Fan support going forward - where do you stand?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by hah

I asked number of media on CP and via email to investigate the Kylington issue and no one has reported to the fans other, than the party line or nothing at all.

We aren’t entitled to know anything if he wishes to keep it personal.

[flylock shox]

I didn't watch a game after game 52 this year, when I concluded the team just didn't have it and wouldn't get it. At best they looked like pretenders. But it was just a chore and I've got more inportstuff to do these days.

Next year I'm sure I'll watch the start of the season again but even if they're good it won't be as often as years past. Plus it seems hard to stream games legally in BC now so more effort than it's worth a lot of the time.

Season after next may be more interesting with roster changes.

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by Jbo

I’ll always be a fan, but the days of me living and dying with the day to day is long over. When the team is playing well, I expect I will go to more games, spend more money and enjoy myself. When the team is bad, I expect the opposite.

There was a time in my life when a loss or missing the playoffs would devastate me. Now there are so many competing priorities for my time and money, it just does not impact me the same

100% agree where you stand but I think this is why getting the buy in for a rebuild is tough to swallow for management. Like or not fans support the team when they are playing well and will spend more money when they are competitive. Take that away and owners fear the money will stop.

Other than missing the playoffs the owners probably got what they wanted from the season by having a competitive team all the way up to game 81. That scenario puts butts in the seats.

I'm all for the rebuild but I fear many people will tune them out until they are good again which is why ownership probably dislikes that path.

[Tabaracci_31]

I’ve been pretty checked out for the last few months. This has definitely been the most frustrating and bizarre season I’ve experienced as a fan (I’ve been actively following since ‘95). I have a lot of other awesome stuff going on in my life, but I’ve been a Flames die-hard since I was a young kid, so it will always matter to me. This season has really given me pause on where these games fit into my life, how much I should care, etc. And I have read tons of exceptional posts over the year that have really helped me put the team in a healthy context that I’m happy about. Thank you to everyone who has discussed this topic during the year- you’ve made a big difference for me with my fandom.

All of this being said, it’s always going to be cool and amazing to have a professional sports franchise in our city. I’m always going to appreciate having the Flames here, because plenty of cities don’t get to have a team like we do. Does that mean I need to spend my money on going to games, watching most of them on TV, etc.? Not necessarily. I definitely want to see changes this off-season and am really curious about what’s coming up. I just want to see some changes that are healthy for the team. I’m in the camp that thinks with some different leadership and a few bounce backs, we could be just fine next year. Not great, but nowhere near this miserable.

Tbh, hockey has lost some appeal to me in the last few years for various reasons. I still struggle with a lot of the issues with hockey culture and some of the problems that have arisen in the last few years. At the same time, I know there are a lot of great people in the game, and the game itself will always be special to me, whether it’s playing or watching. So a big theme with the Flames this year, and the sport in general in the last few years, has been conflicting feelings of “oh, I should be grateful for this” vs. “Actually, there’s a lot here that I don’t like and i’m kind of ashamed of the game”.

What I am grateful for is this community. No matter how the Flames are doing, I’m always gonna love CPuck. You guys make me feel more connected as a fan and I love reading people’s posts. I’ve learned so much about the team from all of you all and it’s awesome. So thanks for threads like these! I hope this post makes sense. Sometimes it’s hard to capture the thoughts and feelings in writing but I really want to get out of my head and post more often.

I’ll always love this team and be grateful we have them here, and I think this season has been important for re-prioritizing everything in a positive way. Still grappling with the bigger issues of the sport, but I think that’s a good and healthy thing. Hope everyone enjoys seeing Wolf and Coronato tonight. Will be cool to end the season with some excitement, hopefully.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

I'm not sure they do. They go full rebuild, and I expect the Saddledome, which is already experiencing continual attendance declines and one of the worst crowds for noise / excitement in the NHL, to decline severely.

I think Calgary vastly overestimates itself as a market, actually. They go full rebuild and you think this place will be sold out? Nah.

If they’re open about it and can bring in some exciting young talent for fans to watch then absolutely I do.

You fill the seats by selling your product to fans. Fans buy one of two things: success or hope. Right now the Flames don’t have either.

I can tell you right now I am beyond excited to watch Wolf and Coronato tonight. I wish I had tickets to this game. I swore off Flames games in February. I doubt I’m alone.

Yeah, they’d probably see a slight drop in attendance but it wouldn’t be catastrophic. I vehemently disagree with you that this isn’t a good market. Considering all the crap we’ve had to put up with I’d say it’s an amazing market.

[MrMike]

Okay that was a fun game. Give me the same team plus Wolf, Coronato and Pelletier full time and I have hope.

[FiveSeven]

I love these bastards. Sometimes they make me miserable but I'm a relentless optimist.
I believe we will make playoffs next season without a sweat.

