The Light at the End of the Tunnel: 2016 Flames

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by PlayfulGenius

I really hope that's not be case...if Feaster trades one of the 1st round picks for a roster player, I'll completely lose my cool...unless its for a young, improving player but I can't see a team making that deal...we'll see.

I think there is a good chance you will be losing your "cool". Feaster has said that he wants to get bigger and grittier for next year. He also said that the UFA market is bleak. Other than the last 2 first round picks, there is not much else to trade for those type of players. Sorry but Tanguay, Stajan ect are not going to bring in trade a young big gritty potential top 6 player.

In my mind one of the last 2 picks will be traded for a player. The only way i don't see it happening is if they package up the last 2 picks to move up. I don't think there is much of a chance that the flames will be walking away with 3 hand picked players from the first round.

[PlayfulGenius]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I think there is a good chance you will be losing your "cool". Feaster has said that he wants to get bigger and grittier for next year. He also said that the UFA market is bleak. Other than the last 2 first round picks, there is not much else to trade for those type of players. Sorry but Tanguay, Stajan ect are not going to bring in trade a young big gritty potential top 6 player.

In my mind one of the last 2 picks will be traded for a player. The only way i don't see it happening is if they package up the last 2 picks to move up. I don't think there is much of a chance that the flames will be walking away with 3 hand picked players from the first round.

I think there's a good chance of it as well...I choose not to think about it for now.

It's been so frustrating waitin for this team to finally initiate a rebuild... It'll feel even worse if they don't have the patience to do it properly.

Anyway, I choose to focus on the excitement of the 3 picks and just try not to think about Feaster doing anything stupid.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Sakari

I think what we forget is that this year we are quite capable of getting 3 top 6 forwards. We have the 6th overall pick, and two picks between 17-30, one of which will be fairly close to 17. And one of which will hopefully be 30th. If we get 3 successful choices here, this team could look very good. I'm certain that we will not be like the Canadiens, and turn it around in one year, because lets face it , this team sincerely does suck, but next season we might be a 9th place team again, depending on off-season moves and how our prospects turn out. Which is nice and kinda sucks at the same time.

Highly unlikely that all 3 picks play next year. Probably one, and possibly none, but 3? No way.

The D is still going to be fairly weak, and goaltending is a huge question mark.

I would say that it would be borderline miraculous if we finished 9th, especially when you consider our division: LA, Ana and to a lesser extent, SJ and Van are all teams that the current Flames have trouble with.

If we are not 29th or 30th, I'll be shocked.

[Enoch Root]

By the way, with the new divisions, there will be no more '9th'.

I would assume that, outside of the playoff teams in each division, that the lottery race will be league-wide.

My early guess for the leading candidates would be Cal, Phx, Fla, Nas and maybe Cbs (if the Bobrovsky magic disappears)

[FBI]

That division is actually not looking as tough as it once was.. Anaheim should be trending down after epic collapse and fluke season, Van is getting older and trending down, SJ older and trending down.. Flames young and crappy but trending up.. Rather be there than some of the other teams.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Highly unlikely that all 3 picks play next year. Probably one, and possibly none, but 3? No way.

The D is still going to be fairly weak, and goaltending is a huge question mark.

I would say that it would be borderline miraculous if we finished 9th, especially when you consider our division: LA, Ana and to a lesser extent, SJ and Van are all teams that the current Flames have trouble with.

If we are not 29th or 30th, I'll be shocked.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

I think there is a good chance you will be losing your "cool". Feaster has said that he wants to get bigger and grittier for next year. He also said that the UFA market is bleak. Other than the last 2 first round picks, there is not much else to trade for those type of players. Sorry but Tanguay, Stajan ect are not going to bring in trade a young big gritty potential top 6 player.

I don't think they will be trading their first round picks for players but I am weary of the stupidity within the organization to go back to the well and trade more picks for players even though it has never worked for this organization. There is no top 6 player that is going to come in next season and make this a playoff team outside of a Crosby. If Feaster/King pull such a stunt it will be a sign that there truly is no hope for this organization.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I don't think they will be trading their first round picks for players but I am weary of the stupidity within the organization to go back to the well and trade more picks for players even though it has never worked for this organization. There is no top 6 player that is going to come in next season and make this a playoff team outside of a Crosby. If Feaster/King pull such a stunt it will be a sign that there truly is no hope for this organization.

I don't entirely agree. With the cap crunch, there's potential for a serious bargain. I'm just saying that solid asset management means always looking for the deal. I'm not talkg inabout bringing in older vets either, but players under 25.

[IntenseFan]

Originally Posted by blankall

I'm not talkg inabout bringing in older vets either, but players under 25.

That particular criteria is absolutely critical to any trade in my view. But I think just about every rebuilding team has that on the agenda. It might get significantly pricey for those types of guys.

