2021 Off season: You're in charge, what would you do?

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Dude Where's Makar?

I'll go with a "win now" plan as that's what I believe the mandate from the top is.

1. Fire Treliving, Hire Dean Lombardi
2. Trade Johnny for Forsberg
3. Expose Giordano in expansion and/or trade him
4. Name new captain. Tkatchuk, Tanev, Lindolm could all be potential candidates. Let the room decided.
5. Target UFA players that bring speed, jam, physicality, work ethic and skill. My two targets would be Coleman and Hyman. I would also prioritize signing one of Jamie Oleksiak or Adam Larsson.
6. A trade involving Monahan for Schmaltz

Forsberg - Lindholm - Hyman
Mangi - Schmaltz - Tkatchuk
Coleman - Backlund - Dube
Lucic - Gawdin - Ritchie

Hanifin - Tanev
Oleksiak - Andersson
Valimaki - Larsson

Markstrom

I think this is a worse team than the one we’ve got. Also rewarding Tkachuk with the captaincy? I was thinking almost like the anti-captaincy whatever that is. Is there like a shame letter we can sew on guys jerseys so they can know what a piss poor job they’re doing?

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Because hardly any NHL plans work? Because there’s a lot of guesswork and luck involved?

I am sure there is a lot of guesswork involved, I would assume that is why you want the right people with experience building the product. Are you satisficed with the product, or do you think it needs more guesswork? I think some teams have shown that they can be successful year after year while other teams never have any success. I think experience trumps luck and lack of experience can lead to more mistakes. Seriously what has Brad done to give us something to look forward to, what is he building as we should be seeing the results by now?

[boogerz]

100% agreed with telling Brad to pack his bags. The two things that screwed the Flames over the most is the complete and utter lack of development of top picks and the awful coaching hires. Both of these fall squarely on Brad's shoulders... time to give someone new a try

Additionally:

• Trade Monahan. Preferably for picks or a nice prospect, but get whatever you can if he doesn't show anything before the end of this season.

• Trade Tkachuk for a Top6 RW. He's obviously quit on the team and wants out. If the Sharks are willing to trade, someone skilled and fast like Timo Meier or Evander Kane would fit in well with Sutter's fast North-South style.

• Sign Corey Perry to a similar deal to what he has now. He would add a strong net presence to the PP, replace some of Tkachuk's "jam", provide veteran leadership, and fill-out the bottom 6 RW spots.

• Sign Jon Bernier as a veteran backup to play the 15-20 games that Markstrom can't and hold the #2 spot until Wolf has more AHL seasoning.

• Re-sign Nordstrom and Stone as cheap, reliable depth that fits in well with Sutter's style.

• If Mike Hoffman is willing to do another 1 year $4-5M "prove it" contract, sign him to bolster secondary scoring and the PP

Leave everything else alone, let the kids fill out remaining spots, and save the remaining $6-7M in cap space for the trade deadline.




The lineup would look like this:

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Meier
Dube - Backlund - Mangiapane
Hoffman - Ryan - Perry
Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips/Pelletier/Posposil/Zary
Nordstrom

Tanev - Giordano
Hanifin - Andersson
Valimaki - Stone
Mackey

Markstrom
Bernier

[Goriders]

I’d try and see if I could get anything for monahan, tkachuk or anderson.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by boogerz

100% agreed with telling Brad to pack his bags. The two things that screwed the Flames over the most is the complete and utter lack of development of top picks and the awful coaching hires. Both of these fall squarely on Brad's shoulders... time to give someone new a try

Additionally:

• Trade Monahan. Preferably for picks or a nice prospect, but get whatever you can if he doesn't show anything before the end of this season.

• Trade Tkachuk for a Top6 RW. He's obviously quit on the team and wants out. If the Sharks are willing to trade, someone skilled and fast like Timo Meier or Evander Kane would fit in well with Sutter's fast North-South style.

• Sign Corey Perry to a similar deal to what he has now. He would add a strong net presence to the PP, replace some of Tkachuk's "jam", provide veteran leadership, and fill-out the bottom 6 RW spots.

• Sign Jon Bernier as a veteran backup to play the 15-20 games that Markstrom can't and hold the #2 spot until Wolf has more AHL seasoning.

