Speculation: Armchair GM Thread VIII - We've Tried Nothing! And we have all kinds of ideas!

[Ace Rimmer]

Continued from here.

Speculation: - Armchair GM Thread 2021-22 VII (Eichel? Never Heard of Him)

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[BigRangy]

Acquire an impact player or do nothing. There’s more talent on the farm than you can get for a 3rd.

one mark scheifele would be perfect

 

[Some Other Flame]

Definitely the year to try and make a run

Hartley did it with Wideman in 14/15. Peters did it with Frolik in 18/19. Sutter's doing it now with Markstrom?

The math is simple:

• Coaches like Sutter have short shelf lives
• Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Kylington and Mangiapane are all impending free agents
• Flames have actually have some cap space to add and the assets to spend

This year is probably their best shot. So add some offensive pieces or stay irrelevant.

 

[Mazatt]

Opening a new thread off right by saying we oughta get Ritchie out of this lineup. Ignore top 9 or 4th line, just get a replacement on the wing for the fans sake so they don't have to see him play anymore.

 

[super6646]

First page post ofc

 

[Anglesmith]

I'm annoyed at how useless Ritchie has become. There were times (I don't remember how long ago) that he looked like he could be a really effective player in the bottom 6.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I'm annoyed at how useless Ritchie has become. There were times (I don't remember how long ago) that he looked like he could be a really effective player in the bottom 6.

The last time Brett Ritchie was useful was when Sam Bennett was on his line carrying him.

Derek Ryan was also huge factor, a play driving centre who actually used the middle of the ice.

 

[RasmusAndersson]

1st and Jeremie Poirier and conditional 2023 pick (4th that becomes a 3rd if we win one round or 2nd if we win two rounds) for Giroux @50% retained. Giroux is probably the best player available and would absolutely fix our top-6. Also can play C or RW and shoots right.

Johnny Lindy Chucky
Mang Monahan Giroux
Dube Backlund Coleman
Lucic Ruzicka Lewis

and Johnny Giroux Tkachuk when we need a goal. Would make us really scary

 

[Ainsy01]

Definitely the year to try and make a run

Hartley did it with Wideman in 14/15. Peters did it with Frolik in 18/19. Sutter's doing it now with Markstrom?

The math is simple:

• Coaches like Sutter have short shelf lives
• Gaudreau, Tkachuk, Kylington and Mangiapane are all impending free agents
• Flames have actually have some cap space to add and the assets to spend

This year is probably their best shot. So add some offensive pieces or stay irrelevant.

Bit of a stretch there. Just wasn't his night, let in three softies and the team responded well to the kick in the ass.

 

[Fig]

Bit of a stretch there. Just wasn't his night, let in three softies and the team responded well to the kick in the ass.

When I was watching the replays, it almost seemed like the first two deflected off our own guys, or at least took some slightly weird bounces off someone or something? It was a little hard to see at most of the replay angles. Did I imagine it?

Sure, maybe Markstrom could have saved them, but I could also imagine pulling Markstrom wasn't purely blaming the goalie. It could have been like a, "Yo, you guys are failing your goalie. You guys are making it harder for him and you kinda broke him. I'm giving him a rest. Don't fail your other goalie as well." sort of thing.

 

[Ainsy01]

When I was watching the replays, it almost seemed like the first two deflected off our own guys, or at least took some slightly weird bounces off someone or something? It was a little hard to see at most of the replay angles. Did I imagine it?

Sure, maybe Markstrom could have saved them, but I could also imagine pulling Markstrom wasn't purely blaming the goalie. It could have been like a, "Yo, you guys are failing your goalie. You guys are making it harder for him and you kinda broke him. I'm giving him a rest. Don't fail your other goalie as well." sort of thing.

I'm a goalie myself - trust me I know how it goes. I agree 100% with ^^.

I'm curious to see if Sutter goes back to Marky and gives him a shot to correct himself against an offensively lacking team tonight. If I'm Sutter I go back to Marky 100%.

 

[Volica]

I have a hard time understanding what the GM of this team is currently doing.
There's a really high chance with a good addition to this team, that you're going to get a first round matchup against a team that is deeply flawed in the Pacific division as a clear favourite. Only the Knights are a complete team, and the likelihood of seeing them in round one is next to zero. You're also going to be the only team in the Pacific with a legendary playoff coach at the helm too.

I kind of wonder if this might be a repeat of 2014; where there were some really good players available, but far too many sellers. It drove prices down like crazy that year. I'm wondering if that's the sticking point right now?

 

[Flames Fanatic]

The more I think on it, the more likely I think that if we do move for a bigger name at the deadline, the more likely it is that Dube and Valimaki are going back the other way. Still somewhat appealing trade pieces for a seller to take back, and really the only cap hit we can move out.

It kills me as a born and raised Cochranite to see Dube go, but Sutter doesn't seem to care much for him and he's not stepped up this year.

Maybe Pitlick going out too, but I'm not sure Tre owns up to his mistake on that one.

 

[Iggys Dome]

Does BT even have a plan? Or is it just ride Sutter and hope we can make a miracle run in the playoffs? This team is built so weirdly IMO, winger-heavy with no top centre or defenseman.

 

[super6646]

The more I think on it, the more likely I think that if we do move for a bigger name at the deadline, the more likely it is that Dube and Valimaki are going back the other way. Still somewhat appealing trade pieces for a seller to take back, and really the only cap hit we can move out.

