MatthewFlames
Registered User
As the five-year plan enters year nine (f***ing sigh), the Flames hope to finally turn the corner and continue their climb up the Western Conference standings from 13th (in 2018) to 11th (in 2019, 2020) to.... 9th?
With the league's best-rated goalie, Norris Trophy winner one year removed, and scoring from the NHL's leading goal-getter, all things are in place for such a major disappointment. Right?
The Flames patience of building through the draft and with big key trades rather than constant tinkering and incremental upgrades will finally be done at the end of this season, lose or lose.
This is the final season for stalwarts like Getzlaf, Giordano, Backlund, Rask, and probably Klingberg (could there be a worse rated top D pair player on the planet, wtf?) and Ekholm.
The rebuild of the rebuild starts in earnest again next season (or at the deadline) around the under 25's, thank you salary cap and coronavirus, thank you Svechnikov and Barzal, you bum's better earn those $9m salaries with good ratings.
This time they'll do what they avoided previously, which is cutting to the bone, instead of trying to field a mixed roster of youth and veterans.
The 2020/21 line-up, brought to you by Corona Lite Beer:
The only major change is that Jeff Skinner was moved to get the Flames under the cap.
Svechnikov and Nichushkin (go Russia!) got rating boosts to move up lines and Sergei Gusev (Go Russia!) and Ethan Bear (Go 'I can see Russia from my mom's porch') join the team.
Larkin - Getzlaf - Pastrnak
Svechnikov - Barzal - Lee
Gusev - Backlund - Nichushkin
Watson - Faksa - Simon
Carrier
Giordano - Ekholm
Klingberg - Savard
Bear - TBD
Rask
Brossoit
Not good enough for a playoff birth but maybe enough to get 9th?
With the league's best-rated goalie, Norris Trophy winner one year removed, and scoring from the NHL's leading goal-getter, all things are in place for such a major disappointment. Right?
The Flames patience of building through the draft and with big key trades rather than constant tinkering and incremental upgrades will finally be done at the end of this season, lose or lose.
This is the final season for stalwarts like Getzlaf, Giordano, Backlund, Rask, and probably Klingberg (could there be a worse rated top D pair player on the planet, wtf?) and Ekholm.
The rebuild of the rebuild starts in earnest again next season (or at the deadline) around the under 25's, thank you salary cap and coronavirus, thank you Svechnikov and Barzal, you bum's better earn those $9m salaries with good ratings.
This time they'll do what they avoided previously, which is cutting to the bone, instead of trying to field a mixed roster of youth and veterans.
The 2020/21 line-up, brought to you by Corona Lite Beer:
The only major change is that Jeff Skinner was moved to get the Flames under the cap.
Svechnikov and Nichushkin (go Russia!) got rating boosts to move up lines and Sergei Gusev (Go Russia!) and Ethan Bear (Go 'I can see Russia from my mom's porch') join the team.
Larkin - Getzlaf - Pastrnak
Svechnikov - Barzal - Lee
Gusev - Backlund - Nichushkin
Watson - Faksa - Simon
Carrier
Giordano - Ekholm
Klingberg - Savard
Bear - TBD
Rask
Brossoit
Not good enough for a playoff birth but maybe enough to get 9th?
