[Rumour] Friedman: Treliving looking to add a 1st for 2018 draft. Coyotes won't sign Hickey.

[CalgaryFan1988]

It's funny that after all the years of having quality LHD and a stud RW, it's the exact two places we lack big time.

We have way too many LW and RHD. Trade from strengths....

Gaudreau - Tkachuk - Bennett - Ferland (one has to go, I vote Bennett, or keep him and move him to RW)

Hamilton - Hamonic - Brodie - Stone (I'd argue two have to go, keep Hamilton and Hamonic).

Brodie is great on the right side, but I doubt Treliving would admit he made a mistake bringing in Hamonic.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by troutman

We are not a scoring winger away from being a contender. We are a couple of elite players away, and those players come in the draft.

Teams in the top 10 of the draft aren't going to trade their pick and its a roll of the dice that a late 1st round pick will turn into an elite player. You are essentially making the team worse going forward on the basis of hope that you can turn a late 1st round pick into a better player than Brodie or whatever player you trade to get into the first round. It's just not sound management given where the Flames are at today where they are only a few pieces away from being a really good team.

[Erick Estrada]

It's clear Friedman is a Gutzan fan and is trying to spin this season's failure on the players not the coach. He said Gulutzan had to throw the stick because there's nobody on the roster that will. I question when it ever happens that a player in practice would do something like that? Lots of coaches tear strips off players as that's their job and it's clear it's simply something that Gulutzan didn't do enough of. These players complained Hartley was too hard on them and now we have seen what a soft coach accomplishes with them. It's pretty clear they need something in the middle in a guy that's going to be a player's coach but will read them the riot act as many times as it takes during a season when necessary. I find it ludicrous to say it's on the players to get in each others faces as that's the kind of stuff that fractures locker rooms.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It's clear Friedman is a Gutzan fan and is trying to spin this season's failure on the players not the coach. He said Gulutzan had to throw the stick because there's nobody on the roster that will. I question when it ever happens that a player in practice would do something like that? Lots of coaches tear strips off players as that's their job and it's clear it's simply something that Gulutzan didn't do enough of. These players complained Hartley was too hard on them and now we have seen what a soft coach accomplishes with them. It's pretty clear they need something in the middle in a guy that's going to be a player's coach but will read them the riot act as many times as it takes during a season when necessary.

Gulutzan is oddly (?) popular amongst the media. Not sure why other than he's probably a nice guy but most seem to gloss over and flat out refuse to address his obvious deficiencies.

[Toonage]

double post

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Gulutzan is oddly (?) popular amongst the media. Not sure why other than he's probably a nice guy but most seem to gloss over and flat out refuse to address his obvious deficiencies.

The media always pulls for the nice guys. Hell I like Gulutzan the guy whereas I didn't particularly like Hartley the person for example. Neither are very good NHL head coaches.

[Ryan Coke]

It’s fascinating to me that although almost everyone here agrees we need the coaching change, but player changes are all over the map. Hamilton’s untouchable for many, yet for others he’d be a prime player to move. Sell high on Ferland, no he’s the kind of player you hang on too. Gio is the guy who brings it every night and sets the example we need....No, trade him while you can. Some want to dump Brodie for anything, others want to see him under a new coach before we regret watching him get his game back somewhere else.

Just about everyone on the roster is both untouchable and should be traded; absolutely no consensus in here at all. Just interesting to see, it is really all over the map.

[Erick Estrada]

If there's a team that looks at Ferland's 20 goals and overrates him I would trade him absolutely without hesitation. He's a complementary player that disappears for long stretches every season and that's not likely going to ever change as he's somewhat of a lesser talented Rene Bourque. He's one of the furthest players there is on the roster from untouchable.

[manwiches]

Friedman on Fan960 now.

Summary
- Says he never talked to BT directly, but heard rumblings that BT was letting it be known he was looking for a 1st rounder.
- Says the costs would be quite high obviously
- With the way the season has gone, thinks the Flames might be willing to pay the price.
- Would obviously take a core piece to get a 1st.
- Re-iterating the 'Give a crap' meter is low on the Flames
- Need to have guys who set a tone. Mike Keane like, have one in Tkachuk, need more.
- Makes point of GG throwing his couple fits, because nobody else is doing it
- BT has tried to add character by adding Brouwer and Hamonic. 'going from the outside', not trading anybody from roster.
- GMs will probably ask about Hamilton, Tkachuk, Bennett, and more.
- Won't be issue about wanting to get rid of this guy over another, more, what does the new guys coming in add
- Saving grace, we have good guys coming in, but the question remains how far away? Valimaki etc.
- Warrener brought up, is our season kind of like Colorado's like last year? Friedman comments that MacKinnon and a couple others galvanized the team, and essentially say the crappy season they had won't be acceptable going forward.
- Might be some shock to the Flames, because they thought they should have been better. Fight is out of them, because of how it's all gone.
- Mentions Sundin, and how just because a guy doesn't scream and holler when things go bad, doesn't make them care less. Guys like Backlund, to be a quality 2 way player, need tons of drive. Just might be too many reserved guys on the team.
- Doesn't think we are in a rebuild. If BT goes and gets a first rounder, it sends a message. Thinks we can turn things around pretty quick
- Thinks Chicago will have changes. Crazy to think Quennville take the blame, but just a realization to make a change. (My opinion... JQ for GG... wishful thinking??)

