Now that its over...your (3?) key moves this off-season

[BudRobinson53]

Ok, it was fun hoping, I still don't believe Montreal is better than us, but to quote the immortal words of Bill Parcells "You are, what your record says you are".

So, we have a team, that needs a retool or a rebuild, but for this thread - know that the owners are not going full rebuild, especially after bringing in Sutter, Tanev and Markstrom. Therefore, what are your (3) key moves this off-season towards a retool and a competitive team next season. This could be players, GM, Coach etc.

For this assignment, ensure you are quoting proper value return on speculated trades and ensure you are addressing contract situations (pending FA's, UFA's and the expansion draft).

For my opinion, I'm moving one key forward up front.
1)"Promote" Treliving to VP and bring in Lombardi as GM (has history with Sutter)
2) Find out what Johnny wants ?(contract wise) if he is in range, happy to stay here, lock him up long term.
b) If he wants to stay, I pivot to dealing Chucky and looking for a drafted scorer who maybe hasn't hit stride. I think Chucky has value, but his contract request is too high for what he brings here. (If he's not scoring, he is Garnett Hathaway, and I think we have a few of those types ready to go in the minors).
3) Move on from Backlund or if not possible (due to low value return) then Gio. Nothing against these guys, they bleed red, play with heart, but they aren't a part of the immediate solution and getting older with big contracts. I don't think this team has much in the way of good talent waiting in the wings, but I think it has a plethora of guys who can replace players (with everything but scoring) at a fraction of the cost.

What does your retool look like?

Click to read more...

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

1) Win Lottery and draft Owen Power
2) Trade Noah Hanifin and Juuso Valimaki for a RHS RW prospect and Timothy Liljegren respectively
3) Trade Sean Monahan for a RHS RW prospect
4) Tank some more, re-up Johnny
5) Win Lottery and draft Shane Wright
6) Tank some more
7) Win Lottery and draft Connor Bedard

2023 Flames

Gaudreau-Bedard-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Wright-Phillips
Pellettier-Dube-Zavgorodniy
?-Zary-?


Power-Liljegren
Kylington-Andersson
??-Stonelmao

profit

 

[CraigsList]

Ah yes, the Flames 100% win all 3 of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 draft lotteries.

 

[DFF]

Ah yes, the Flames 100% win all 3 of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 draft lotteries.

Better chance than kylington, zavgordony and Phillips on the team

 

[DFF]

Fire Treliving
Fire Treliving
Fire Treliving

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Build around Hanifin, Lindholm and Mangiapane. Everyone else can and should be traded if we can get decent returns. Valimaki and Dube likely hold minimal trade value compared to the past so we might as well hold onto them too.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Better chance than kylington, zavgordony and Phillips on the team

Maybe that's how they win three draft lotteries.

 

[Mazatt]

I'd figure out what Gaudreau wants in negotiations and if it's possible to sign him long-term. That would be the basis of the future of this organization. If he wants to stay there is no excuse to not try and be competitive around him. If he wants to leave the current roster can't get it done. I don't have a list of guys to move or not to move but my general idea would be "Don't overreact to one season" for guys like Tkachuk, Andersson, Markstrom, and what value they hold to this team in the future. I feel like any proposals that bank on trading them or other younger, high potential pieces like Valimaki aren't going to help the Flames be competitive in the future or in the present, which is the biggest thing.

 

[Lunatik]

My 3

1. Trade Backlund, we won't get what we could have a couple years ago, but I have little doubt we can still get at least a 2nd for him.
2. Let Seattle take Giordano in expansion.
3. Use Backlund's savings and the buyouts coming off the books to add a top 6 winger. There isn't many RH-RW on the market, so Hyman would be among my top choices. I'd also look at Tatar and Saad.

 

[Mobiandi]

1. Fire Treliving, Maloney and anyone else who's had a modicum of authority over player development and pro scouting immediately at season's end.
2. Trade Monahan for whoever gives the best offer which probably looks like a 2nd and a cap dump.
3. Figure out if Gaudreau and Tkachuk want to remain here. If Gaudreau doesn't trade him immediately before his NTC kicks in and if Tkachuk doesn't, trade him at the draft.

The rest will fall into place from there

4. Find some wingers and start the youth movement

If all goes well, you might be able to run

Gaudreau-Lindholm-RW
Mangiapane-Dube-Tkachuk
x-Backlund-Phillips
x-Ruzicka-x

Hanifin-Andersson
Valimaki-Tanev
x-Kylington

Markstrom
Backup

 

[Lunatik]

1. Fire Treliving, Maloney and anyone else who's had a modicum of authority over player development and pro scouting immediately at season's end.
2. Trade Monahan for whoever gives the best offer which probably looks like a 2nd and a cap dump.
3. Figure out if Gaudreau and Tkachuk want to remain here. If Gaudreau doesn't trade him immediately before his NTC kicks in and if Tkachuk doesn't, trade him at the draft.

