This is a rebuild

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Ped

While the team may have a target year, it seems silly to actually set one. It depends on how your prospects develop, and how long it takes because development isn't always linear, and sometimes prospects take a jump, or fall down after a great start. The best thing is just to see how it goes, and if things aren't going according to plan, don't be afraid to change it up.

I agree with this completely. However, I wouldn't shocked to learn there is significant pressure for this year to the bottom out year before a roster is in place to be playoff qualifying competitive by the 26-27 season. With an aim at peaking a season or two later. Only time will tell.

[Bunk]

Impatient rebuilds and shortcuts is what makes Canadian teams fail. Build patiently and correctly.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Impatient rebuilds and shortcuts is what makes Canadian teams fail. Build patiently and correctly.

Agreed, but not expected.

[CliffFletcher]

The Tre = 0 and Conroy = Hero narrative is getting a bit out of hand.

Most of Conroy’s moves have been dealing away UFAs on expiring contracts. It’s no coincidence that half the Flames roster were set up to be UFAs at the end of this season. The braintrust during Tre’s regime had clearly set up a timeline for the team’s contention window, and this season was a pivot point. Once it became clear the Flames were missing the playoffs for the second season in a row, and ownership were resigned to a re-build/tool/set, moving the UFAs was a no-brainer. And it’s a no-brainer that Treliving would have carried out as well.

Fresh starts are exciting. But Conroy was an inner member of Treliving’s management team. There’s a lot more continuity between the two regimes than a lot of fans seem to want to recognize. We don’t have to #### on Treliving to be encouraged by Conroy.

[Vinny01]

I am very interested to see the prospect rankings that will come out later this summer to see where the Flames are. They now have a potential game breaking player in the system and a lot of solid pieces. They need to continue to draft 4x in the first 2 rounds for the next 2-3 years. If they won’t be so terrible to pick 1-3 and they end up picking 6-10 then also picking someone 20-32 will help this rebuild hit and not fail.

I trust Conroy but it does suck that we appear several years away from any form of contention.

[Classic_Sniper]

Hope the team trades Kadri, Andersson and Backlund at this point. This very much feels like a rebuild at this point and in hindsight, I think one of the biggest mistakes the Flames made in their previous attempt back in 2013 and 2014 was that they didn’t trade Gio, Brodie and Cammalleri and etc.

Those guys, especially that #1 pairing, made the Flames just good enough to not be a last place team. As much as I loved them, I’d much rather have had the chance to draft Nathan Mackinnon or Barkov and Draisaitl or Reinhart. In an alternate timeline, it wouldn’t be the Panthers lifting the Cup this season. It would’ve been the Flames lead by Barkov, Reinhart, Gaudreau and Tkachuk.

[kehatch]

Do people conveniently forget that Conroy attempted to sign his pending UFAs to large long term deals? If the Flames are rebuilding it certainly isn't intentional.

[Finger Cookin]

Is it possible that the intentions changed as the season progressed? Could it be??

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Do people conveniently forget that Conroy attempted to sign his pending UFAs to large long term deals? If the Flames are rebuilding it certainly isn't intentional.

Conroy made fair, not exorbitant, offers to players who had been here a long time.

They didn’t accept them, and I suspect Conroy never wanted them to.

In any event.

They went to the draft with 9 picks.

They made 10, and it’s quite possible their first pick is a franchise cornerstone defenseman.

They didn’t try and trade anything for an established player.

They may soon trade one or more of Kadri, Coleman, or Andersson.

On Thursday, they had no dynamic players.

They’ve got one now.

They need to add two or three more in the next three drafts.

Operation Battagliosa is a go.

[Enoch Root]

change the thread title to: This is a rebuild!

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Do people conveniently forget that Conroy attempted to sign his pending UFAs to large long term deals? If the Flames are rebuilding it certainly isn't intentional.

Most teams don’t intend to be awful though.

We’ll never really know what the offers were to the UFA’s and other changes he was ready to make, but barring some unforced error this summer, Conroy sure seems to be executing plan rebuild now.

At some point, does it really matter how we got here?

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Is it possible that the intentions changed as the season progressed? Could it be??

From all reports, he was trying to sign Lindholm and Hanifin late into the season. I am not trying to crap on Conroy, but I don't think we can applaud him for spearheading a rebuild when he was clearly trying to retain his core players.

I also don't think we can speak confidently about the club embracing a rebuild. From the sounds of it the team is planning on leveraging its cap space to be as competitive as possible next season.

[Finger Cookin]

I think we can applaud him for being adaptable at this point. As for the cap space, I'm content withholding judgement on that for another 7-10 days

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

At some point, does it really matter how we got here?