[timbit]

Originally Posted by troutman

We are not a scoring winger away from being a contender. We are a couple of elite players away, and those players come in the draft.

IMO, Valamaki,, Andersson, Fox, Kylington , the young goalies, Bennett, Jankowski, Foo and Lazar ( lesser extent) have to continue / accelerate their development.

That is the biggest key to the Flames ameliorating in the short and intermediate term.

[Toonage]

Said it before, but if Coach Q is available you fire GG at the stroke of midnight on April 9th and wake up Q's agent shortly after that to let him know you've got a blank cheque waiting.

That being said I personally don't think it happens here, but no harm in being prepared.

As for the 1st, others have said it and I agree - this could be their way of getting a pick to use for a top 6 forward and they take another stab at addressing the give a #### factor via free agency.

[Geeoff]

Does Friedman play golf with Mike Keane or something? That's a weird call out...

[Toonage]

Keane would show up and drag teams to the Cup final I think was his point. The guy had a will to win.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I disagree. I think Ferland is a must-trade in the offseason. I am almost 100% confident that his value will never be higher.

So this team is already pitifully devoid of big, physical players and you want to trade one that actually shows an ability to produce offensively as well? No thanks.

He may be inconsistent but at least he is showing he can pull together a 20 goal season and provide some physical play, create space. He's also cheap and likely will never command a large salary. If he does, then he's earned it with a huge year next year. He's also a prime candidate to excel in a slightly lesser role if BT actually goes out and lands a proper top 6 RW in the offseason. I'd take second or third line Ferland in a heartbeat over scrap heap Bennett or Brouwer.

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Said it before, but if Coach Q is available you fire GG at the stroke of midnight on April 9th and wake up Q's agent shortly after that to let him know you've got a blank cheque waiting.

That being said I personally don't think it happens here, but no harm in being prepared.

As for the 1st, others have said it and I agree - this could be their way of getting a pick to use for a top 6 forward and they take another stab at addressing the give a #### factor via free agency.

I had forgotten how much JQ makes... 6M? holy moly. i'd give him the blank cheque though. I like GG, but we need a coach to galvanize the team. JQ strikes me as a less a-hole version of Sutter.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

So this team is already pitifully devoid of big, physical players and you want to trade one that actually shows an ability to produce offensively as well? No thanks.

Honestly, I don't really think Ferland was very physical this year. I loved the Ferland against the Canucks in the playoffs. It seems like that he gave up physical play to try and score more goals.

Personally, I think he benefited from playing top line minutes which inflated his goal totals. I expect a bit more than 40sh points from someone playing on the top line with a player who is PPG+. I would way rather have playoff-beast version of Ferland who pots in 10-15 goals on the third line than the 20-goal scorer we saw this year.

Ferland-Backlund-Frolik --> I think that is the perfect 3rd line if Ferland plays physical. That can actually be the 2/3 of the 3rd line for a few more years down the road with Frolic eventually being replaced.

[CMPunk]

Mike Keenan...Mike Keane played for the Habs

I don't see the Flames shelling out big bucks for a coach...they've always been cheap in regards to staff and six million for Coach Q is a big pill for the team to swallow.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Krieder is big, fast, mean and one hell of a player. I can't say the same about Hamilton. Brodie would never get Krieder. Keep drinking your homer juice.

And if BT traded Hamilton for Krieder he would be fired on the spot.

If you want to make an argument for trading Hamilton make a realistic proposal.

[Toonage]

Ferland fights occasionally but I think the concussions he suffered early in his career coupled with the shoulder problems he's had leaves him picking his spots a lot more. The team would be wise to find bigger physical players in FA. Not popular but this is probably why they were sniffing around Zack Smith and Evander Kane (add some scoring to the snarl). Neither are super aggressive necessarily but they do finish their checks at every opportunity. I also think they look at (and this will be very unpopular) Patrick Maroon.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Ferland fights occasionally but I think the concussions he suffered early in his career coupled with the shoulder problems he's had leaves him picking his spots a lot more. The team would be wise to find bigger physical players in FA. Not popular but this is probably why they were sniffing around Zack Smith and Evander Kane (add some scoring to the snarl). Neither are super aggressive necessarily but they do finish their checks at every opportunity. I also think they look at (and this will be very unpopular) Patrick Maroon.

I have no issues with Maroon (I think he's been a point a game player since being traded at the deadline) but as always you have to be mindful about how much you pay a guy like this in free agency. Brouwer's money would be a lot better served on a guy like Maroon that's for sure but when you still have $9 million tied up in Brouwer it makes it harder to overpay for a guy like Maroon. I think they have kick the tires on guys like Maroon and Kane in free agency at the very least.