2020/2021 Trade Speculation and Rumours

[SeanCharles]

Hitting the panic button and wanting to trade Lindholm, Tkachuk and Valimaki is just plain nuts.

That’s our best player and two of our only young higher end assets.

I can understand trading just about anyone one else but those 3 and Andersson are the guys we need to keep.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

I don't think we needed a Sutter interview to tell us players with speed who can shoot are important Or that centers are needed over wingers.

So we need more centers who are good, but really don't have a lot to trade for them as we dont really have great wing depth.

We just need more talent as too many guys didnt turn out to be what we needed.

I honestly dont see how to re-tool this team into a contender.

No, but I think it is helpful to hear Sutter’s mindset because he will probably influence the organization’s direction.

I absolutely agree that the team should rebuild, not retool. I was just providing my opinion on what a move for Eichel might look like because I think the team will probably try to retool.

[Vinny01]

Bubbsy you say the organization has been doing the same thing for 3 decades?

What do people think happened from 2013-2016? They drafted top 6 3x in that case and also traded their 15th overall pick for a top 10 pick from 4 drafts prior.

Do you want them to do what the Oiler and Sabres did which is shamelessly admit they are tanking? Look at those organizations it took the Oilers 6 years after drafting a once in a decade player to appear to not be a complete tire fire. Buffalo has been tanking for 7 years and are still a complete mess. A market like Calgary is begging to enter that despair if they make the same move.

[SeanCharles]

It’s hard not to be pissed that our #4 pick never amounted to anything. Bennett was meant to be a top line C.

Sutter is not wrong about the line in the sand that separates the top teams in the Canadian division as our team depth doesn’t look so bad if we had one:

Gaudreau-#1C-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Monahan-Dube
Lucic-Backlund-Mangiapane

It’s puzzling how good Vegas is with arguably the worst C depth out of any contender. I guess having wingers like Stone, Pacioretty, Tuch and Marchessault helps?!

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Getting Eichel is pointless. This team has too many holes and not enough prospects.

Yup, need to rebuild through the next few drafts. The whole retooling thing just seems to keep this team in perpetual mediocrity. Plus, having contributing players on entry level deals helps a lot, and the only way to get those is to draft them (and usually in the top 5 or 10).

Getting Eichel and giving up the pieces it would take to get him is treading water.

[powderjunkie]

Tarasenko has full NTC. not happening. I'm also not sure he's an albatross (yet)...he's just been injured - twice. And STL hasn't been great.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Tarasenko has full NTC. not happening. I'm also not sure he's an albatross (yet)...he's just been injured - twice. And STL hasn't been great.

Why does him having a full NTC mean he wouldn't accept a trade here? Do you know the player personally? We have no idea what is going on with him or how he feels about the Blues, Flames, or being open to a trade.

[MikeMc]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Eichel has no kind of trade protection, so it doesn't really matter where he wants to play. Also, anything has to be better than playing for the Sabres right now.

New Flames slogan? "Calgary Flames Hockey - hey, we aren't Buffalo"

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by MikeMc

New Flames slogan? "Calgary Flames Hockey - hey, we aren't Buffalo"

So our old slogan with Buffalo replacing Edmonton?

[Flames_F.T.W]

I get people who are apprehensive about giving up a ton to get Eichel. But the alternative for finding a #1C is tanking, hoping we win the lottery, and then praying whoever we draft doesn't turn into the next Bennett.
Say what you want about Eichel, but he's a known commodity and young enough to build around. He also gets a pass from me for any question marks surrounding his compete/character. Playing in Buffalo almost ruined Ryan O'Reilly, its hard to fault Eichel for appearing less engaged playing in that dumpster fire his WHOLE CAREER.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W

I get people who are apprehensive about giving up a ton to get Eichel. But the alternative for finding a #1C is tanking, hoping we win the lottery, and then praying whoever we draft doesn't turn into the next Bennett.
Say what you want about Eichel, but he's a known commodity and young enough to build around. He also gets a pass from me for any question marks surrounding his compete/character. Playing in Buffalo almost ruined Ryan O'Reilly, its hard to fault Eichel for appearing less engaged playing in that dumpster fire his WHOLE CAREER.

I see two options if this team is actually serious about winning anything:

1. Tank in '21 (and maybe '22), rebuild.
2. Acquire Jack Eichel

Outside of that, it's just shuffling pieces that aren't good enough around.

Team needs an elite centre and elite defenceman to become a real contender, so even with acquiring Eichel - where do we get that defenceman?

What do I think will happen? I have a feeling by the close of the entry draft, Nolan Patrick is going to be a Flame and Gaudreau is going to be a Flyer. Who knows what the deal looks like, but going on rumours around the league and Friedman's comment about Calgary and Philly being two teams that did a bunch of ground work for future changes I definitely see a world where those two players (and who knows what else) switch spots.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

This just tells me the core is mentally weak and fragile

This may be true but I think the comment was more about how this team isn’t hard to defend, and when the opposition gets multiple looks in a row, it’s even easier.

