Speculation: Jay Feaster, Bob Hartley, and the rebuild

[Jihadi Flames Fan]

Now that it's becoming evident that a rebuild is on the horizon, my question is: Do you want Jay Feaster and Bob Hartley in charge of turning our franchise around?

For me, the clear answer is no. Feaster made his bed when he was named GM and made his proclamation that we would never follow the Edmonton Oilers model, and Bob Hartley I think is the worst possible coach to have for a rebuild.

Personally, I'd like to see John Weisbrod as our new GM (for obvious reasons, his eye for young talent) and someone like Brent Sutter as our coach. Sutter said that he was willing to coach a rebuild in Calgary before he was let go. He has experience working with young players (Red Deer Rebels/World Juniors), demands hard work and attention to detail, and actually knows how to coach defence.

I think Feaster damn well knows that he's dead man walking, and Hartley should be dismissed alongside with him.

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[1989]

I don't believe the ownership will let a member of the Sutter family rejoin the management group for "the next little while".
I highly doubt that Feaster or Hartley will be gone soon. A rebuild wasn't what Feaster or Hartley was hired for, but it doesn't mean they're not going to be around for the next three years. While the ownership was adamant about trying to avoid a rebuild as best as possible, it's not like they were completely oblivious to the possibility. They just really preferred not having to do so.

In other words, the Flames are entering a rebuild soon, but there will be minimal changes to staff/management.

 

[Beats By CoRD]

Wasn't Feaster quoted as saying some thing like "if they want to blow it up, they have the wrong manager"? Someone on the FAN said that the other day. It really made me sick. I think feasters gotta go.

 

[Svenner]

I'd be on board as making Weisbrod the GM, he's great at the draft and that is important for a team that is rebuilding. Make him takeover just like Feaster did with Sutter. As for Hartley, I would keep him on board. You can see that he is good with young guys as Brodie and Backlund are having fantastic seasons. Baertschi was simply not ready and I am pretty sure that he will be great under Hartley a couple years down the road. I'd give him a couple more years for people to get used to his system and stuff and don't forget that the Flames we're last in the conference a couple years ago with Sutter as well when we we're 30 games in so we need to give Hartley a shot at a full season and not just a condensed lockout season.

 

[MarkGio]

I'd keep both. The devil you know is better than the devil you don't.

And Sutter, really? Like really?

 

[Qubax]

This was never a Feaster issue but a Ownership/King issue.

Despite this Feaster has added good young prospects like Gaudreau, Baerstchi, Wotherspoon,Gillies, etc.,

I think the team will need to find a way to save face with the change of philosophy, but that has little to do with whether or not Feaster would be the right man for the job.

Personally, I think Feaster would do well in charge of a rebuild. Just keep pushing the retool Flyers rebuild and not the Oilers rebuild model to the media.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Just because we aren't doing an Edmonton doesn't mean we can't rebuild it just means Feaster won't sit by for 3 years and watch this team finish dead last. I think Feaster should be held be held responsible for the ROR mistake but I have liked what he has done so far.

That said I would prefer Burke over him as he has a track record of building very good teams.

 

[Zoombie]

I think its a good thing we aren't going to follow the Edmonton model...

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Brent Sutter as coach?

Thanks for not making me read the rest of this rant. smh

 

[Northern Neighbour]

I don't think Feaster is the GM to lead a rebuild, given his cap management and preference for veteran players. Weisbord would be fine. Another candidate the Flames should consider, if they are looking for a new GM, is Tim Murray of Ottawa. The Senators have done a great job at the draft in large parts to the work of Bryan's younger brother.

As for Hartley, he did oversee a mini-rebuild in Atlanta with so-so success. I'm indifferent if he's kept on for another year or if the team preferred to go in a different direction.

 

[Calculon]

Wasn't Feaster quoted as saying some thing like "if they want to blow it up, they have the wrong manager"? Someone on the FAN said that the other day. It really made me sick. I think feasters gotta go.

Yes, he did.

Feaster: “You know what? I look forward to the Battle of Alberta for the next X number of years. If the idea is, ‘Burn it to the ground,’ then (Flames president) Ken (King) can find another manager to do it.” said the Calgary Flames general manager back in September.

That comment, along with phrases like 'intellectual honesty' are going to haunt Feaster for as long as he's here. He's dug his own grave with idiotic comments like that.

And on that note, Hartley, on Friday, March 22:

"For me as a coach, rebuilding is not in the vocabulary," he said. "You have to win today. At the NHL level [it is] far different from the AHL, where at the AHL you're not gauged on wins or losses, you're gauged on how many kids you bring up ready for the NHL and you grow up many young talented players in your organization. At the NHL level you have to win today, prepare tomorrow. But for me, that's always how I've been. I've always worked for the organization and I execute the mandate they've given me."

 

[DCDM]

Yes, he did.


That comment, along with phrases like 'intellectual honesty' are going to haunt Feaster for as long as he's here. He's dug his own grave with idiotic comments like that.