The Flames have to learn to draft better. It's been such a weakness over the last decade and a half.

[moon]

Originally Posted by FBI

That division is actually not looking as tough as it once was.. Anaheim should be trending down after epic collapse and fluke season, Van is getting older and trending down, SJ older and trending down.. Flames young and crappy but trending up.. Rather be there than some of the other teams.

The Flames are trending up?

By what criteria?

[PlayfulGenius]

Originally Posted by moon

The Flames are trending up?

By what criteria?

A 3-game win streak, Baby!

[Day Tripper]

Originally Posted by moon

The Flames are trending up?

By what criteria?

Haven't lost a game all month!

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by moon

The Flames are trending up?

By what criteria?

Well, based on the age profile of the team, you could argue that they project to improve with time, rather than regress with time.

But I'd say that's pretty tenuous.

And I don't think the team was as good to finish out the season as their record suggests. They won a lot of games that they deserved to lose.

So to be honest, I don't think the Flames have bottomed out yet.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by blankall

I don't entirely agree. With the cap crunch, there's potential for a serious bargain. I'm just saying that solid asset management means always looking for the deal. I'm not talkg inabout bringing in older vets either, but players under 25.

Teams don't want to trade top prospects under 25 as we clearly saw in the Bouwmeester and Iginla deals. The four prospects from the (Penguins especially) were spare parts and AHL roster filler. The Flames aren't going to get a 25 year old top prospect for a mid to late 1st round pick. Teams in salary cap trouble will want to unload high paid veteran players not their prospects.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by IntenseFan

The Flames have to learn to draft better. It's been such a weakness over the last decade and a half.

I'd say this has really changed the last few years. Particularly if Baertschi and Backlund continue on their development paths from the end of this year.

[FlameZilla]

If all our prospects pan out (as likely as me winning the 649) and we keep Glenncross, Giordano, Hudler and Wideman as veteran leaders, this could be the lineup:

Baertschi Jankowski Gaudreau
Glenncross Backlund Hudler
Agostino Reinhart Horak
Bouma Arnold Hanowski

Giordano Wideman
Brodie Wotherspoon
Cundari Kulak
Breen

Gillies
Brossoit
Berra

Notes: undersized, mostly left-sided but quick and fairly skilled. I personally hope we add Monahan/Barkov to inject size & skill to the forward lineup, or Lindholm for his feistiness, skill and right-handed shot. I would target any of Pulock, Morin, Klimchuck, Rychel, Wennberg, Compher, Gauthier, Zykov, Erne, Mueller or Mantha with the other picks.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Well, based on the age profile of the team, you could argue that they project to improve with time, rather than regress with time.

But I'd say that's pretty tenuous.

And I don't think the team was as good to finish out the season as their record suggests. They won a lot of games that they deserved to lose.

So to be honest, I don't think the Flames have bottomed out yet.

I agree. IF they ice that lineup they played at the end of the year they are dead last. Plus minus Kipper and perhaps another vet or two. Which is fine with me. Keep enough of the right kind of vets around to positively influence the kids and just keep piling up the picks and therefore the prospects. Four or five years from now they should be decent.

[mdubz]

is this thread meant to depress us?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Teams don't want to trade top prospects under 25 as we clearly saw in the Bouwmeester and Iginla deals. The four prospects from the (Penguins especially) were spare parts and AHL roster filler. The Flames aren't going to get a 25 year old top prospect for a mid to late 1st round pick. Teams in salary cap trouble will want to unload high paid veteran players not their prospects.

Turris.

Hodgson.


You never know what opportunities will present themselves, and the Flames have lots of cap space and prospects/draft picks to take advantage of those opportunities.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by blankall

Turris.

Hodgson.


You never know what opportunities will present themselves, and the Flames have lots of cap space and prospects/draft picks to take advantage of those opportunities.

I don't think those are good examples to use. Hodgson was traded for a guy that was drafted 13th overall, had big potential at the time, and was very close to stepping into the NHL.

Turris put Phoenix in a situation where they had to trade him or he would not play. Even in that scenario they got a d-man that was drafted 17th and a 2nd round pick.

I don't see a team giving up any of those callibre of players for a pick in the 26th-30th range.

If the flames are trading that latter pick for a guy that is close to stepping into the NHL, its more than likely it will not be a former 1st round pick, unless the other team has fully given up on them. If they have fully given up on them, then i am not sure what the Flames would see in that player. More than likely you are looking at a player drafted in the 2nd-4th round that is ready to get his chance but there is no room on the original team for him. Something like Luke Adam.

Also could see the flames trading the Pitt pick for Matt Read. Philly needs to shed cap space and Weisbrod has been wanting him for a while.

[moon]

Turris and Hodgson are top prospects?