with no guarantee that he doesn't suffer some sort of fall off particularly given how he plays.

But my basic premise is that, if Gio plays as well as he had for the last stretch next season, that he would be a premium trade chip next TDL for a franchise that needs those badly.

I just think protecting Tanev over Gio isn't a slam dunk if you look at it from an asset POV.

I guess I think Tanev would be easier to trade, especially retained, being younger, and right handed. And isn’t showing signs of losing his legs like Gio is a bit.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I guess I think Tanev would be easier to trade, especially retained, being younger, and right handed. And isn’t showing signs of losing his legs like Gio is a bit.

I think in the cap NHL, post-COVID, term for aging players makes them much tougher to move. A veteran player with no term left will have way more value than a veteran player with term.

Purely from a trade market point of view, how many teams are going to be willing to add a 4.5M player for 2 more years next TDL v. the number of teams that could add Gio on an expiring deal. I strongly suspect the market for the latter is far greater.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Do whatever you can to add 1st round picks in the 2022 and 2023 draft. More draft capital is needed to set the table for a potential franchise altering window.

It would be nice, but I expect virtually every first-rounder dealt for those drafts will be lottery protected.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think in the cap NHL, post-COVID, term for aging players makes them much tougher to move. A veteran player with no term left will have way more value than a veteran player with term.

Purely from a trade market point of view, how many teams are going to be willing to add a 4.5M player for 2 more years next TDL v. the number of teams that could add Gio on an expiring deal. I strongly suspect the market for the latter is far greater.

Sure, but the following year I bet Tanev would pull more in a trade than Gio would next year. All things being even on term, Tanev brings more value in my opinion.