cross16

I agree with the conclusion and honestly i'm not even sure if the Flames do this they can wind up as good as LA because Kopitar/Doughty are quite a bit better than anything the Flames have. could make a case Weegar is closer to Doughty sure but Kopitar is head and shoulders above the Flames best center IMO. But agree if the Flames stick to this path, baring getting really lucky in the lottery, I think their going to wind up looking like the New York Islanders. While possible to build in the Dallas model, the challenge with that one is your margin for error is razor thin. Look at Dallas right now. They don't have those 1-2 game breaking type players so Vegas plays a good game against them and they are searching for answers. That's your challenge with building a team based on depth as opposed to high end skill. The success of that model rests on your ability to draft a superstar late in the draft. Possible yes, likely? guess we'll see. This shouldn't come as a surprise. As i've been saying for years now, it's never been this organization's intention to rebuild for multiple seasons. They don't believe in it.

Very surprised by Dallas. Not just the 2-0 but the fact they’ve looked slow and terrible good on Vegas and give them credit but for a team that looked well built going in has sure disappointed

I think you'll have a taker for Mang but the price is going to be low. Think at best you'll get a couple of mid round picks, maybe a 3 if you eat some salary. There might be value in waiting til the TDL. As i've said before I personally would just take what I get and move on, even if all you get is a 5th. I think he needs a change of scenery and I think the Flames need the spot on the Backlund line to work in young players. That's more valuable to me than the picks.

Yes but as usual it sounds easy but you could tank for 10 years and never get players like Mackinnon and/or Makar that's all I would point out. Just saying the Avs style of play is not easy to replicate no matter what talent level you have.

I know i'm not supposed to but I feel for the Canucks. That's a tough, tough injury to get now after the season they've had. I wasn't confident they were going to win the series with Demko but I really don't think they have much of a chance with out him. He's very key to their success. Caught a bit of the Avs/Jets game and boy that is fun. What great hockey, what pace. It may be hard to replicate, given it appears the Avs likely have 2 hall of fame players in their lineup, but I wish the Flames would build in the Avs image. Their speed, creativity and fluidness to their game is the best to watch in the NHL so as a fan I would love to see that replicated here. Avs feel like a goalie away though. Georgiev was better last night for sure but still not great. Avs don't have a ton of cap space so you have to wonder how attractive Markstrom would look to them with salary retained or if the Flames took Georgiev back.

Well tough thing with Kuzmenko is that contract was based off 1 year in the NHL. Sharangovich has a few years so there is more to base on but I do think there are similarities so it's a potential comp for sure. Kuzmenko is the better goal score and offensive player but I think Sharangovich is more well rounded. He produced on both the PP and 5 on 5 at a good clip, one of their better PKers too. Can play a harder role against opposition too where I think Kuzmenko you have to bury. but I do think he gets overrated for his defensive game. It's ok, but it's not good, and while he owns a wicked shot he isn't great at making other around him better. They won't do this but I think the more I look at the less i'd re-sign him too. His situation leads to a bad deal more often than not. Hopefully the Flames handle the negotiation well.

What a bizarre hire. Got experimental with Granato so as is typical with NHL decision making now they have to go "conservative". NHL has probably the most bizarre hiring practices of the major pro sports leagues

Think this really comes down to how willing are you to stretch the definition of elite. Dobson, not for me. Very good, but not elite. Hronek not even close. Hronek was just the right pair for an already elite dman in Hughes. If your plan is to trade for an elite dman and actually think you can harbor more then one then good luck but i'd reckon your are really stretch the definition of "elite".

The AHL sure is a quirky league when it comes to their playoffs. I get it, but it's weird. Would be nice to see some Wrangler playoff games.

The "the Flames like to go off the board" narrative is one of the many really dumb ones that consistently float around here. Jankowski was the outlier and not the trend and even then that one gets pretty misconstrued around here. I can very much understand they don't always pick who someone wants but if you go back and look at the first round I think your going to be hard pressed to show the Flames making mistakes. 2nd rounder hasn't been their friend but in the first round they've done well. I think the imbedded criticism in that is more that people wanted them to have more picks and for the picks to be lower in the first round, which is a more reasonable argument/expectation then looking at the draft record IMO. I think the Flames are one of the better drafting teams in the NHL.

I would disagree with this. IMO Markstorm is not a Flame next year. I think that relationship has come to an end. Just a question of seeing if Conroy overplayed his hand or not but I don't think we are in the "you need to blow me away" to trade him part of this anymore.

Believe that was in reference to UFAs. The Flames had long term deal offers on the table for both Hanifin and Lindholm.

Not initially at least. entire franchise (players, personnel, reserve list and hockey ops staff) are transferring to Salt Lake.

I think Yegor's camp will start with the Hagel contract. Lightning gave him 8 X6.5 coming off a 30 goals and 64 point season and a 25 and 44 point season before that. Pretty similar, although I do think Hagel is the better player the comp is pretty spot on. They were only 1 year apart in age too. I'd be surprised if the Flames can get him for 5 or less. Jason Dickinson just got paid 4.25 with a career high 14 goals in a season (finished at 22 this year), Bertuzzi got the 5.5 from the Leafs for career highs similar to Yegor (and in a flat cap environment). Zucker 5.2, Killhorn over 6. Even Mang at 5.8 is a pretty good comp for Yegor. Unless he's willing to only do a 4/5 year deal I'm not in a rush to be getting that deal done, especially if he is asking for a Hagel style deal. I'd let him go into the season if that is the case and see what type of player you get.

that would be the exact type of mistake I’d recommend avoiding. 8 x 8? No thank you, that’s a brutal contract. i think the fact that he got moved down the lineup as Jersey got better needs to be taken into account. Sure he was great here and yes he is a good player but as the flames get better he’s going to move down the lineup too, or should. That needs to be considered in the negotiation.