What would you guys prefer for the next couple years?

[DoubleJ96]

Would you happier if the Flames somehow continued play up to the same level as they are playing now and make the playoffs or bottom out to get a high draft pick?

I'm hoping the team has a couple bad years to get more high end prospects which will help set this team up for the better going forward.

Click to read more...

 

[MC Ride]

I was wondering the same thing the other day.

It's really weird cause we were all expecting to suck out of the gate and somehow we're decent. I doubt this is going to last though. I'd rather have 1 or 2 high picks before we compete again

Let's just say we make the playoffs somehow this year. Now what? Our goaltender's Joey Mac, we don't have any 1st pairing dmen going forward and not nearly enough talent at any position to sustain being a good team like Chicago or Pittsburgh

 

[TheHudlinator]

How is this a question? Suck now and hope to make the playoffs or make the playoffs. There is no reason to hope we miss.

 

[MuffinMerc]

I'd rather the team win the draft lottery in 2015 and then crash their way into the playoffs and to a Stanley Cup.

 

[Calculon]

This isn't really much of a question; making the playoffs vs. losing a lot isn't much of a choice.

A better poll might be asking would you rather bottom out and collect some high draft picks, or finish 8th-12th.

 

[DoubleJ96]

How is this a question? Suck now and hope to make the playoffs or make the playoffs. There is no reason to hope we miss.

There are a couple of reasons to hope we miss, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart. And next year Connor McDavid. This team is in a lot tougher of a division than ever before and it would be better for long term success to bottom out for a few years to hopefully draft these type of prospects.

 

[Noori]

I can't believe people still want to lose after seeing what's happening in Edmonton. Okay, it's March, you're 6th last and out of the playoffs? Fine, lose away. But beginning of the season when you've gotten points in 5 straight games? Losing breeds losing, nothing more. Top drat picks are the tiniest silver lining of a completely wasted year, not the goal which teams strive for in September.

Btw, if we do make the playoffs (IF IF IF IF IF), it'll be because of players like Baertschi, Brodie, Backlund, and Monahan. They're development into front line players is more valuable than a chance of a high draft selection.

 

[WhereIsIt]

We have a team that seems to be capable of winning, so I'd rather win. The other option is raising players in an environment where management doesn't try to ice a good team and not playing up to your abilities is acceptable.

If you stop trying to win, you will forget how. Exhibit A, look north. I can't believe people would have us follow that example!

Ekblad, Reinhart, and even McDavid are not golden tickets to the Stanley Cup. People need to understand this. For every Chicago and Pittburg, there are ALOT of Edmontons and Floridas. People like to ignore that possibility.

 

[MC Ride]

I can't believe people still want to lose after seeing what's happening in Edmonton. Okay, it's March, you're 6th last and out of the playoffs? Fine, lose away. But beginning of the season when you've gotten points in 5 straight games? Losing breeds losing, nothing more. Top drat picks are the tiniest silver lining of a completely wasted year, not the goal which teams strive for in September.

Btw, if we do make the playoffs (IF IF IF IF IF), it'll be because of players like Baertschi, Brodie, Backlund, and Monahan. They're development into front line players is more valuable than a chance of a high draft selection.

Noone wants lose but I think a lot of fan's are kind of hesitant or cautious about winning. Our roster is, by most standards, not ready to sustain winning like a team like Chicago. That said, a year of winning would do wonders in improving the skill of our roster but right now, expanding that range of skill would be a lot more beneficial since our talent is pretty limited. If that makes any sense.

lol I have an opinion in my head but I have absolutely no clue how to word it...

 

[Lunatik]

There are a couple of reasons to hope we miss, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart. And next year Connor McDavid. This team is in a lot tougher of a division than ever before and it would be better for long term success to bottom out for a few years to hopefully draft these type of prospects.

I suppose Taylor Hall and Nail Yukapov were reasons to miss too right? right?

Losing doesn't give you a better chance at anything except embarrassment.

 

[Noori]

Noone wants lose but I think a lot of fan's are kind of hesitant or cautious about winning. Our roster is, by most standards, not ready to sustain winning like a team like Chicago. That said, a year of winning would do wonders in improving the skill of our roster but right now, expanding that range of skill would be a lot more beneficial since our talent is pretty limited. If that makes any sense.

lol I have an opinion in my head but I have absolutely no clue how to word it...

