[Kent Wilson Article] “self-satisfied mediocrity”

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by nik-

That team got smashed in the playoffs both times. They weren't on the right track.

We got F'd Colorado adding Makar for the playoffs. As soon as I saw him skate one period I knew that was enough to tilt the scales.

Edmonton, well look at Dallas (Ditto Carolina) right now who we all are wanting to become.

Oilers took them out too.

I think we had awful awful luck with drawing playoff teams, but we have not helped ourselves in any way either.

[TOfan]

If Edwards is as hands-on as some are suggesting or believe, I wonder what the attraction would be to work for the Flames then? I’d be surprised if Iggy or Conny need the money. Surely they would have other opportunities around the league.

Impossible for us to know the full extent of it and chances are we never will. I think there is some credence that based on previous happenings that the club doesn’t want to accept a full blown down to the studs ‘rebuild’. Nor do they want a half measure of sorts, but the situation being what it is or was, it’s being dictated to them. For those saying the Flames aren’t in a rebuild, look at their blue-line. Arguably, they have two top 4 D. What is Mirimanov? What is Kylington after his time off? Who are all these other guys? What’s the plan in net?

Without publicly declaring they are rebuilding, it sure seems like they are leaning that way. Unless they’re in discussions to trade 9OA for Necas, I don’t think they have any delusions of being serious contenders this year. Might they want to trade one of their two top 4 D for Necas (Andersson or Weegar) perhaps but Im skeptical that gets it done and that would further deplete a very lean blue-line that is already painfully shy of being playoff calibre, let alone contender status. Mix ina Markstrom trade……good night.

Also considering that both Conroy and Iginla are purportedly very well versed in the young players that are coming up for the draft now, I don’t see them easily parting without the draft capital they have accumulated.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Vancouver gifted them Tkachuk. The Flames were super lucky there. If we land Juolevi the team is not very good. Then they also got pretty lucky with Gaudreau. What are the odds we find another Gaudreau in the later rounds in the next few seasons? Probably not very high. Which is exactly why you need high picks so you increase your odds of finding elite stars and then hopefully you get some luck like they did with a Tkachuk or Gaudreau to help put your team over the top.

If Jeff Marek is right, the Flames would have picked Clayton Keller, not Juolevi.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I think it's a well written article and I have a hard time disagreeing with him.

The Oilers completely fluked into their current team after years of ineptitude... the McDavid lottery was just pure horseshoes and I personally hate the draft system and the way it rewards failure. They flubbed a lot of high picks prior to that McDavid pick and basically were kept on life support through what's essentially coporate welfare payments via the draft.

People also always love pointing out how some random great player was drafted late, some early draft picks sucked and repeating that a losing culture stunts player development.

But the reality is, the higher picks more often than not provide better, more valuable players - or create more valuable trade chips that can be used to acquire core pieces. And that young core franchise players to build around typically can't be acquired any other way. Many of the best teams in recent league history were built around franchise talents drafted high.

Some teams don't use their picks well but that doesn't change the fact that a true rebuild is the fastest way to add foundational assets to your team.

I always wonder with the Flames if the ownership are just very afraid deep down that attendance will crater if they are bad for a few years and think their bottom line is just better off with at least being remotely in the playoff race every year rather than going through those lean years where they have to endure a lot of empty seats.

Your last paragraph is bang on.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Dan02

There's no point in attempting a rebuild right now, Huberdeaus contract screws up any chance of that because as your young talent starts to come into their own and need some money you've still got him on the books.

We probably need to struggle through 4 years of mediocrity before a rebuild can even be contemplated. We're headed for a Edmontonian stretch of darkness.

I'd take all our picks in this draft as see if anyone whose entering their windows wants to swap them one for one for 2028 picks.

Did Logan Couture, Edward Vladic, and Erik Karlson prevent SJ from rebuilding?

What about Seth Jones in Chicago?

[InternationalVillager]

We need new ownership imo.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by TOfan

If Edwards is as hands-on as some are suggesting or believe, I wonder what the attraction would be to work for the Flames then? I’d be surprised if Iggy or Conny need the money. Surely they would have other opportunities around the league.

I seriously doubt that Conroy was on any other teams list to hire as a GM. If he wanted experience as a GM, this was it.

