[News Roundup] The rebuild was supposed to be more painful than this

[formulate]

Originally Posted by Rick Wamsley

Wow you guys need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

The Flames are terrible. Better than the Oilers but so what? The Flames are not going to make the playoffs until the 2020 season. How sad is that?

Think you could let me know who wins the next few cups as well? Looking to make a little extra cash. PM please, don't want everyone getting in on my action.

[CgyFlamesftw]

^ Wrong Thread good sir, suppose to click on Edmonton is No good thread that's where you'll find facts about your team.

wasn't intended to your formulate.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think managing expectations is healthy, and it keeps you sane as a hockey fan.

That's going to be key. You can't expect Giordano to repeat this season. Hopefully he does, but you can't go into 2014-15 counting on it. Unknown future of Cammalleri impacts things. OTOH, hopefully a healthy Glencross mitigates some of that potential loss. Other than Sven, pretty much all of our kids have stepped in and contributed positively in whatever roles they were given. It is inevitable that some will take steps back.

A great deal has gone right for us this year, and we're still 26th in the league. People need to keep that in mind. I would like to see the team as a whole take steps forward next year, even if some individuals step back. We're not likely to make the playoffs next year (duh), but if we end up as a serious participant in the Connor McDavid conversation, this team would be going the wrong way.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Rick Wamsley

Wow you guys need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

The Flames are terrible. Better than the Oilers but so what? The Flames are not going to make the playoffs until the 2020 season. How sad is that?

Hey look guys, another troll!

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Hey look guys, another troll!

And what do we do with trolls guys???

[Tinordi]

If you look up and down the Jets and Flames rosters you'd have to assume that the young Flames will have to take some big steps if the Flames could theoretically be in the mix of things in a Division with St. Louis, Colorado, Dallas, Chicago.

That's kind of Example A of unrealistic expectations. Flames have some of the good young pieces like the Jets in Scheifele and Enstrom. But there's some established NHL talent on the Jets roster Flames just simply can't match unless there's some huge progression.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Rick Wamsley

Wow you guys need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

The Flames are terrible. Better than the Oilers but so what? The Flames are not going to make the playoffs until the 2020 season. How sad is that?

"The Flames are terrible."

- Rick Wamsley, NHL Assistant Coach, Ottawa Senators (currently scheduled to miss the playoffs) / Join Date: March, 2014

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Rick Wamsley

Wow you guys need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

The Flames are terrible. Better than the Oilers but so what? The Flames are not going to make the playoffs until the 2020 season. How sad is that?

Pay attention to the game on the ice and you'll see what we're seeing. Nobody is expecting a cup in a year or two, but nothing has suggested that the playoff drought will last another 6 years.

Troll elsewhere, we're not buying it. But hey while you're at it, how about grabbing me next weeks winning lottery numbers?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Bingo

...The key is the veteran group and the salary floor. They have to be so careful in how they get to that floor without damaging the culture. That's why I love the Stajan signing a lot...

That is also why re-signing Cammalleri to an inflated contract is not such a terrible idea. The Flames can probably afford to pay him more than anyone else can, and he is already part of all the good will that has been developed here. It makes more sense to work to keep him than it does to more passively just let him pass through free agency.

[Itse]

October: 5-5-2 - .500 points percentage.
November: 4-9-1 - .321
December: 5-7-2 - .428
January: 6-6-1 - .500
February: 2-3-0 - .400
March: 8-5-0 so far, for .615 (with 3 games left will be at worst .500)

This is a feelgood month for sure, but not insanely out of whack. Ups are to be expected, just as downs are.

People seem eager to forget the bad stretches, like when we got shutout 5 times in the first 7 games after christmas, including games at home vs. Edmonton and Vancouver. I'm not saying that having a short memory is a bad thing here. On the contrary, I see it as a sign that the fans have embraced the team after what seemed at times like a bit of a rocky start. (The Baertchi "controversy" was pretty painful on this board, funny as that seems in retrospect.) Maybe the most impatient fans are gone, or maybe they've settled in, who knows.

In any case, I think it speaks volumes of the team and it's coaching that those bad stretches didn't do any permanent damage. Pretty much every player seems to have come out better. Even Butler is playing so well that pretty much no-one is on his case anymore. It's truly a season of wonders

While there will again be rough times, I feel we're in a place where it's pretty easy for everybody to take things as they come without getting too upset.

We've got the coaching both here and in Abbotsford, we've got a decent collection of young players and prospects (all things considered), a good captain, and a GM/President who by his track record should at the very least know his job. (Some even think he's pretty good at this stuff.) It's no wonder the fans are on board and supportive. There's hope and even some expectations, but not rush or desperation, and certainly not Oilers-style presumption that success is inevitable. It's so far so good for this rebuild, even though it is very, very early.

I guess this was really just a "how I feel about" post, no bigger point than that

As a PS I'll add this:

When it comes to counting Feasters successess and failures, he seemed to have a pretty good eye for coaches. Ward and Hartley seem like the right people for those positions.

[FlamesAddiction]

I'm not expecting a drastic acceleration of the rebuild based on the pleasantness of this season, but I don't think rock bottom is going to be as low as we originally thought (and definitely not Oiler low).

Keeping this team respectable during this process should bode well when it comes to luring free agents and retaining the talent we develop.

[nik-]

man, you guys bit hard.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Rick Wamsley

Wow you guys need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

The Flames are terrible. Better than the Oilers but so what? The Flames are not going to make the playoffs until the 2020 season. How sad is that?

So you wanna make a bet, because I feel pretty good about the Flames making the playoffs within season.

I'll put something up, and in return if I win I get something in return, like your immortal soul for example.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

That is also why re-signing Cammalleri to an inflated contract is not such a terrible idea. The Flames can probably afford to pay him more than anyone else can, and he is already part of all the good will that has been developed here. It makes more sense to work to keep him than it does to more passively just let him pass through free agency.