It kills me as a born and raised Cochranite to see Dube go, but Sutter doesn't seem to care much for him and he's not stepped up this year.

Maybe Pitlick going out too, but I'm not sure Tre owns up to his mistake on that one.

Sure seems like this team is willing to abandon young talent quick to its own peril. I get that Dube hasn't been great this year, but honestly it isn't as if the team is super deep up front at the moment...

Pitlick is worth absolutely nothing. 2 pts in 25 games means he goes unclaimed on waivers.

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

I’m going to say it now before the game tonight and he scores on us but I would buy cheap on Dzingel and insert him somewhere in the lineup. In fact I think he’s a guy Brad would trade for because he doesn’t have the balls to land a big fish.

Ideally I’d love Dzingel and Crouse to help our depth.

 

[Volica]

Sure seems like this team is willing to abandon young talent quick to its own peril. I get that Dube hasn't been great this year, but honestly it isn't as if the team is super deep up front at the moment...

Pitlick is worth absolutely nothing. 2 pts in 25 games means he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Pitlick is just a guy added onto a trade to make cap work, he has no value on his own.

 

[Anglesmith]

I have a hard time understanding what the GM of this team is currently doing.
There's a really high chance with a good addition to this team, that you're going to get a first round matchup against a team that is deeply flawed in the Pacific division as a clear favourite. Only the Knights are a complete team, and the likelihood of seeing them in round one is next to zero. You're also going to be the only team in the Pacific with a legendary playoff coach at the helm too.

I kind of wonder if this might be a repeat of 2014; where there were some really good players available, but far too many sellers. It drove prices down like crazy that year. I'm wondering if that's the sticking point right now?

He's probably waiting until closer to the TDL in order to maximize available cap space, which is what most teams do every single year. Not making a trade between the start of the year and the deadline is more the default than the exception.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

He's probably waiting until closer to the TDL in order to maximize available cap space, which is what most teams do every single year. Not making a trade between the start of the year and the deadline is more the default than the exception.

Good point. I wish we could go sooner and get some more secondary scoring.

 

[DFF]

When I was watching the replays, it almost seemed like the first two deflected off our own guys, or at least took some slightly weird bounces off someone or something? It was a little hard to see at most of the replay angles. Did I imagine it?

Sure, maybe Markstrom could have saved them, but I could also imagine pulling Markstrom wasn't purely blaming the goalie. It could have been like a, "Yo, you guys are failing your goalie. You guys are making it harder for him and you kinda broke him. I'm giving him a rest. Don't fail your other goalie as well." sort of thing.

If it's just one or two times you can make up the excuse. With Markstrom, when the game was close, he hasn't made the tough saves needed to win

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Dube is being handled almost identically to Sam Bennett. Identical. He will blossom at some point in his career, just not sure it will ever be here.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Markstrom has been trash this year. We've won almost no close games. Pressure is on and he lets in beach balls. He was atrocious last night. Don't know how anyone can say otherwise. I've been saying it all season, if you can get out from that contract you do it. If someone is crazy enough to offer a first because his stats are good, you make that deal now.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Markstrom has been trash this year. We've won almost no close games. Pressure is on and he lets in beach balls. He was atrocious last night. Don't know how anyone can say otherwise. I've been saying it all season, if you can get out from that contract you do it. If someone is crazy enough to offer a first because his stats are good, you make that deal now.

Markstrom for Francouz.

 

[super6646]

Markstrom has been trash this year. We've won almost no close games. Pressure is on and he lets in beach balls. He was atrocious last night. Don't know how anyone can say otherwise. I've been saying it all season, if you can get out from that contract you do it. If someone is crazy enough to offer a first because his stats are good, you make that deal now.

His GSAA is still pretty damn solid, and he has a 920SV% to boot. He ain't trash at all.

But he just ain't a big game goalie. Look at the Flames goal differential the past 2 years when he has been the starter.

2020-21: 26-27-3, but a -5GD. Montreal made the playoffs with a worse goal differential than Calgary. Its never great to be a minus in that regard, but in a league of 3 pt games you should be above 500 in that case at least.

2021-22: 22-13-6, and a +30 GD. Our GD is tied for 7th in the league, but we are 14th in PTS% despite that.

I think it is a more serious issue than people are willing to admit. Ik Markstrom has 7 shutouts, but 6 of those were in games that the Flames gave a ton of run support in. He seems to have an awful tendency to piss away games late when we need a crucial save.

 

[Mazatt]

He was atrocious last night.

I think we might've been watching different games, because Dallas had countless high danger chances early that Markstrom stopped, that were still made despite a couple bad goals. Saying he was atrocious feels like an outright dismissal of Markstrom holding them in it despite poor goals (one of which was a pure circumstance, crazy play that he wasnt expecting). Like, just looking at this chart I see no way to argue Markstrom wasn't significant in keeping things in tact while Dallas was allowed to just, walk in and take dangerous shots right in the slot.

At all strengths he faced 6 high danger chances thru 40 and, again, came up with multiple big stops that are seemingly ignored because he let in a stinker? If he allows that Pavelski slot shot that Gudbranson pulled off the goal line instead of the Hanley goal I'd be there's a different perception of his effort, but because he got unlucky he's atrocious.