• Re-sign Nordstrom and Stone as cheap, reliable depth that fits in well with Sutter's style.

• If Mike Hoffman is willing to do another 1 year $4-5M "prove it" contract, sign him to bolster secondary scoring and the PP

Leave everything else alone, let the kids fill out remaining spots, and save the remaining $6-7M in cap space for the trade deadline.




The lineup would look like this:

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Meier
Dube - Backlund - Mangiapane
Hoffman - Ryan - Perry
Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips/Pelletier/Posposil/Zary
Nordstrom

Tanev - Giordano
Hanifin - Andersson
Valimaki - Stone
Mackey

Markstrom
Bernier

We run into the same problem with Meier as we do Tkachuk. Meier's QO is just as awful.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

My first order of business is to see what Gaudreau's intentions are. If he is honest when he says he enjoys Calgary I am getting an extension done. Despite some posters vendetta against him he is the straw that stirs the drink here and is an elite talent. He is part of the solution, not the problem. If he wants to test FA I look to get a deal done at that point. Monahan needs to go. Been here too long and his game is regressing. Whether he can bounce back at this point is irrelevant. Tkachuk is tough, he has been checked out ever since he was told to tone it down. I think there is a rift in the room there. I would love to move Gio but I don't know given cap restraints if that is possible. Definitely expose him in the expansion draft and if Seattle takes him that solves that problem. Backlund needs to go as well. I believe he has a 10 team trade list, I am asking for it. His game is really streaky and he has been here too long. If you are going to change the culture he has to go. I am calling Buffalo and seeing what assets they want for Eichel. Actually I would do that before any of the above moves to see if I can use our current assets to acquire the assets needed to get Buffalo to move him. I would bring back Ryan if he will come in at half the salary he makes now, such a heart and soul guy who can move up and down the lineup. The rest of the UFA's can go.

I was going to come in to read everyone's opinion, and then give mine, but I guess I didn't have to scroll too long to see this post, which sums up pretty much exactly how I feel. Call up Buffalo and see what they want for Eichel, then fill in the roster from there. Mony is expendable, Tkachuk less so-but Chucky will get us more in trade.

I would love to sign the Tenderness this off-season too, I think it would be hilarious. Landeskog would be my first choice, but I'm sure he's not going anywhere-If we signed him, I'd be extatic.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I was going to come in to read everyone's opinion, and then give mine, but I guess I didn't have to scroll too long to see this post, which sums up pretty much exactly how I feel. Call up Buffalo and see what they want for Eichel, then fill in the roster from there. Mony is expendable, Tkachuk less so-but Chucky will get us more in trade.

I would love to sign the Tenderness this off-season too, I think it would be hilarious. Landeskog would be my first choice, but I'm sure he's not going anywhere-If we signed him, I'd be extatic.

what would you sign him for? I doubt you'd get him for less than 6M.
he probably wants 6.5-7.5, and while I like him, he a complementary player and I don't think he's worth that much.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

I am sure there is a lot of guesswork involved, I would assume that is why you want the right people with experience building the product. Are you satisficed with the product, or do you think it needs more guesswork? I think some teams have shown that they can be successful year after year while other teams never have any success. I think experience trumps luck and lack of experience can lead to more mistakes. Seriously what has Brad done to give us something to look forward to, what is he building as we should be seeing the results by now?

I’m not saying there aren’t better and worse GMs. However, even ones who people here think are geniuses were regarded as failures at some point, and a fair amount of luck happened to get them later success. Lombardi was seen as a huge failure in SJ. Rutherford was fired in Carolina based on years of floundering (after winning a cup) and then suddenly won a couple more in Pitt.

[The Big Chill]

We aren’t going to blow it up, but I don’t see how we are going to avoid a blow up eventually. We need a #1C, #1RW, and a #1 offensive D. We could probably be competitive with just acquiring 2/3 of those, but there is nobody within the org that looks like they can fill those spots.