I also think having a strong veteran core that have been on the team longer than the rookies is key.

Having a group of Giordano, Stajan, Cammallieri/Hudler/Glencross as the older veterans helps establish that core.

Then you have the younger veterans like Backlund and Brodie who will help as well.

The last thing we want is to go all in with youth, and then try to add veterans after the fact (ala Edmonton) because at that point the youth already feel like it is their team and the veterans will have less of a voice in the locker room.

By having a group of 5 or 6 veterans who have stayed with the Flames through the rebuild it will really help with building the identity and culture we want, while also helping the young guys adjust to the NHL while not being handed the team.

[TheDebaser]

What's great about this team is that the rookies are quickly becoming part of that veteran presence. I think it was Agostino or Wotherspoon who said that Colborne and Monahan were very helpful in getting them eased into Calgary, and you can totally tell that those two are born leaders themselves. Feaster's focus on acquiring young leadership is going to keep paying off for this team going forward.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Itse

October: 5-5-2 - .500 points percentage.
November: 4-9-1 - .321
December: 5-7-2 - .428
January: 6-6-1 - .500
February: 2-3-0 - .400
March: 8-5-0 so far, for .615 (with 3 games left will be at worst .500)

This is a feelgood month for sure, but not insanely out of whack.

The milestone point in the season is the Canucks brawl game.
Run the numbers after that one. It's 24 games now. Decent sample size. You will find the Flames are 14-9-1 since then, with only two losses by more than a goal (and one included empty netter).

Of course there will be many more lows. There better be. The Flames need to do this right and acquire enough top end prospects to eventually compete with the Sharks/Ducks/Hawks. I have no interest in competing with the Coyotes and Wild for a wild card.
Yes, they are a 26th place hockey club, but they are not what we thought they were.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Like many, I think next year is going to be more painful. Our young guys are starting to play well, which is great, but I think we will drop off a bit next year.

Cammy who's a big key to recent success will likely be gone and not replaced immediately with anyone (which is fine).

Wouldn't be shocked to see Hudler moved if a good package is offered, and other veterans like Glencross will likely be gone by deadline (maybe not a huge loss). Point being though, we will be losing some of our decent older players, and not replacing them with players ready to perform at that level yet.

And then comes the pain of the expectations set this year. They will be two fold. One, by playing as well as they have, they will subconsiously up our expectations of the group next year. They exceed expectations (that were very low) this year, but next year we'll expect to see further progress. Not sure if that's realistic and will make next year more painful if they aren't able to do it.

Two, we have semented our reputation this year as a hard working team, that can't be taken lightly by anyone. Other teams will be more prepared for us next year, and will play us tougher I think.

Next year might just be the most painful year of the rebuild I think. Higher expectations, less veteran talent, and still maybe a year away from our young guys really being ready to take the mantel.

[bubbsy]

another year where we should have a high pick, and if we can continue the tremendous drafting we've seen of late (yes, jay feaster did a hell of a job in each of his drafts in my opinion) then the cupboards are just getting more and more full with young potential.

We are already seeing enough guys pushing the envelope (granlund, wotherspoon) not to mention guys like Baertchi, knight, reinhart that should be making a push next fall.

I'd be more than happy to see the flames take some swings at some bigger moves to help the team compete as early as next season. Solidifying our top 4 d, maybe trading a few prospects in positions that we are a bit heavy on (ie. LWs, maybe even C) to get some legitimate scoring/playmakers in the top6.

Life's too short to suck, and suck, and suck, then wait (and pray) for all those kids to start reaching their potential and maybe 5 years from now become a playoff team.

I miss being a playoff team, and can't wait till we're back.

[Plett25]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Next year might just be the most painful year of the rebuild I think. Higher expectations, less veteran talent, and still maybe a year away from our young guys really being ready to take the mantel.

I consider our veteran talent to be Gio, Cammalleri, Glencross, Stajan, Hudler and Wideman.

• Gio and Stajan are here for the long term.
• Cammalleri might be gone, but IMO if he goes, it is more likely we keep Hudler
• Glencross might be shipped out at the deadine, but even so, he played less than half a season due to injuries
• Wideman played around half a season and was less than 100% for many games he dressed for.

Next season, we'll probably get as many games out of Gio, Stajan, Hudler, Wideman and Glencross (even if traded at the deadline) as we got out of Gio, Cammalleri, Stajan, Hudler, Wideman and Glencross in 2013-2014.

I don't think less veteran talent will be a problem next year.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Plett25

I consider our veteran talent to be Gio, Cammalleri, Glencross, Stajan, Hudler and Wideman.

• Gio and Stajan are here for the long term.
• Cammalleri might be gone, but IMO if he goes, it is more likely we keep Hudler
• Glencross might be shipped out at the deadine, but even so, he played less than half a season due to injuries
• Wideman played around half a season and was less than 100% for many games he dressed for.

Next season, we'll probably get as many games out of Gio, Stajan, Hudler, Wideman and Glencross (even if traded at the deadline) as we got out of Gio, Cammalleri, Stajan, Hudler, Wideman and Glencross in 2013-2014.

I don't think less veteran talent will be a problem next year.

Could be true, but I'm gonig to guess our veterans next year are Gio, Glencross and Stajan. I think Burke will find other homes for Hudler and Wideman, and he won't be successful in retaining Cammy.

But even if that's not the case, I still feel like the team will be pretty stagnant next year in terms of ability (young players will continue to grow but won't take the next step quite yet), but our expectations will be higher and our opponents will be more ready for us. End result, tougher year.......hopefully I'm wrong, but I'm also ok with next year being a tough one.