Iggy, who knows what his appeal is, I assume he enjoyed his time in Calgary and is relatively close to watching his kids play.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I seriously doubt that Conroy was on any other teams list to hire as a GM. If he wanted experience as a GM, this was it.

lol what a ridiculous statement. He was interviewed by the Sabres in 2017. Who knows who else was sniffing around.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I seriously doubt that Conroy was on any other teams list to hire as a GM. If he wanted experience as a GM, this was it.

Iggy, who knows what his appeal is, I assume he enjoyed his time in Calgary and is relatively close to watching his kids play.

Conroy got a look (interview in Buffalo).

I think he was firmly in that "up for a job" group in the last 3-5 years.

[Ashasx]

Conroy interviewed for the GM position in Buffalo during the 2017 off-season. I believe he's had other interviews for other positions around the league as well.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I seriously doubt that Conroy was on any other teams list to hire as a GM. If he wanted experience as a GM, this was it.

Iggy, who knows what his appeal is, I assume he enjoyed his time in Calgary and is relatively close to watching his kids play.

Conroy surely could have a job in hockey/the NHL elsewhere. As a GM, immediately, probably not. At least not right away, I’ll acknowledge that.

Iggy? Those are some pretty soft reasons you’ve outlined. To be close to his kids and likes Calgary? I suspect, strongly, there’s more to it than that. Guys with his personality type, ultra-competitive, probably want more than just being a figure head and doing things because they are easy.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by TOfan

If Jeff Marek is right, the Flames would have picked Clayton Keller, not Juolevi.

I heard Sergachev

[Paulie Walnuts]

The last image before the draft kicked off was Tre and the Jarmo chatting. I believe the return going the other way was Backlund.

1 and 2 was off the table of course, but the Flames absolutely targeted Tkachuk. You don't work out a trade with a core piece going the other if you are not in love with a player. They took a small change with Vancouver, but I think it was almost a lock they would go Juolevi.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I heard Sergachev

Believe they also liked Koenecny.

In any event, I haven’t ever heard the Flames were interested in Juolevi.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

The last image before the draft kicked off was Tre and the Jarmo chatting. I believe the return going the other way was Backlund.

1 and 2 was off the table of course, but the Flames absolutely targeted Tkachuk. You don't work out a trade with a core piece going the other if you are not in love with a player. They took a small change with Vancouver, but I think it was almost a lock they would go Juolevi.

If the deal was Backlund + 6 for 3...it would have created an interesting domino effect.

Backlund would have been gone which means Tkachuk + Backlund + Frolik is never a thing.

Which likely means we get way more of a look at Tkachuk - Bennett - Frolik in that first season as a trio which actually is a very intriguing line.

And who knows what happens from there.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

If the deal was Backlund + 6 for 3...it would have created an interesting domino effect.

Backlund would have been gone which means Tkachuk + Backlund + Frolik is never a thing.

Which likely means we get way more of a look at Tkachuk - Bennett - Frolik in that first season as a trio which actually is a very intriguing line.

And who knows what happens from there.

Would have been interesting for sure.

It's just so much nonsense from people sometimes. Sure they did many things right, but to Tkachuk was gifted to us when they wanted him and would have moved out a core piece to move to get him is ridiculous.

Give them props for identifying a superstar player out of that mix of PLD, Juloevi, that other finish guy.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Conroy interviewed for the GM position in Buffalo during the 2017 off-season. I believe he's had other interviews for other positions around the league as well.

7 years ago.

I was specifically talking about a GM right now.

The question asked was why Conroy took the Calgary GM job if Edwards likes to interfere.

My answer was because they were the only one offering him a GM job.

I never suggested he was unemployable.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

7 years ago.

I was specifically talking about a GM right now.

The question asked was why Conroy took the Calgary GM job if Edwards likes to interfere.

My answer was because they were the only one offering him a GM job.

I never suggested he was unemployable.

So interviewed by at last one or multiple teams 7 years ago, but no longer being looked at as a GM even though he accumulated 7 more years of experience?

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Bingo

So interviewed by at last one or multiple teams 7 years ago, but no longer being looked at as a GM even though he accumulated 7 more years of experience?

Also that was the only public one. Who knows if there were other teams sniffing around privately.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Bingo

So interviewed by at last one or multiple teams 7 years ago, but no longer being looked at as a GM even though he accumulated 7 more years of experience?

Someone questioned why he took the Calgary job.

I said it was because he was offered it, and it's likely no one else was offering him a GM job at the time, so why wouldn't he take it?

I never said he was never going to offered another GM job ever, or hadn't interviewed for one in the past.