Bedard/Michkov Sweepstakes

[InternationalVillager]

Let me preface this thread by saying that I understand that these players are eligible for the 2023 Draft and that is 2 years away. However, the Flames are at a crossroads where they need to set a direction now and build towards that draft in order to have a chance at one of these two prodigies. Either one of these players have the ability to possibly change this franchise for the next 20 years.

Connor Bedard (RHS, C):
WHL: 2020-21: 15 GP/12 G/16 A/28 P/+9
WJC-18: 2021: 5 GP/3 G/6 A/9 P/+7

Matvei Michkov (LHS, RW):
MHL: 2020-21: 56 GP/38 G/18 A/56 P/+26
WJC-18: 2021: 5 GP/10 G/2 A/12 P/+9

Set to be a different version of Ovechkin/Crosby. I think the Flames should be all in for this draft. With the contract status of Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk - I don't think any of them have lived up to expectations to deserve another 6-8 year contract extension. Giordano is retiring soon. Let's not repeat the same failure as 2014-15 when we went on a run at the worst time and missed out on McDavid/Eichel/Marner/Rantanen/Barzal. Here we are 6 years later hoping we can somehow put a package together and hoping Buffalo is stupid enough to accept our trade offer while McDavid is on pace for 150 points over a 82 game season and Greaserville gets to enjoy that on a nightly basis.

I think this fan base deserves that the team take this direction and have a bonafide star again - one we haven't had since Iginla was in his prime. If we nab one of Bedard/Michkov - we have plenty to build around as Hanifin, Andersson, Valimaki would have had plenty of seasoning and we would have graduated Zary/Pelletier.

[Wastedyouth]

Sutter will never tank.

It's not gonna happen.

[GioforPM]

One thing I wonder is if teams are less likely to lottery protect a pick in a trade if it’s three drafts away. Especially because if they are getting a guy from Calgary who is supposed to aid them in long term contention, they may not think it’s a huge risk that they are even in the lottery.

[dammage79]

I'm all in on Shane Wright of the next draft. No offense to Bedard and Michkov but for me Wright is the answer to the question we are all asking. Straight up direct competition to McDavid.

[OutOfTheCube]

I thought the 2022 draft was supposed to be a scorcher too with some elite talent at the top? Maybe one year at a time here.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I thought the 2022 draft was supposed to be a scorcher too with some elite talent at the top? Maybe one year at a time here.

Wright and Brad Lambert for 2022. Brad Lambert is a very interesting name for a Finn.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Sutter will never tank.

It's not gonna happen.

He may not tank, take away the tools though, he's not coaching to tank but he can only do so much with that he has. There's ways around it. If he walks, then he walks.

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I thought the 2022 draft was supposed to be a scorcher too with some elite talent at the top? Maybe one year at a time here.

I understand that might be some of the sentiment. One of the individuals that I follow in my day to day life is Jeff Bezos and I came across a quote of his that whatever success Amazon is enjoying today was actually built 3 years prior. As in, the decisions were made 3 years ago in order to reap the benefits today. If the Flames are going to take a serious shot at getting one of these players in the 2023 Draft, they need to make those decisions today. Come up with a game plan and execute it.

Some people think that "tanking" is easy. It's a bad word attached to "rebuilding". If you give your young players a chance to play/develop at the NHL level and put them in proper positions and you acquire future assets for your current players, where is the shame in that?

[Ashasx]

It's weird that if you were to do a poll on CP to see who was willing to tank for Wright or Bedard versus retooling the current roster, that almost certainly 80%+ would be willing, yet it's never going to happen.

I'm more willing to pay for hope that whatever the last two seasons have been.

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

It's weird that if you were to do a poll on CP to see who was willing to tank for Wright or Bedard versus retooling the current roster, that almost certainly 80%+ would be willing, yet it's never going to happen.

I'm more willing to pay for hope that whatever the last two seasons have been.

I agree. If the Flames make a real effort to get the top talent over the next two drafts, I am on board with my money and willing to pay for that product. Otherwise, I have already stopped spending on the Flames.

Mods - could you please add a poll. I don't know how to or I may not have access.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Sutter will never tank.

It's not gonna happen.

I guess we will see what happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object.

[Harry Lime]

I don't think that the Flames will ever tank, but they can trade assets for first rounders, and hope for a Seguin situation to develop. It could end up as the best of both worlds, if Gaudreau/Tkachuk/whomever is traded for firsts 2022 and Sutter turns Dube/Phillips/Petterson/whomever into stars out of nowhere.

[Wastedyouth]

The owners (I mean Treliving.... snicker) didn't bring in Sutter for a 3 year tank.

They will not let it happen.

I think the sooner accept that, the easier the next decade of ####e is gonne be.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

The owners (I mean Treliving.... snicker) didn't bring in Sutter for a 3 year tank.

They will not let it happen.

I think the sooner accept that, the easier the next decade of ####e is gonne be.

It might not be a choice. Sutter is helpless if the players can't get it done. There are numerous examples of teams that try their best not to tank but still find themselves in that position.

Sometimes tank happens, and there is squat anyone can do about it.

[1qqaaz]

Connor McDavid's 15 year old season: 1.05 points per game
Connor Bedard's 15 year old season: 1.87 points per game

Looking forwarding to Bedard stealing a lot of the attention.

[Roof-Daddy]

The Flames will not be bad enough the next two seasons to be in on Wright, Bedard or Michkov.

They won't blow it up, and they will be at worst an average team under Sutter.

IMO you're better off hoping they miraculously land Eichel this off season some how.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It might not be a choice. Sutter is helpless if the players can't get it done. There are numerous examples of teams that try their best not to tank but still find themselves in that position.

Sometimes tank happens, and there is squat anyone can do about it.

I think, barring a concerted effort, the Flames do not have the horses to tank unless everyone bought into it.

You need some really bad luck or really bad players to get to first overall.

The Flames just don't have the ability to be that bad. Not while Markstrom is in net.

[Roof-Daddy]

I mean seriously, even if the Flames blew it to smitherines and finished 32nd overall for the next two seasons, do you really think they'd win the 1st overall pick?

This is the Flames people.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I mean seriously, even if the Flames blew it to smitherines and finished 32nd overall for the next two seasons, do you really think they'd win the 1st overall pick?

This is the Flames people.

Maybe the league wants to manufacture some drama and have the Battle of Connor-ta and they'll gift us Bedard.

[Monahammer]

What are the new lottery rules? IMO there's a high chance that even all elements the same we finish in the bottom 10 of the league the next 2 years. That would give us a chance at either.

If we get a new GM with big enough cahones he'll trade out some of the higher producing players and we'll top out bottom 7 without having to tank.