This is a rebuild

[Vinny01]

Just watched the TSN panel discuss the flames and looking at the moves this is no where close to the fears some had that this team was going to push for a wildcard spot. They are in a roster tank mode it will be almost certainly a top 5 pick coming in 2025.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Wasn’t Mracek quite good last year? At least for a really bad team?

He played ok facing a ton of shots but he’s just never struck me as a great goaltender.

[timbit]

Flames are, minimum, 4-5 seasons from being a contender.

Rebuild mode, whether it is acknowledged or not.

[Igottago]

Whatever minor concerns I had have been put to rest. Great free agency day. They seem committed to the right course of action.

[ComixZone]

We can now say this is a rebuild that was kicked off rather proactively.

Conroy came in and didn't allow things to waste away as the meat sours and drops off the bone. 10 picks in Year 1, 8 picks poised for Year 2 (including 2 first rounders, 2 second rounders), 9 picks poised for Year 3 (including two 1st rounders).

In the upcoming season we have Kuzmenko and Mantha on the trade board, and some valuable veterans who may not be part of the long term picture (Andersson, Kadri, Coleman).



This is exciting.

[JurassicTunga12]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

We can now say this is a rebuild that was kicked off rather proactively.

Conroy came in and didn't allow things to waste away as the meat sours and drops off the bone. 10 picks in Year 1, 8 picks poised for round 2 (including 2 first rounders, 2 second rounders), 9 picks poised for Year 3 (including two 1st rounders).

In the upcoming season we have Kuzmenko and Mantha on the trade board, and some valuable veterans who may not be part of the long term picture (Andersson, Kadri, Coleman).



This is exciting.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by JurassicTunga12

[Hockey_Ninja]

Definitely feels good to not be one of the teams on the receiving end of these bad contracts being given out for once

[madmike]

I have to admit I’m impressed they finally went for it. All their pickups are decent, cheap depth guys who will be easily flippable for picks at the trade deadline.

[Vinny01]

The summer of Brad where he fumbled the 2 franchise level players the team had through the post-Iginla/Kipper build many were optimistic he had added 3 pieces of the core who could keep this team competing for the cup for the next several years and Weegar/Huberdeau were given 8 year extensions while Kadri was signed to a 7 year deal. There were 7 other players who were possibly part of the core.

1 Backlund 5.35M signed a 2 year $4.5M AAV deal with the Flames and was named captain
2. Lindholm $4.85M signed a 7 year $7.75M AAV deal with the Bruins. Flames offered at least $8.5Mx8. Glad he didn’t sign it but had he signed the deal he got with Boston in Calgary last summer it would have been viewed as a win
3. Hanifin $4.95M signed a 8 year $7.25M AAV deal with Vegas. Flames tried to sign him to a similar deal but pivoted to rebuild. Likely still would have kept him at this price but he wants to be in the States on a good team
4. Zadorov $3.75M signed a 6 year $5M AAV deal with Boston. Never would have wanted him here at that price
5. Toffoli $4.25M signed a 4 year $6M AAV deal with San Jose. Term not terrible had the Flames been competitive this deal would have made sense.
6. Tanev $4.5M signed a 6 year $4.5M AAV deal with Toronto. Dollars are fine but the term is gross
7. Kylington $2.5M unsigned but not coming back. Disappointing end to his run with the flames.

Gaudreau signed for $9.75M and Tkachuk for $9.5M safe to say if they were Flames the price would have been at least $10.5M each for max term. Monahan secured a $5.5Mx5 deal.

It is interesting looking at that 2022 team to see how many of those guys secured the bag elsewhere

[TheIronMaiden]

Are the Flames only only team planning on trending down this off season?

Seams to me that everyone else is trying to get better for now.

[Jore]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Are the Flames only only team planning on trending down this off season?

Seams to me that everyone else is trying to get better for now.

Anaheim was putrid and didn't sign anyone in FA either. Montreal hasn't made any deals to improve. They both have worse veterans but more loaded young talent than the Flames, so depending on how their youth progress they could improve. They are probably the teams to beat this season.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Jore

Anaheim was putrid and didn't sign anyone in FA either. Montreal hasn't made any deals to improve. They both have worse veterans but more loaded young talent than the Flames, so depending on how their youth progress they could improve. They are probably the teams to beat this season.