The rest will fall into place from there

4. Find some wingers and start the youth movement

If all goes well, you might be able to run

Gaudreau-Lindholm-RW
Mangiapane-Dube-Tkachuk
x-Backlund-Phillips
x-Ruzicka-x

Hanifin-Andersson
Valimaki-Tanev
x-Kylington

Markstrom
Backup

If all you can get for Monahan is a 2nd and cap dump, you don't f***ing trade him, that would just be ridiculously stupid.

 

[Bounces R Way]

 

[Fig]

1. Treliving POHO (I like his drafting/development systems philosophy for prospects)
2. A GM better at dealing with getting the NHL roster to perform
3. Trade away ALL the individuals with the bad attitude that messed up Tkachuk (I do this long before I evaluate additional core pieces to move)
---

Additional, if allowed under the constraints of OP.

4. Upgrade to a specific goalie top 5 in league coach if the rumors are true and he becomes available. (For Markstrom and the kids we are potentially at risk of losing along the way)
5. Trade core pieces who don't want to be here and restructure for the expansion draft.
6. Decide what to do and figure out whether ownership has a mandate affecting the ability to retool vs rebuild. That affects which direction the team can go in after the expansion draft.

 

[Volica]

I think it starts before the end of the season:

1) Don't win a single remaining game, do this by bringing up a bunch of younger guys to get some minutes; they deserve some NHL pay and experience.

2) See if you can drop back down into the bottom 8 of the league for draft position. Getting into that spot at least gives you a run on someone that'll likely be pretty decent, it also increases (ever so slightly) your chances at that first two picks. Getting one of those would be franchise altering, even in this years' draft.

3) Make the damn pick. Don't think that this is time to move this pick to make a knee-jerk trade to try one more round with this core and some piece you get.

Summer:

1) Find a dance partner for Sean Monahan. A team like Columbus would be a good fit with their absolute lack of anything that even resembles a centre. He's still got two years, so he should bring back a first and some other things. A team like CBJ would be an absolute steal, simply because even with Monahan they don't look to be a good team, that first could end up being really good. Even if you have to protect it. If there's no team like that, there are probably some borderline playoff teams that'd like to add someone like him.

2) Let the Kraken make their pick, and don't get too ahead of yourself. If they want Gio, they should take Gio. Calgary should not let loyalty get in the way of business decisions. Letting Gio go is a perfect move, it sets up a tank and gives Calgary more cap flexibility for ownership to suck it up (look, we won't be a cap team, so, live with a rebuild, the f***ing arena will be packed once they allow it anyway with COVID out of the way down the line).

3) Check and see what the market is for Johnny Gaudreau.
I'd be interested in those guys who are in that playoff bubble or guys looking to extend their playoff window. Teams like Boston, St Louis, Minnesota and Nashville, especially the latter two, because there's about 0 guarantee that they're even remotely close to being good next season. A first 2022 or 2023 and a great prospect would do it for me. You're selling a bit low on John, but, at the end of the day there's a chance he wants nothing to do with us anyway and walks for nothing next year... or we trade him at the deadline for peanuts because he'll have much more control.

4) Stay away from free agency. The only guys you take a look at are guys looking to potentially resurrect their career. The Wennberg's or Montour's of the world; where they'll get a lot of ice-time and could potentially recuperate some draft picks.

2021-2022:

1) Regardless if guys like Zary, Pelletier, or the first rounder this year (top 8, plz), impress at camp, none of them should step foot on this team in 2021-2022. IF they can go to the AHL, they should go there; or stay in their designated league... but the 2021-2022 team will be toxic and you want zero exposure for the young guys. This likely won't be the case if you get a top two pick, those guys will be expected normally, but you could do the Byfield thing.

2) You'll have a total of 4 top 6 players on the entire roster (Tkachuk, Lindholm, Backlund, Mangiapane), you're going to be f***ing garbage. Your defence will be anchored by Hanifin-Tanev; after that it's going to be pretty f***ing bad unless Andersson rights the ship and Valimaki gets back to playing at the level he was suppose to. Keep guys like Looch around, and add some more ugliness to the roster. You want to be bad, but you also don't want to be bullied. Make sure teams are aware that Calgary is building something, and won't take shit. You want team identity? That's where it starts.