[Jig]

Flames are in a very difficult situation.
1. Bring an experienced President of Hockey Operation above a GM, someone who can work with DS
2. BT needs to go, fresh eyes have to look at the roster
3. Flawed roster with a lot of issues, many players are hard to trade after a difficult season
4. Trade MT, he has shown not to be a C material and his contract will be difficult to manage. Get the best value for him. At this stage, he is part of the problem and not part of the solution. Reminds me of Dion Phaneuf a bit. He needs a change.
5. Deal with JG, extend him or trade him
6. Trade SM for anything you can get
7. Trade a young defenceman for a quality winger, Andersson or Valimaki can go
8. Draft a top defenceman or top 6 forward a must
9. Dressing Room needs to change too many factions with in.

[dammage79]

I've been thinking about the GM position a lot recently.
Thing is I don't think Treliving is going anywhere. For me the proof is in the fact he's now had 5 coaches. No other GM can boast this claim. Not even the longest standing one's like Lombardi or Wilson.

I dont believe a new GM gets active out of the gate making the changes we think need to happen. A new GM wants time to take stock of what they have and devise their own plan moving forward. So to me, a new gm buys this core another year and if you want changes on the ice, a new GM is not the answer.

We are stuck with tree for another year at minimum. But make no mistake his leash is short. What he does this offseason is really going to decide his fate.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I’m not saying there aren’t better and worse GMs. However, even ones who people here think are geniuses were regarded as failures at some point, and a fair amount of luck happened to get them later success. Lombardi was seen as a huge failure in SJ. Rutherford was fired in Carolina based on years of floundering (after winning a cup) and then suddenly won a couple more in Pitt.

This kind of reinforces the notion that a change at the top can provide a positive jolt to the organization.

Treliving is not incompetent or dumb but just like the roster, it doesn't seem like it's working.

Two offseasons ago, the Leafs were looking to move Kadri for defense help. They had a trade with Calgary for Brodie but it fell apart. The next day they move him to CO.

Meanwhile Calgary goes into the next season with the same roster as the prior year and end up losing Brodie and Jankowski for nothing. Not ideal.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This kind of reinforces the notion that a change at the top can provide a positive jolt to the organization.

Treliving is not incompetent or dumb but just like the roster, it doesn't seem like it's working.

Two offseasons ago, the Leafs were looking to move Kadri for defense help. They had a trade with Calgary for Brodie but it fell apart. The next day they move him to CO.

Meanwhile Calgary goes into the next season with the same roster as the prior year and end up losing Brodie and Jankowski for nothing. Not ideal.

well, what were the other offers for Brodie? we don't know.

I'm speculating, actions speak louder than words kinda thing, but it seems to me Treliving was prioritizing the acquisition of a 2C. were there any other centermen dealt that offseason through to the 2020 TDL? If so, what was the package that acquired said 2C? Did the other team want a D like Toronto did? Did Valamaki's injury change the Flames position at all?

You need two GM's to agree to a trade. Treliving doesn't get to pluck whomever he wants from other teams rosters.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Same thing I said in the 2020 offseason, the 2019 offseason and the 2018 offseason and the same thing I’m going to say in the 2022 offseason.

[Wolfman]

Tkachuk has a lot of growing up to do before I even think about considering him to be a captain. He's not even close to that conversation right now.

[dammage79]

Just so we are clear, the trade for Kadri was agreed upon, Kadri used his NTC to nix it. He didn't want to leave Toronto but I don't think at that time he understood he was being traded regardless of his wishes.

[blender]

Lots of good comments in this thread.
One thing that I think many of us are overlooking in our desire for change is the risk of the team getting worse.

Look at Bennett in Florida. Granted, its a small sample but changeover scenery can really affect a player. Could anyone see Monahan lighting it up somewhere else after we trade him for pennies on the dollar? I know I certainly could; he is a better player than Bennett.

Flames need changes, but it can't just be for the sake of change. It is a tough spot to deal from for sure, and that is why I think the amount of change will be a lot less than what a lot of fans might want.

[Wolfman]

If Tanev is exposed in expansion draft we riot

[blender]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Tkachuk has a lot of growing up to do before I even think about considering him to be a captain. He's not even close to that conversation right now.

Agreed, and it is annoying that for the last 2 years you couldn't read any article about him that didn't refer him as future captain. Like its his birthright.

[rogermexico]

Originally Posted by blender

Agreed, and it is annoying that for the last 2 years you couldn't read any article about him that didn't refer him as future captain. Like its his birthright.

I think the problem is that he read all those articles too.