[minnow]

Still my boys. Probably will be forever. Iggy got me hooked.

[Manhattanboy]

Flames are and always will be my team.

Of course I will renew my season tix.

[browna]

21 years of season tickets this past year, not going anywhere.

Definitely an odd season. Similar to Brent's first season where expectations were high with Boumeester coming in and a good roster. That team had forward injury troubles around Christmas which forced Darryl to acquire a quantity of forwards for Phanuef.

That season failure opened the door for the snakeoil salesman of the former GM to enter the building and start undermining Sutter by just saying what Edwards wanted to hear and Murray embarrassing fell for it a year and a half later by promoting that slick talker to GM.

So, let's not repeat the overreaction this offseason that made that happen, and turned this franchise into a joke the subsequent years under that idiot GMs reign until Burke came aboard.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Do you have proof he undermined Sutter? At thaf point he wasn't even talking to his own brother and created a toxic culture which he has done once again.

Yeah Feaster sucked but we don't have Johnny without them drafting him. Sutter stayed around we would have drafted some 6'6 WHL plugger.

Brent's first year turned a playoff team into 3 years without the playoffs. Some yeah let's not repeat the same mistake sticking with a outdated toxic coach.

[SuperMatt18]

Screw it - I'm still optimisitc for next year. Inject the skilled youth into our veteran core and see what happens.

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Coronato
Dube-Kadri-Toffoli
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman
Pelletier - Zary - Duehr
Ruzicka

Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov - Weegar
Hanifin - Andersson
Gilbert

Wolf
Markstrom

That team wins the division next year. They only have $60k of cap room, but it would work and it would be good.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Screw it - I'm still optimisitc for next year. Inject the skilled youth into our veteran core and see what happens.

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Coronato
Dube-Kadri-Toffoli
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman
Pelletier - Zary - Duehr
Jones

Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov - Weegar
Hanifin - Andersson
Gilbert

Wolf
Markstrom

That team wins the division next year

4 rookies would make sutter run back to the farm on his own which why it's a great idea.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Watched under 10 full games this year, got suckered into engagement towards the end and the playoff chase.
As of right now, can't think if any intriguing angle to watch next year.
I definitely won't spend any money on tickets, jerseys etc.

[Elkyiv]

a coach that loses 44 games with this roster shouldn't return. Unfortunately, I see more of the same if Sutter is back. Markstrom should not get another start as a Flame.

[The Boy Wonder]

Will be on board if Sutter is gone.
Also need markstrom gone too.

Wolf + some youth and let’s go

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Screw it - I'm still optimisitc for next year. Inject the skilled youth into our veteran core and see what happens.

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Coronato
Dube-Kadri-Toffoli
Mangiapane - Backlund - Coleman
Pelletier - Zary - Duehr
Ruzicka

Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov - Weegar
Hanifin - Andersson
Gilbert

Wolf
Markstrom

That team wins the division next year. They only have $60k of cap room, but it would work and it would be good.

Almost perfect, although I would change three things about that roster:

Swap Pellettier and Dube. I think Pellettier has more vision and creativity, and could thus feed Toffoli better than Dube does, who's better suited to a bottom six role.

Drop Noah Hanifin, he's my least favourite of the three LD you've got there, and yet you could even get an asset back for him, as I think he has positive trade value. Maybe you could even have Stecher-Andersson as a third pair (not to say Andersson is a third pair guy, but moreso to say Stecher is dynamic in that role)

Somehow, Someway, find a way to offload Markstrom so that Vladar and Wolf are your guys. Maybe even use the aformentioned asset from a Hanifin trade to make it happen. That would be better for goalie competition (especially with no "designated starter" and both guys being in their mid-20s) and probably be the best for accellerating Wolf's development into an NHL starter.

Either way, no matter what happens, having a young team is a win-win scenario. Best case, the young team overperforms and you have a fun season. Worst case, the young team underperforms and you have a better draft position.

[Sandman]

Good, bad, or ugly, I'm a Flames fan FOR LIFE!!!!!!

[iamca]

The on ice product was boring hockey for the majority of this season.

I am still a fan, but this style of hockey needs to change and I can’t see it happening with Sutter behind the bench for 2 more full seasons.

I would be encouraged to see Tre and Sutter both gone, but I’m not optimistic that either change will happen.

Fan yes, but really want to see an exciting style of hockey with a lot more skilled players under the age of 25 in the lineup.

Let’s face it with 3 major contracts to contend with including Huberdeau, Kadri and Markstrom, this team needs at least 3 ELCs to balance out their top 3 highest paid players.

[Cortez]

I find it fascinating the desire to bail on a player after one down year. Hubby and Markstrom. Did they both just forget how to be elite or has time passed them by?