How long until we are competitive and an outsiders view on things

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

Personally I think they should hold on to Boumeester until the right deal comes along rather than trading him for a quick bag of pucks. Gutting the team for effect will probably set us back a few years with nothing to show.

I agree that they need to make sure they get good value and not just dump everyone.

But I would like to see at least one (if not two) of Cammalleri, Tanguay, Bouwmeester or Stempniak moved by the deadline. Two this year and two next year would be my preference.

They can also move anyone off the list of Jackman, Stajan, Butler, Smith, Sarich, Babchuk, Comeau

[Reign of Fire]

Originally Posted by lvsteven

What's the general consensus on feaster....

I don't know the general consensus...I personally think he sucks

[Day Tripper]

I wouldn't be surprised if the current playoff drought turns out to be longer than the seven year drought from 1997-2003. What a mess from top to bottom.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

I wouldn't be surprised if the current playoff drought turns out to be longer than the seven year drought from 1997-2003. What a mess from top to bottom.

It will be very close at the very least.

This is year 4 if I am not mistaken. Next year looks almost like a given with the names talked about being moved (5 years).

And you would think it would be at least 2 years (6 out) after this year if not 3-4 (7-8 years.)

[JiriHrdina]

Yeah I say minimum 3 years after this season - they could squeak into the playoffs in year 2 or something but then could be out again for 3 years straight after.

Some serious work needs to be done.

[kermitology]

3 years minimum. That could change if the Flames find, or have in their system somewhere, a player like Kiprusoff. Look at what Craig Anderson did for Colorado.

There are a few pieces in the pipeline that I'm very interested by, but overall, they are all at least three years from coming together.

All that said, I absolutely do not trust Feaster or King to be leading the process.

[LouCypher]

Its going to be highly crucial to get some high picks in the next 2-3 years. Hit a few home runs and develop and build your team properly then 3 or 4 seasons of sticking to a long term plan could give you another 8-10 years of being a team consistently in the mix. If your scouting, drafting and player development is solid over the 8-10 years of actually being in the mix then the words "rebuild" wont ever be mentioned as you are regularly replacing your older players with up and coming talent while still having veterans to guide the team. Follow the models of the teams that are winning now, they do it with their own talent mixed in with trades and free agents. Its been a very long time since Calgary could say its best players were the ones we drafted. My biggest doubts would be do we have the right hockey people in place to build a solid nucleus through the draft? Do they have the patience? I know I would be patient as a fan if I knew they were commited to a long term plan rather then a re-tool and hope for the best. I like the talk about filling in the 21-27 year old gap, about keeping draft picks and picking up more young assets and picks. I just hope the actions that follow these words from management back it all up.

[TurnedTheCorner]

It's going to be years, I think. Free Agency can plug holes in a line-up, but it's hard to build a competitive winner via FA unless you have a solid foundation to build on. The Flames do not have a solid foundation to build on. I think things are headed the right way in terms of identifying player talent and evaluating prospects/potential, but it will take time to see the fruits of that effort. Having a top 3 pick this year would help - but even in that "best case scenario", there's going to be years of nurturing and developing the young players until we can start to expect improvement.

This will be year 4 without making the playoffs. Best case scenario is that the Flames snap that streak after 6 years. More realistic is probably 8 years. Worst case is something I don't really want to consider.

[nik-]

What makes it worse is that we literally need almost everything. Elite center, franchise D man, franchise goalie and likely another great winger to go with Sven. Wingers are probably not as big of a concern as the others. So many holes

[TurnedTheCorner]

Broken down in those terms - how many teams have an elite center, franchise D man, franchise goalie and 2 great wingers? Pittsburgh, and...um...

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by nik-

What makes it worse is that we literally need almost everything. Competent Management with some kind of plan, Elite center, franchise D man, franchise goalie and likely another great winger to go with Sven. Wingers are probably not as big of a concern as the others. So many holes

fyp

[metroneck]

It's apples and oranges. The climate is totally different today from the 7 years of darkness.

Given the Flames current financial situation, and the cap, a 1-2 year turnaround to battle for that 7-8 playoff hole, while still developing is quite possible with top 25% management.

Question is, and not just for the haters, is our management (and scouting) top 25%.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by nik-

What makes it worse is that we literally need almost everything. Elite center, franchise D man, franchise goalie and likely another great winger to go with Sven. Wingers are probably not as big of a concern as the others. So many holes

I don't know if any team really has all 3 of a franchise center, defenceman and goalie. I've always thought that if you have 2 of the 3 that's good enough to be competitive. I'd like to see Calgary try for an elite centre, d-man and then leave the goaltending just adequate, like Chicago, Detroit, or Pittsburgh do.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

I wouldn't be surprised if the current playoff drought turns out to be longer than the seven year drought from 1997-2003. What a mess from top to bottom.

I think it's 7 years (total) if things are handled well.

Unfortunately, I have little faith that the current management group will handle it well.

[Zulu29]

Another 3-4 years before playoffs and probably 5-6 before we are contenders again. Damn, this is gonna suck.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by metroneck

It's apples and oranges. The climate is totally different today from the 7 years of darkness.

Given the Flames current financial situation, and the cap, a 1-2 year turnaround to battle for that 7-8 playoff hole, while still developing is quite possible with top 25% management.

Question is, and not just for the haters, is our management (and scouting) top 25%.

No, not even top 50%, next question.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Hard question to answer at this moment. Not sure we even know enough until the trade deadline and the draft. Probably more informed discussion will take place on this issue this summer.

[moon]

Originally Posted by metroneck

Question is, and not just for the haters, is our management (and scouting) top 25%.

I guess I am hater but will say my opinion anyways I can't see how there can be an argument that they are anything other than in the bottom 25%.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by metroneck

Given the Flames current financial situation, and the cap, a 1-2 year turnaround to battle for that 7-8 playoff hole, while still developing is quite possible with top 25% management.

Question is, and not just for the haters, is our management (and scouting) top 25%.

I have more faith in the scouting than in management. How the trade deadline works out should give us a better idea of how well managed we are.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Hard question to answer at this moment. Not sure we even know enough until the trade deadline and the draft. Probably more informed discussion will take place on this issue this summer.

I think the past 2 years are plenty to go on, we know Feaster or his team have badly screwed up the last two big trades with ROR and the information coming out about Iginla, it is irrelavent that it may not have biten the team in the arse, it still shows incompatence, we also know that Feaster, or who ever is running the team thought the team was playoff material at the start of this year, which borders on delusional.