3) Tank. Set yourself up for a top 2 spot at the 21-22 draft. Wright especially, but even someone like Savoie would be franchise altering. If the cards don't pan out, just repeat for the 2022-23 season, where the top two are going to be... special. Like Sidney/Ovi special. IF you land one of those two, you're on the fast track to greatness.

Final thought:

STAY THE f***ING COURSE
Last time we did this we couldn't help ourselves and wanted to buy our way out of it as quick as possible. Stay the course. Build around some really great pieces. Connor Zary and Jakob Pelletier will be great top 6 players in this league, add Wright who'll be a top 5 centre on the planet by the age of 22-23, add Beniers, Power or someone else that'll help bring this team forward.

 

[Bounces R Way]

we are pretty f***ed boyos. Can't call this rebuild if that's what it was supposed to be anything but a bust at this point. As fun as it was to make the playoffs in 2014-15 that really screwed up our timeline.

I'm not sure if they fire Treliving, I would but I don't really have any ideas on good replacements. Wonder if there are any other Bill Zitos floating around out there. At the very least Sigalet needs to go, the 1000th goalie to come in and look progressively worse the more time he spends with this 'coach'.


1) Trade Monahan for a pick and a young player with upside, not going to dump on Sean anymore than I have but I think a fresh start is what's best for him and the team.

2) Decide what to do with Johnny, if he's open to staying make him an offer that shows you really value him, if he's thinking of moving on trade him for the best return you can get before the season starts. Do NOT wait and see how the season plays out and then settle for some garbage like we did with Iginla.

3) Use next season as a developmental year and get a high pick. The defense I probably wouldn't dick around with too much. Less minutes for Gio and Tanev, more for Ras, Noah, Mackey, Jusso, and by some divine stroke of genius Kylington. Stop plugging holes with pointless 1 year tourists and rotate in more ELCs. Tkachuk will be in a contract year so hopefully will come in much more motivated than this one.

Not really a whole lot to feel optimistic about as a Flames fan right now. Which means the team will probably randomly be good for a time next year and we can get bounced in round 1 again. Like @Volica said above forge an identity for this team, really one of the things that has been missing the most for the last decade. Find a do it all 1C, whether through the draft or trade or however. He's out there, maybe even looking up at the same moon we are. If you have learned anything from the last 30 years let it be that you can't get by without one.

 

[InfinityIggy]

1. Captain Backlund
2. Trade whoever the locker room issue is.
3. Cry

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Fire everyone. Trade everyone. Take the team away from the zombies who own it.

 

[super6646]

Fire everyone. Trade everyone. Take the team away from the zombies who own it.

What’s the collective net worth of hfflames? Maybe we can buy the team lmao

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

1. Trade Monahan
2. Re-up or trade Gaudreau
3. Build a new rink

 

[Lunatik]

For everyone so eager to push Monahan out the door, do you not remember the days before Monahan? When we were so desperate to find anything resembling a top 6 center that we tried guys like David Moss there? Finding top 6 centermen ain't all that easy, it's not a good idea to move one unless you actually have a replacement, not bet on winning a f***ing lottery.

 

[JPeeper]

For everyone so eager to push Monahan out the door, do you not remember the days before Monahan? When we were so desperate to find anything resembling a top 6 center that we tried guys like David Moss there? Finding top 6 centermen ain't all that easy, it's not a good idea to move one unless you actually have a replacement, not bet on winning a f***ing lottery.

I agree with your statement about finding top 6 centers, but at this point I think Monahan needs to be traded to change the culture of the team. I'm not gung ho in trading him away for nothing though like many are.

 

[super6646]

For everyone so eager to push Monahan out the door, do you not remember the days before Monahan? When we were so desperate to find anything resembling a top 6 center that we tried guys like David Moss there? Finding top 6 centermen ain't all that easy, it's not a good idea to move one unless you actually have a replacement, not bet on winning a f***ing lottery.

He isn’t a top 6 centreman on a bottom 10 team at this point. Lindy is the replacement...

 

[Some Other Flame]

Might as well go all out:

1. Find new ownership that actually want to win
2. Fire current management, hire new better management
3. Dismantle the current leadership group of Giordano, Monahan, and Backlund by trading at least the first two if not all three
4. Build through the friggin draft for the first time since the 80's

 

[Lunatik]

I agree with your statement about finding top 6 centers, but at this point I think Monahan needs to be traded to change the culture of the team. I'm not gung ho in trading him away for nothing though like many are.

I thin the better play is to move the older guys and add to our core, not subtract from it

 

[Corpus X]

!. Re-sign Treliving to a 10 year GM deal with a no trade cause
!!. Sign Johnny to a 7 yr 10 million per.
!!!. Bring up Wolf so Markstrom can back-up.