Speculation: Armchair GM Thread: I can't believe it's not butter, I can't believe we didn't get Ryan Hartman.

[Lunatik]

I don't know why people keep bitching about the Iginla trade, our hands were tied and he was a pending UFA. A 1st and a couple prospects is really not a poor trade. Sure the pieces never worked out, but they rarely do when you are trading a pending UFA.

I also don't think the Bouwmeester trade is bad enough to make the list.

And the Regehr trade definitely wasn't bad enough to make the list. We paid to dump Kotalik's abortion of a contract and saved over 5 million in cap space.

The 3 deals @Lazar Beams mentioned IMO belong on that list before those 3.

 

[Rangediddy]

Sure it would be nice to have a starter closer to 25 than 35 years of age, but at this point I'll take an offseason without playing the goalie roulette and rather blow whatever measly assets we have left on improving the forward corps.

Smith is closer to 45 than 25. We need a backup who can be a starter because Smith is all but guaranteed to miss a lot of time to injury. He’s always be injury prone and getting older wont help that.
I didnt like the signing because his inuries were going to give us issues, which they have. Sure he saved us from being a bottom 5 team, but we should have signed a goalie to do that who isnt expected to get injured every year.

 

[Fig]

Smith is closer to 45 than 25. We need a backup who can be a starter because Smith is all but guaranteed to miss a lot of time to injury. He’s always be injury prone and getting older wont help that.
I didnt like the signing because his inuries were going to give us issues, which they have. Sure he saved us from being a bottom 5 team, but we should have signed a goalie to do that who isnt expected to get injured every year.

Or get two that get injured relatively regularly so that Rittich and Gilles (asked to dominate in AHL) get playing opportunities? (ie: Acquire Lehner in FA and have two crazy goalies who are guaranteed to miss some time and allow Rittich and Gilles to develop but also get relatively regular NHL playing time? ) I'd suggest a 3 year contract for FA goalie.

Both Smith and FA (ie: Lehner) also still get their starter expectations (Smith in 2018/2019 and FA 2019-2021) and whoever wins in the AHL in 2018/2019 becomes defacto backup for 2019/2020. Whoever is left over in AHL is either could be given given backup role in 2020/2021 and one of those 3 traded to make room for whoever might be knocking as the AHL backup (ie: Parsons, MacDonald, Schneider whoever).

Forecast:

2018/2019 - Smith + FA to make ploffs // Gilles + Rittich in A
2019/2020 - (Smith out) FA + G or R // G or R + X (whoever is graduated) in A
2020/2021 - FA + G and R, trade 1 // X + Y (whoever is graduated) in A

Thoughts?

 

[The Gnome]

I wouldn't mind a more seasoned backup, but honestly think Rittich could grow into that role as early as next season. If it cost minimal assets to bring in someone more experienced, great. But I would be looking after the coaching overhaul and forward depth issues as priority #1. Smith is the best flames starter since Kipper, but he's not going to be able to play 70+ games a season.

 

[Tkachuky]

I don't know why people keep *****ing about the Iginla trade, our hands were tied and he was a pending UFA. A 1st and a couple prospects is really not a poor trade. Sure the pieces never worked out, but they rarely do when you are trading a pending UFA.

I also don't think the Bouwmeester trade is bad enough to make the list.

And the Regehr trade definitely wasn't bad enough to make the list. We paid to dump Kotalik's abortion of a contract and saved over 5 million in cap space.

The 3 deals @Lazar Beams mentioned IMO belong on that list before those 3.

We should have traded him 1-2 years earlier. That is my main problem with Iggy leaving Calgary.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Regehr deal was an absolute abomination.

 

[Dack]

The worst deal in Flames history is trading Paul Byron to waivers for future considerations.

 

[Skobel24]

One of the trades I've always hated was ference and kobasew for stuart and primeau.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

Regehr deal was an absolute abomination.

Well that trade did get us Paul Byron, who is now a consistent 20 goal scoring forward with a 1.2M$ caphit. Not that we have any need for those when we can sign the Brouwers and Raymonds of the world in free agency.

 

[Mobiandi]

When you look at what other inferior defensemen have gone for in the NHL, a protected first, an undersized AHL Dman, and "the best goalie not in the NHL" for Bouwmeester is disgusting, in comparison.

I don't care what anyone says, that's nearly as bad as the Savard trade for me and it was apparent when it down too.

 

[lightstorm]

And how about when Burke failed to get anything for Cammalleri after his 26 goals in 63 games season and let him walk?

Some top notch GMing right there...

 

[Lunatik]

Remember when I suggested trading Bennett for Braden Schenn and people shit all over the idea.... good times.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Remember when I suggested trading Bennett for Braden Schenn and people **** all over the idea.... good times.

I also suggested this. Good times.

 

[Rangediddy]

So hypothetically and generally speaking, if Treliving was to change ONE thing in the off season, what change would everyone prefer to see:

1) Coaching
2) Goaltending
3) Changes to the forward group
4) Changes to the defensive group
5) None needed, pray for a Devils/Avalanche/Jets turnaround

Personally, while I think coaching has been BRUTAL all year and the starting point to our problems, I think they can learn from mistakes and adapt their systems. I think the forward group needs changes above all else. The defensive group massively underplayed their potential so a return to norm shouldn't be out of the question. We're quite obviously missing something on the offensive side.