Also San Jose, which could improve by 20 points and still be putrid.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Are the Flames only only team planning on trending down this off season?

Seams to me that everyone else is trying to get better for now.

The Flyers are trending down and rebuilding. Their D and goaltending isn’t any better than the Flames. It’s hard to see the Penguins avoiding sliding to the bottom of the conference. Neither team has done anything in free agency.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Are the Flames only only team planning on trending down this off season?

Seams to me that everyone else is trying to get better for now.

Vegas seems to be in a position to trend downwards.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Jore

Anaheim was putrid and didn't sign anyone in FA either. Montreal hasn't made any deals to improve. They both have worse veterans but more loaded young talent than the Flames, so depending on how their youth progress they could improve. They are probably the teams to beat this season.

Montreal is basically a young gamebreaker away from shooting straight up (Demidov?). I think they're on the upswing now.

Anaheim is about 3 years ahead of Calgary in terms of young player acquisition and development. I think they will suck this year but less than last year. Still on the upswing.

Chicago should be on the upswing with what they've got. They've got rock bottom

San Jose only has one or two more bad years I think, but we'll have to see some real improvement.

Ottawa is on the upswing and should be improved.

Only bottom feeder from last year that could get worse is Columbus but they're bumbling along signing Monahan so who knows.

Calgary could be in a unique position in the next couple of years where they're alone in being truly terrible with the ability to absorb some bad contracts for picks. Unfortunately comes at a time when the cap will be rising fast again.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Montreal is basically a young gamebreaker away from shooting straight up (Demidov?). I think they're on the upswing now.

Anaheim is about 3 years ahead of Calgary in terms of young player acquisition and development. I think they will suck this year but less than last year. Still on the upswing.

Chicago should be on the upswing with what they've got. They've got rock bottom

San Jose only has one or two more bad years I think, but we'll have to see some real improvement.

Ottawa is on the upswing and should be improved.

Only bottom feeder from last year that could get worse is Columbus but they're bumbling along signing Monahan so who knows.

Calgary could be in a unique position in the next couple of years where they're alone in being truly terrible with the ability to absorb some bad contracts for picks. Unfortunately comes at a time when the cap will be rising fast again.

True about the cap rising but the potential free agency of both Mcdavid and Draisaitl could make some teams desperate to clear cap space for them. Would be diabolicalt if Conroy helps orchestrate the collapse of the Oilers by weaponizing his cap space for New York/Vegas/LA/Florida to steal McDavid and Draisaitl.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by stemit14

True about the cap rising but the potential free agency of both Mcdavid and Draisaitl could make some teams desperate to clear cap space for them. Would be diabolical if Conroy helps orchestrate the collapse of the Oilers by wraponuzing his cap space for New York/Vegas/LA/Florida to steal the McDavid and Draisaitl.

McDavid isn't hitting free agency full stop. He gave up over ten million on his last contract and Edmonton is still going to be a contender next year after which they can sign him to an extension. It ain't happening.

Draisaitl could choose to go elsewhere, but he's not getting more money or moving to a stronger contender elsewhere so I don't see that either

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Vegas seems to be in a position to trend downwards.

Hopefully they hold on one more year and then collapse in 2025/26. If they collapse next year they'll just buy a new team.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

McDavid isn't hitting free agency full stop. He gave up over ten million on his last contract and Edmonton is still going to be a contender next year after which they can sign him to an extension. It ain't happening.

Draisaitl could choose to go elsewhere, but he's not getting more money or moving to a stronger contender elsewhere so I don't see that either

Don’t see why him giving up over 10 million on his last contract would prevent him from testing free agency. There will be other teams that could pay him just as much as the oilers. And there will be other teams on a better spot as an organization at that point. Edmonton has sacrificed everything left in their system to try and win it this last season or next season. There will be no prospects on the rise to supplement their aging core. Their picks have been traded away. They are ale ready one of the oldest teams in the league. Other teams will be able to offer the same money and potentially be a team on the upswing rather than post-apex. I disagree about there not being stronger contenders by the time Draisaitl/Mcdavid reach free agency.

Don’t want to turn this into an Oilers thread… we have a bunch of those. My point earlier was that some big name free agents will potentially be coming and teams could be looking to shed salary. The flames could use their cap space to gain picks/prospects while taking on contracts from teams that are going to push for some big name free agents.