And on that note, Hartley, on Friday, March 22:

These kinds of things are what scare me the most heading into the Deadline. I swear to God if Feaster tries to keep to his mandate of not rebuilding and tries to plug holes again, I'm going to lose it. There is just absolutely no way anyone in the organization can be so shortsighted anymore.

 

[TheHudlinator]

These kinds of things are what scare me the most heading into the Deadline. I swear to God if Feaster tries to keep to his mandate of not rebuilding and tries to plug holes again, I'm going to lose it. There is just absolutely no way anyone in the organization can be so shortsighted anymore.

Not doing what Edmonton did doesn't mean not rebuilding it means he refuses to just sit by for years as we finish last.

 

[Jihadi Flames Fan]

Not doing what Edmonton did doesn't mean not rebuilding it means he refuses to just sit by for years as we finish last.

I don't think he's going to have a choice. Like it or not, this team is poised to finish last for the next 'X' number of years.

 

[TheHudlinator]

I don't think he's going to have a choice. Like it or not, this team is poised to finish last for the next 'X' number of years.

Yea ********.

 

[Gritty]

I don't think he's going to have a choice. Like it or not, this team is poised to finish last for the next 'X' number of years.

It's true.

Our new conference/division is going to be tough with LA, van, San Jose, Anaheim... Also, Edmonton and Colorado will get better. Accepting the rebuild now, and accumulating picks, prospects, young (good) players now will save a world of hurt later on down the road.

 

[Ynnek]

Get as many picks as possible and try to trade and get 2 picks in the top 5. If Feaster can do that I will personally buy him a bucket of KFC chicken.

 

[1993]

Yes two top 5 picks is exactly what they need.

 

[Svenner]

And on that note, Hartley, on Friday, March 22:

"For me as a coach, rebuilding is not in the vocabulary," he said. "You have to win today. At the NHL level [it is] far different from the AHL, where at the AHL you're not gauged on wins or losses, you're gauged on how many kids you bring up ready for the NHL and you grow up many young talented players in your organization. At the NHL level you have to win today, prepare tomorrow. But for me, that's always how I've been. I've always worked for the organization and I execute the mandate they've given me."

This makes me think that Feaster will not blow it up at the deadline. We can probably see Iginla and Stempniak get traded (maybe someone else too) but Feaster is probably going to try and keep a somewhat competitive team, sign a few free agents maybe a trade and take a run for the playoffs again next year.

 

[scoringmachine]

I do not think the ownership wants to go into a rebuild. This is what I would do with the Flames. Most will not like it but it is just my idea

Goalie Situation.
in 2014 Keep Kipper and bring in Ramo. The reason is we know how good Kipper is but with Ramo being out of the NHL for a few years we do not know if he will wow us right away or struggle. If Ramo does well then we can trade Kipper, but if he falters then at least we know we have a good goalie. I do not know much about our goalies in the minors but the way they have been dealing with Irving I would trade him for picks. I think our third string backup should be Joe MacDonald as he has lots of NHL experience. If Ramo does well and we trade Kipper then we have the team of Ramo and Kipper.

I would like to Mike Riberio(sp?) to the Flames. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and he a good center which we need. He will sign with us if we can sign Iginla. I know everyone wants us to trade Iginla but I feel Iginla, Riberio and Tanguay would make a good first line. Then you put Cammy on the second line. You can have Stajan and Backlund fight for second line duty as both are playing very well under Hartely.

I would not fire Hartely he needs a full training camp and full season to know if he is a good fit for coaching the Flames. Feaster has been doing not bad for a GM and he should work with Weisboro(sp?) and Hartely to find the players they need. Hartely can tell them the type of player he thinks the team needs and Weisboro and Feaster can look for that type of player.

It would look like this if Hartely thinks we need another Tanguay type player which a player that can pass well then Weisboro and Feaster will look for that type of player then consult with Hartely and if Hartely feels the player is a good fit for the team then Weisboro and Feaster can see if they can get that player. This will work as Weisboro is good at finding talent and Feaster is the GM so he has to make the signing.

I know Kipper, Iginla and Jaybo will give us big returns but I would keep them add Ribero find another Tanguay type player and work on our prospects and start getting them ready for the NHL I think Sven Baertchi should be in the NHL 2014. I no it not a rebuild but I am not wanting to trade all our top players then end up struggling for the next few years before we make the playoffs. We are hitting our 4 or 5 years out of the playoff and I do not want to see the whole Hartely time with no playoff.

I know what I have written is a good argument but I would not do a rebuild.

 

[CalgaryFlames1240]

The thing I don't get is that finishing just out of a playoff spot isn't really any better than finishing bottom 5. Keep veterans to teach the young guns and develop them right. I'm not really liking our AHL development, too defensive and sucks the creativity and offensive flare out of our prospects. We trade iginla/Kipper and get a top 5 pick and another couple high draft picks and there isn't much left. Wait for our prospects to develop while not making dumb trades to "fill holes" with veterans. Not many teams can constantly be competitive and even though feaster says he's not blowing it up, it's not like we ARE being competitive right now...