The best possible scenario for the Flames in 2024-25

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by FlamesAreOne

I still don't fully understand the conditions of the FLA/MTL 1st rounder.

Treliving knows. That guy knows everything!!

[DJones]

How worried people are on bottoming out strikes me as crazy. Not one mention on the development of the young guys.

I want to find two top 4 defenders out of what we have, Zary to be a top 6 center and Wolf to be good. If all that happens, we sell the UFAs, re-sign Andersson and still push for a playoff spot. Screw it, have a 14th place pick Montreal.

[Ashes]

Top 5 pick and solid progression from the young guys on the roster, and the prospects working their way up. This is the slow part of the rebuild that is going to drive some people nuts this season.

Also seeing 3 - 5 deadline trades would be best case scenario, some trades to move bodies out for picks and some trades where we just help with the money. Maybe take on a bad contract too.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I don't think that would matter to MTL though, would it? I would think we would still be on the hook for the pick that is stipulated by the conditions (unless MTL were willing to accept the changes - and why would they?)

I think it would depend on the exact langue used when that condition was written. Because the intent was to say if Calgary owns the 25' Florida pick then X happens, if it doesn't then Y happens. That's why I don't think MTL should have a say, but that's me.

So if it's conditional on the pick transfer then MTL doesn't get a say, if it's conditional on the previous trade then MTL might/does.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by DJones

How worried people are on bottoming out strikes me as crazy. Not one mention on the development of the young guys.

I want to find two top 4 defenders out of what we have, Zary to be a top 6 center and Wolf to be good. If all that happens, we sell the UFAs, re-sign Andersson and still push for a playoff spot. Screw it, have a 14th place pick Montreal.

Why though? I want a team that can actually do some damage in the playoffs. The Flames need to have a #1C in the system to not care about bottoming out. They might have a #1D now but they have almost zero centre prospects

[Roof-Daddy]

Since it's a rebuild right now and we need to bolster the center ranks:

1. Draft 1st OA with the Flames pick
2. Draft 11th OA with the Devils pick
3. Sellers at the deadline, CC snags more '25 and '26 picks and prospects

Walk away with Hagens and McQueen possibly? Plus 7-8 more prospects on top of those two.

[kyuss275]

Finishing dead last 2 years in a row

[MrButtons]

Have a fun team full of kids that play well, develop well, and still get a top-5 pick. Show the city that hockey can still be fun to watch. Have the kids bring some excitement with the goal being a team that can compete right when the new arena hits. And wolf winning the Calder.

[midniteowl]

I want to dream, best possible scenario is Flames winning the Stanley Cup.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Finishing dead last 2 years in a row

With somehow Wolf still being a top 5 goalie.

Just give us every bad bounce for a decade in two years please.

[PuckSlap]

I was hoping for more top end talent sooner, because it’s going to be some boring competition for a season or two.

Best case scenario, we have some younger players show some flash.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by P-Rugby

We Win the Stanley Cup

And win the draft lottery!

[stemit14]

Best case aside from a miraculous run to win the cup would be the following:

1. Flames have at least one of their young defencemen solidify themselves as a #4/5/6 in the NHL.
2. Zary makes the transition to center while still producing points (difficult for young players to do) while also avoiding the soft-more slump.
3. Vladar gets the toughest starts for the first quarter of the season while Wolf never goes more than a week without starting. Hopefully they protect Wolf as much as possible while giving him regular starts through the first half. Transition to a 50/50 split through the middle of the season and then have Wolf getting the majority of starts to finish the season. Wolf ends up with a save percentage above 91% to finish the year.
4. Utah surprises everyone this year and is poised to make the playoffs with home ice advantage but need defence at the trade deadline. The flames trade Andersson + Mantha (who has a resurgent season) + 2nd round pick to Utah in exchange for Tij Iginla.
5. Coronato and Pelletier both make the team out of camp and establish themselves as top six (Coronato) and middle six (Pelletier) forwards. Coronato gets some time on the top powerplay unit after the trade deadline and hopefully finishes the season with 20+ goals. Pelletier becomes a regular on the penalty kill.
6. Kuzmenko plays at a near ppg rate and is traded at the deadline for a couple of 2nd round picks.
7. Klapka plays his way onto the roster either out of camp or during the season and becomes an impactful fourth line player.
8. Huberdeau becomes a ppg player again. Gets confidence and finds some chemistry within the system.
9. Flames play a physical and hard-working brand of hockey. They may lose games but are rarely an easy out. The flames finish 24th in the league but win the draft lottery anyways and jump up to the #1 pick.
10. Similar to the Vancouver line brawl in 2014, the flames pull the same thing on the oilers in the flames home game this year… with Lomberg, Klapka, and Posposil leading the charge on the opening face off. Flames win that game in a blowout.
11. Through injuries and/or trades, lots of guys like Stromgren and Brz get good looks in the NHL and don’t look out of place… even becoming NHL regulars once the trade deadline is over.
12. Oilers finish just outside the playoffs. Draisaitl walks to free agency. McDavid follows the next year after missing the playoffs again.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Why though? I want a team that can actually do some damage in the playoffs. The Flames need to have a #1C in the system to not care about bottoming out. They might have a #1D now but they have almost zero centre prospects

Because odds are you just ruined your current prospects with tanking and you most likely end up with a Larkin or Sam Bennet.

There's no McDavid coming, tanking is just as likely to turn you into buffalo

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by DJones

Because odds are you just ruined your current prospects with tanking and you most likely end up with a Larkin or Sam Bennet.

There's no McDavid coming, tanking is just as likely to turn you into buffalo

Hagens and McKenna.

We need a #1C

Sam Bennett was handled poorly here. He just won a cup.

Larkin is what happens if we do what you just outlined.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by V1nnyTh3Flam35Fan

3. We might lose our Florida 1st round pick to Montreal (because of the Sean Monahan trade), but hopefully Florida finishes high enough in the standings to make it only a late 1st round pick given to Montreal.

This is the only bit I disagree with.

As long as the Florida pick transfers and the Flames keep their own pick, it doesn't matter a rat's arse how early or late the transferred pick is. That's a sunk cost and the Flames would get no benefit from it in any case.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I think it would depend on the exact langue used when that condition was written. Because the intent was to say if Calgary owns the 25' Florida pick then X happens, if it doesn't then Y happens. That's why I don't think MTL should have a say, but that's me.

So if it's conditional on the pick transfer then MTL doesn't get a say, if it's conditional on the previous trade then MTL might/does.

Montreal get the better of the '25 picks if the Flames have both, unless the Flames pick is in the top 10 in the draft. Then it defaults to Florida.

If Floridas 2025 pick is a lottery pick, we get their 2026 pick instead.

If we don't have Floridas 2025 pick AND the Flames pick is top 10 protected, Montreal once again get the better of the 2026 picks between the Flames and Panthers, with the only exception being if the Flames pick is 1OA they are forced to take the Florida pick

The entire deal heavily favours Montreal. Treliving did a terrible job on it. The good news is it looks like Florida will make the playoffs again and the Flames are going to be in the bottom 10, so the best case scenario is also the most likely scenario at this point, at least in my opinion.

[Lewis_D]

We stink for two years then we win the cup in our 1st year coming out of the rebuild. All 3 calder nominees that season play for the Flames.

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

This is the only bit I disagree with.

As long as the Florida pick transfers and the Flames keep their own pick, it doesn't matter a rat's arse how early or late the transferred pick is. That's a sunk cost and the Flames would get no benefit from it in any case.

The Florida pick being as high as possible is insurance against the Flames pick being 11th or lower.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

The Florida pick being as high as possible is insurance against the Flames pick being 11th or lower.

The chances of Florida finishing lower in the standings than the Flames in '24-25 can be reliably estimated at zero. But just to be generous, I might be persuaded to go with zilch.