I think it does.

• The team was burning futures trying to win during the Iginla era well past the point it made sense.
• They rushed through the rebuild as quickly as possible
• When a big chunk of their core left (Tkachuk, Gaudreau) they didn't rebuild, instead they brought on older, less effective, and more expensive players (and gave up a first in the process)
• When it was clear that wasn't going to work they still tried to extend the core players remaining to max term contracts.

Only when they failed to sign their expiring free agents and finished bottom 10 did the Flames decide to 'retool'. But they are still avoiding the word 'rebuild' like the plague, are not making the types of moves you normally see a rebuilding team make, and are planning on being active during free agency in an effort to be competitive next year.

Given the Flames history, including a recent history of trying to do everything they can to avoid a rebuild, I do think it matters how we got here.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by kehatch

From all reports, he was trying to sign Lindholm and Hanifin late into the season. I am not trying to crap on Conroy, but I don't think we can applaud him for spearheading a rebuild when he was clearly trying to retain his core players.

I also don't think we can speak confidently about the club embracing a rebuild. From the sounds of it the team is planning on leveraging its cap space to be as competitive as possible next season.

I like the direction so far, but this was far from intentional. There is still a lot to be nervous about based on the historic trends of this organization, but so far so good, intentional or not. I just hope Conroy is smart enough to realize you don't build a team through free agency and they're going to need some high-end players before they can start ramping things up. I think at minimum, they want two top 3-5 picks. And even then, youre really banking on good drafts and players panning out. A couple extra top 5-10 picks wouldn't hurt.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by kehatch

I think it does.

• The team was burning futures trying to win during the Iginla era well past the point it made sense.
• They rushed through the rebuild as quickly as possible
• When a big chunk of their core left (Tkachuk, Gaudreau) they didn't rebuild, instead they brought on older, less effective, and more expensive players (and gave up a first in the process)
• When it was clear that wasn't going to work they still tried to extend the core players remaining to max term contracts.

Only when they failed to sign their expiring free agents and finished bottom 10 did the Flames decide to 'retool'. But they are still avoiding the word 'rebuild' like the plague, are not making the types of moves you normally see a rebuilding team make, and are planning on being active during free agency in an effort to be competitive next year.

Given the Flames history, including a recent history of trying to do everything they can to avoid a rebuild, I do think it matters how we got here.

They traded their starting goalie a week ago and currently have 2 NHL D under contract.

They’re rebuilding. That’s all that matters.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

They traded their starting goalie a week ago and currently have 2 NHL D under contract.

They’re rebuilding. That’s all that matters.

Not really because their actions leading up to this point offer insight into how they may operate moving forward.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by kehatch

I think it does.

• The team was burning futures trying to win during the Iginla era well past the point it made sense.
• They rushed through the rebuild as quickly as possible
• When a big chunk of their core left (Tkachuk, Gaudreau) they didn't rebuild, instead they brought on older, less effective, and more expensive players (and gave up a first in the process)
• When it was clear that wasn't going to work they still tried to extend the core players remaining to max term contracts.

Only when they failed to sign their expiring free agents and finished bottom 10 did the Flames decide to 'retool'. But they are still avoiding the word 'rebuild' like the plague, are not making the types of moves you normally see a rebuilding team make, and are planning on being active during free agency in an effort to be competitive next year.

Given the Flames history, including a recent history of trying to do everything they can to avoid a rebuild, I do think it matters how we got here.

They just traded their starting goalie and 2nd line LW for a 1st, 2nd, and a 23YO Dman.

More to the point, these were Conroy's comments after teh Mangiapane trade:

"and we have continued to emphasize the importance of how upcoming drafts will influence the future of our franchise"

I think you have to have your head pretty far into the sand to not hear what that says.

Will they try to grab some UFAs? Yes. But not to try and compete, but simply to round out the roster and have more assets to trade.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

They just traded their starting goalie and 2nd line LW for a 1st, 2nd, and a 23YO Dman.

More to the point, these were Conroy's comments after teh Mangiapane trade:

"and we have continued to emphasize the importance of how upcoming drafts will influence the future of our franchise"

I think you have to have your head pretty far into the sand to not hear what that says.

Will they try to grab some UFAs? Yes. But not to try and compete, but simply to round out the roster and have more assets to trade.

Strategic signings with the potential to flip for more assets would be welcomed. Taking on bad contracts for more assets would be smart. Hopefully that is the plan.

[Bonded]

Some people will just not believe a rebuild is happening unless Conroy comes out and says the Flames will suck and they are rebuilding. No point in arguing with them lol