 

[Dack]

Remember when I suggested trading Bennett for Braden Schenn and people **** all over the idea.... good times.

I was against it because Schenn hardly produced 5v5 in the past 3 years.

I think that was a product of the old Flyers though because no one including Giroux produced very well 5v5.

Going back there are so many Bennett trades I was against that would be steals for us now. Especially after his rookie season it seemed unthinkable he'd be what he is now.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Coaching.

Gulutzan has been trying to put round pegs in square holes.

This team has defencemen that are most effective when they are allowed to join the rush. Gulutzan does the opposite of Bill Belichek. Bill was always a believer that you get people to do things they are good at. Build your system around your players, not your players around your system like Gully has tried.

 

[Bounces R Way]

So hypothetically and generally speaking, if Treliving was to change ONE thing in the off season, what change would everyone prefer to see:

1) Coaching
2) Goaltending
3) Changes to the forward group
4) Changes to the defensive group
5) None needed, pray for a Devils/Avalanche/Jets turnaround

Personally, while I think coaching has been BRUTAL all year and the starting point to our problems, I think they can learn from mistakes and adapt their systems. I think the forward group needs changes above all else. The defensive group massively underplayed their potential so a return to norm shouldn't be out of the question. We're quite obviously missing something on the offensive side.

The forward group. Probably through FA. Needs another 30G scorer, and some better depth. Personally in favor of leaving some of the depth spots up for grabs in training camp and that they give some young guys more of a shot.

In general they need more talent throughout the lineup, stop trying to find guys that fit into these antiquated roles like "checking center" or"shutdown defenseman" or "grinding winger" or "PK specialist" and start emphasizing skill and speed above all else.


Changing the coach doesn't change the fact the roster needs to improve. Just because the team was less than the sum of it's parts this year doesn't mean that it's parts don't need to be improved either. The Flames should be building to contend for a division, rather than building to make the playoffs.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

3) Changes to the forward group

If I'm limited to just one... this one.

 

[BigRangy]

If I’m limited to one change I can’t decide between firing Cameron or Brouwer into the sun

Probably Cameron

 

[GregSirico]

Q for Flames fans. The Rangers have an absurd amount of picks in R1 and R2 (5 picks), I know CGY is looking to get back in the draft not having picks in either R1 or R2 this year. What's a fair offer for one of NYR's lates + either NJ's 2nd or NYR's 2nd?

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Q for Flames fans. The Rangers have an absurd amount of picks in R1 and R2 (5 picks), I know CGY is looking to get back in the draft not having picks in either R1 or R2 this year. What's a fair offer for one of NYR's lates + either NJ's 2nd or NYR's 2nd?

I highly doubt we trade for late firsts/seconds.

I could see us trading Brodie/Hamilton but they would likely return an established forward.

Maybe Adam Fox but that’s only if he isn’t interested in signing with us. And the last time a high profile prospect spurned us we traded him to you guys and it didn’t exactly work out for you (Tim Erixon).

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

And how about when Burke failed to get anything for Cammalleri after his 26 goals in 63 games season and let him walk?

Some top notch GMing right there...

Oh please, would you have been happy had he accepted the 3rd rounder that was on the table as a best offer? Burke doesn’t the market. It was undecided at the time if Cammy would have been brought back or not, had they gotten a better offer than that, he would been traded. They held off on the chance he re-signed because that would trump the value of a 3rd, it was the right move. He was hurt that year and it tanked his value.

Trades is one thing Burke excels at, remember getting a 2nd for Berra?

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Coaching.

Gulutzan has been trying to put round pegs in square holes.

This team has defencemen that are most effective when they are allowed to join the rush. Gulutzan does the opposite of Bill Belichek. Bill was always a believer that you get people to do things they are good at. Build your system around your players, not your players around your system like Gully has tried.

Great post and comparison, Snipes.

 

[GregSirico]

I highly doubt we trade for late firsts/seconds.

I could see us trading Brodie/Hamilton but they would likely return an established forward.

Maybe Adam Fox but that’s only if he isn’t interested in signing with us. And the last time a high profile prospect spurned us we traded him to you guys and it didn’t exactly work out for you (Tim Erixon).

I'd be interested in Adam Fox because I know Hamilton's price would be higher.

 

[DFF]

So hypothetically and generally speaking, if Treliving was to change ONE thing in the off season, what change would everyone prefer to see:

1) Coaching
2) Goaltending
3) Changes to the forward group
4) Changes to the defensive group
5) None needed, pray for a Devils/Avalanche/Jets turnaround

Personally, while I think coaching has been BRUTAL all year and the starting point to our problems, I think they can learn from mistakes and adapt their systems. I think the forward group needs changes above all else. The defensive group massively underplayed their potential so a return to norm shouldn't be out of the question. We're quite obviously missing something on the offensive side.

Coaching- It's not even close. System doesnt work, cant juggle lineup, cant motivate team...honestly not sure why he is still around. Team already gave up on him a month ago








Forwards- I think the team has one great forward, 2 above average and 3 average, rest are garbage that should not be in the NHL
Goaltending- Smith can blow up anytime and he kinda did already
GM (people give him a pass but he put this team together and it's one of the worst Flames teams in awhile now)