While the lines have changed, it’s still not hard to predict what Gaudreau, or Tkachuk, or Monahan, or even Mangiapane and Dube, are going to do with the puck. That’s the same with other teams except that the better teams have guys who can score on you even when you know damned well what they are going to try.

[dammage79]

I'm all for a tank. Sadly, I don't think the Flames can stomach one. They never do. And looking at the players we do have today, I can't see how the likes of Lindholm, Markstrom, Hanifin would be keen on wallowing through one.

I listed those players specifically because I don't think they're ones the Flames will move at all and likely build around if they do shake things into a tank.

Truth be told, the salary cap navigation by the team has turned this core into a similar bloated pig to that of the end 9f the iggy era. Where to make room your gonna have to take a loss on some players.

[Macho0978]

The problems with the Flames is they never take advantage of the situation they are in. Treliving says he didn't want to do anything big at the deadline because these last few games are needed for further evaluation. Sure we can take more time to evaluate our star players but haven't we seen enough already? I know we don't have high end prospects but it's time to get Ruzicka and Phillips in the line up. That's where the evaluation is needed.

Buffalo has much better prospects then we do but look at what has happened there since a little before the deadline.

Since March 31:

Middelstadt - 12 games 10 points
Cozens - 6 games 5 points
Reinhart - 12 games 9 points
Dahlin - 12 games 8 points

Buffalo is 6 - 4 - 2 in those 12 games and 4 young players are all stepping up big time in their increased roles. It's a small sample size but maybe they are seeing what is about to happen in Buffalo and maybe that is enough to convince Eichel to stay. Add another top 3 pick to this team and they could be very good very soon

Flames don't have pieces like they do and I'm not saying bench our best players but lets give what we do have a chance for the last 10 or so games? Maybe we are pleasantly surprised at these players and if not we keep falling in the standings and maybe we get a top 6 pick. It's needed because our prospect pool is very weak compared to the rest of the league.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Bubbsy you say the organization has been doing the same thing for 3 decades?

What do people think happened from 2013-2016? They drafted top 6 3x in that case and also traded their 15th overall pick for a top 10 pick from 4 drafts prior.

Do you want them to do what the Oiler and Sabres did which is shamelessly admit they are tanking? Look at those organizations it took the Oilers 6 years after drafting a once in a decade player to appear to not be a complete tire fire. Buffalo has been tanking for 7 years and are still a complete mess. A market like Calgary is begging to enter that despair if they make the same move.

Flames were on the right track on 2013-2016, however, they had some terrible drafts, had their highest pick develop into a dud here, and before the team was really any good, started trading out 1st and 2nd rounders.

You mentioned a few teams that haven't been able to succeed in a rebuild, but the teams that have won multiple cups sucked, for a while, accumulated high picks till it eventually worked (Blackhawks, kings). Heck, it took the leafs decades before just going true rebuild and they are FINALLY better for it.

Yes, flames must go scorched earth if they intend to ever win a cup. retooling won't get them anywhere, as we have 30 years of data/precedent to go by in that regard.

buffalo has been tanking for the past 7 years, the flames have been mediocre or worse over the past 7 years also. As a GM that needs to right the ship, which job is more appealing based on the current roster and assets the team has? I suppose having the worst contract in the league with skinner hurts my argument, but heck, buffalo has a #1C under 25, a potential #1D under 25 to build around or to use as assets. Our top players are no where close to those guys in trade value.

So ya, buffalo has been a frigin disaster. The flames have basically wasted 7 years themselves (thanks Brad Treliving, you are amazing!!!).

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I'm all for a tank. Sadly, I don't think the Flames can stomach one. They never do. And looking at the players we do have today, I can't see how the likes of Lindholm, Markstrom, Hanifin would be keen on wallowing through one.

I listed those players specifically because I don't think they're ones the Flames will move at all and likely build around if they do shake things into a tank.

Truth be told, the salary cap navigation by the team has turned this core into a similar bloated pig to that of the end 9f the iggy era. Where to make room your gonna have to take a loss on some players.

I think a big problem with this organization is that ownership seems to be ok with mediocrity as long as the team still generates money. After all, it is a business. Spending less money on coaches, GM's has been the MO for years.
As long as the team sells merch, gets by being somewhat competitive enough to keep fans spending money on the team- seems to be good enough for years. We have an owner that doesn't even live in Canada or North America. Sometimes, I wonder if he puts too much responsibility on Bean, Treliving to run his team for him. Not sure how hands on this owner is or how in touch he is with his own product other that bottom line numbers.