I don't expect the wins or the point to keep flowing. I don't expect Sean Monahan to keep up a PPG+ pace. I do expect the physicality, the fearless shot-blocking, the general balls-to-the-wall style of play to keep up. Ultimately, that's a better long term contributor to building a winner than drafting one guy and hoping he'll carry the team to the promised land.

 

[Anglesmith]

Keep in mind that since we have drafted well in the previous few drafts, a number of posters have been able to build hypothetical future rosters for the Flames using only guys in the system now. And on top of that, many of those posters did so while ignoring the fact that we probably will retain some of the vets on this team (Glencross, Gio, etc.), and add a few more where necessary through Free Agency. Our talent pool, in my opinion, is capable of generating a Stanley Cup down the road, even if they will never be favourites.

I am in favour of winning whenever it is possible for us to win. If we crash and burn, I won't be heartbroken.

 

[MarkGio]

If we're in contention by the deadline, I fear Feaster won't trade Cammy and Stemps for picks. I personally believe that despite these last wins the Flames are not built for consistent contention. Cup winning teams are built down the middle, built on the blueline, and need playoff goaltending. We have Monahan and Backlund down the middle, a decent top 4 but no elite blueliners, and still a question mark in goal.

I see no point in continuing off the same old model of half-ass play-off contention. But I'll reserve my judgment until at least the quarter-way mark of the season

 

[Kanye]

Weird how anyone would rather see us tank than make the playoffs. smh.

 

[MarkGio]

Keep in mind that since we have drafted well in the previous few drafts, a number of posters have been able to build hypothetical future rosters for the Flames using only guys in the system now. And on top of that, many of those posters did so while ignoring the fact that we probably will retain some of the vets on this team (Glencross, Gio, etc.), and add a few more where necessary through Free Agency. Our talent pool, in my opinion, is capable of generating a Stanley Cup down the road, even if they will never be favourites.

I am in favour of winning whenever it is possible for us to win. If we crash and burn, I won't be heartbroken.

I think we might, but its dependent on A LOT of guys panning out and in reality, that's not how the numbers work. So we got Poirer, Klimchuck, Jankowski, and Gaudrea as potential high end players, so based on the odds alone, one or two guys will pan out as projected, the other two might be depth guys or whatever.

Then there's our depth guys in Horak, Jooris, Reinhart, Knight, Granlund, Ferland, Agostino, Arnold, etc. Maybe half will make the NHL if we have a good system of scouts, development programs, etc.

Apply these same principles to goal and the blueline and you can see how the pool gets thin quickly. Our blueline has no projected top paring guy, but our goalie depth looks good. Either way, we lack high end guys, especially on the right, down the middle, and on the blueline IMO

 

[fallsviewafro*]

I think a lot of people's viewpoints are coloured by the fact that things are just about as good as they could possibly be right now. Things will turn sideways this season. Even if we make the playoffs - and that's a very, very big if - we are first round fodder. Our heroic lucky run in 04 was due to God-mode Kipper and prime Iggy, and I don't see any equals to those two these days. People are forgetting that our **** finish last year earned us Monahan, who is a huge reason we're doing so well. Where are we with a 15th overall pick who's back in the OHL? 1-2-2, maybe. Then this thread doesn't exist and we're making mock drafts for next year.

Now, I'm not saying I want the Flames to tank. I want the young guys to develop and instilling a sense of pride in the team is paramount. Nobody wants to be Edmonton. I would be really, really ****ing pissed if we finished 8th-10th again, though. A playoff appearance, even a short one, would be great for the organization in so many ways. Doing the exact same thing we've done for the last 4 years by finishing low enough to miss the postseason, but high enough to miss a great pick is in-****ing-furiating. Not to mention that a very large portion of our prospects may turn out to be horrendous. I know everyone's excited by the great start and the promise shown, but none of these guys have proved anything. Projected lineups are just that - projected lineups. We're far from a finished product even with the prospects we have. I'd feel much better with a top 5 and a top 10 pick.