[Classic_Sniper]

Sutter is just telling us what we’ve always known or at least should’ve known, that this team never had a legit #1 center. Treliving traded for Dougie and Hamonic and spent all kinds of assets and moolah for wingers and goaltenders and extras. But that elite number one center position was always the glaring hole. It took the league 5 years to finally figure out how to stop our dynamic duo and now that they have, this team is left exposed and has fallen apart like a cheap suit.

I honestly don’t even want Jack Eichel if all it’s going to do is create holes every where else. If we traded Lindholm, Tkachuk ++ then are we any further then where Buffalo is? We’d be another one line team with an injury prone #1 center. Mediocre bubble playoff team anyway you slice it. Might as well just tear it down. But honestly, I don’t have much faith in this organization, they always disappoint, just like this team. I won’t sit through another 2010-2013 Flames. Too many other entertainment options available then to watch a middling team scratch and claw their way to #9th place in the West.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Sutter is just telling us what we’ve always known or at least should’ve known, that this team never had a legit #1 center. Treliving traded for Dougie and Hamonic and spent all kinds of assets and moolah for wingers and goaltenders and extras. But that elite number one center position was always the glaring hole. It took the league 5 years to finally figure out how to stop our dynamic duo and now that they have, this team is left exposed and has fallen apart like a cheap suit.

I honestly don’t even want Jack Eichel if all it’s going to do is create holes every where else. If we traded Lindholm, Tkachuk ++ then are we any further then where Buffalo is? We’d be another one line team with an injury prone #1 center. Mediocre bubble playoff team anyway you slice it. Might as well just tear it down. But honestly, I don’t have much faith in this organization, they always disappoint, just like this team. I won’t sit through another 2010-2013 Flames. Too many other entertainment options available then to watch a middling team scratch and claw their way to #9th place in the West.

I agree this team has zero chance of landing Eichel and being a good team while we have him. His contract may be long enough to build through the draft and be good before his contract expires but IMO that isn't what Eichel wants. He's played through that his whole career so far and adding 3-4 more wasted years of his career will just lead to him wanting out of here. If we had a top 10 prospect pool then it is different case. But we don't and it isn't even close to top 10.

I'm not sure we need to completely rip it apart but when I look at this team and ask when will players like Zary or Pelletier or our first pick in this draft make this team and how quickly will they make an impact vs what players we have wrapped up long term and will still be high end players when these guys are actually making a difference. Right now we have Rasmus Andersson signed long enough with guys like Valimaki under RFA status long enough for these guys to develop. Markstrom will still be here but he will be on the tail end of his career.

Add to this the Flames don't have franchise type players or prospects and we are not the Rangers or Leafs where we can add guys like Tavares or Panarin in the middle of a rebuild and expedite the rebuild.

IMO the only thing stopping a long rebuild or a constant retooling every summer(probably same thing as a rebuild) is winning the draft lottery preferably in 2022 from a draft position that is unexpected, a prospect making a bigger impact quicker than expected or a trade that works out way better than expected. It might take more than 1 of these scenarios but it's really starting to look very obvious the only option is to rip it apart.

This summer will be very interesting as I would expect if Tkachuk and Johnny don't resign they will be traded. I'm really hoping we don't make a franchise crippling signing this summer

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Why does him having a full NTC mean he wouldn't accept a trade here? Do you know the player personally? We have no idea what is going on with him or how he feels about the Blues, Flames, or being open to a trade.

Something something “taxes”, and “Calgary sucks”. You know, the typical nonsense.

[Jore]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Sutter is just telling us what we’ve always known or at least should’ve known, that this team never had a legit #1 center. Treliving traded for Dougie and Hamonic and spent all kinds of assets and moolah for wingers and goaltenders and extras. But that elite number one center position was always the glaring hole. It took the league 5 years to finally figure out how to stop our dynamic duo and now that they have, this team is left exposed and has fallen apart like a cheap suit.

I honestly don’t even want Jack Eichel if all it’s going to do is create holes every where else. If we traded Lindholm, Tkachuk ++ then are we any further then where Buffalo is? We’d be another one line team with an injury prone #1 center. Mediocre bubble playoff team anyway you slice it. Might as well just tear it down. But honestly, I don’t have much faith in this organization, they always disappoint, just like this team. I won’t sit through another 2010-2013 Flames. Too many other entertainment options available then to watch a middling team scratch and claw their way to #9th place in the West.

Getting and developing a good centre is a long-standing weakness for this franchise. The best all-arounder they've developed is Backlund (not counting Monahan for obvious reasons), before that it was probably David Moss. Right now the most promising young player who was drafted as a centre, Dube, they're playing on as a 4th line winger (sound familiar?). Unless they're drafting a can't miss centre at 1 or 2 I can't see this organization being able to support and develop a #1 centre internally.