We've won largely because of Monahan, some nice new chemistry, timely goaltending and production by committee. Who knows what will happen when Cammy and Stajan are back. However, we can't rely on those things for a full season. The floor is going to come out from underneath us at some point, and I do NOT want management making a panic-rush for the playoffs. We're in a rebuild; hope for the best, expect the worst. We should be thinking three years from now, not the upcoming postseason - even if it could happen.

 

[MarkGio]

I suppose Taylor Hall and Nail Yukapov were reasons to miss too right? right?

Losing doesn't give you a better chance at anything except embarrassment.

Like is there some psychology study I haven't read, or this "losing mentality" a defense mechanism?

The Oilers are losing games because they lack structure, not from a lack of trying. Actually, its probably a result of trying too much! Now ive only seen the one game, but I watched Hall trying to beat 2 defenseman and then lose the puck when he could've passed. I watched Ebs trying to pass behind his back and create an epic fail when the simple play was right there. I saw Schultz trying to get into the slot and score.on his own when they could've kept the cycle going.

Selfish players on the ice, a poor system, and a poorly design of elite talent is the Oilers down fall. But that doesn't mean the Oilers aren't full of some pretty great talents, nor does the Oilers current record take away from the means of obtaining these talents.

Is there a losing mentality? Yeah I would agree somewhat. For years the Flames would deflate when the chips were down pretty easily, as a result of experience. Some of our current guys in Glencross, Stajan and Giordano are among that group that would check out, especially down the stretch. But now they're playing great, so what happened? Well now the system works, everyone's committed, and the roster now has speed and size to play that way.

 

[TheHudlinator]

There are a couple of reasons to hope we miss, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart. And next year Connor McDavid. This team is in a lot tougher of a division than ever before and it would be better for long term success to bottom out for a few years to hopefully draft these type of prospects.

Not even close to valid reasons to want to miss the playoffs.

 

[Bouma Fett*]

I'd rather finish 9th snd miss than last overall for the higher pick. If we draft well we'll still get good prospects. I'm ok with losing now, I understand it, but more wins the better for me.

 

[herashak]

Our roster isnt good enough to make the playoffs sooooo

 

[Noori]

I'd rather finish 9th snd miss than last overall for the higher pick. If we draft well we'll still get good prospects. I'm ok with losing now, I understand it, but more wins the better for me.

I think I would too. Watching this young group be right in the mix until the end would be quite different than Iginla and co. folding at the end. The promise of improvement next year as opposed to the realization of a continued downward spiral.

 

[saillias]

If you voted for the second option I have a forum link for you that may be more suitable to your interests. http://hfboards.mandatory.com/forumdisplay.php?f=38

 

[GetThePuckOut]

If we're in contention by the deadline, I fear Feaster won't trade Cammy and Stemps for picks. I personally believe that despite these last wins the Flames are not built for consistent contention. Cup winning teams are built down the middle, built on the blueline, and need playoff goaltending. We have Monahan and Backlund down the middle, a decent top 4 but no elite blueliners, and still a question mark in goal.

I see no point in continuing off the same old model of half-ass play-off contention. But I'll reserve my judgment until at least the quarter-way mark of the season

Forget trading Stempniak. Re-sign him for 4 years and then trade him when he legitimately gets squeezed out.

As for OP, of course I'd rather win. Don't forget that Baertschi was drafted at 13, and in SJ Hertl was drafted at 17. You don't need top 5 picks when you're a well drafting team, and I believe the near future will prove that the Flames are indeed a well drafting team.

 

[MuffinMerc]

Forget trading Stempniak. Re-sign him for 4 years and then trade him when he legitimately gets squeezed out.

I don't think Stempniak want's to be here for that long.

 

[MarkGio]

Forget trading Stempniak. Re-sign him for 4 years and then trade him when he legitimately gets squeezed out.

As for OP, of course I'd rather win. Don't forget that Baertschi was drafted at 13, and in SJ Hertl was drafted at 17. You don't need top 5 picks when you're a well drafting team, and I believe the near future will prove that the Flames are indeed a well drafting team.

I'm still cautious until I see results. The players we went after in trades, even while under Weisbros and Feaster, have me questioning. But I get the "feeling" we've improved in our drafting.