cross16

I'm not sure I could even tell you what the strategy is for the Flames right now. They seems to have pivoted after the first few games. Not going to suggest for a second that this (as in Flames level of play) is Huska's fault so want to be super clear there, but I think a young/inexperience coaching staff is panicking. There is just no connection at all with the team right now, no purpose, and no consistency in how they want to play the game.

This is very misleading. Conroy said opportunity for young players but also clarified no one is going to get promised a job. Did Oesterle take away an opportunity for someone? someone couldn't beat him out for the job in pre season? I think the carrot was dangled but that's all they can do is dangle it. Cant force someone to eat it. Not to mention it took them less than 10 games to call him up. Opportunity is not just about pre season, unless your Darryl Sutter.

Keep in mind too with goalie stats, in particular save %, they are down league wide. From 09-10 until 19-20 the avg Save % was never below .910. Since then it's fallen to .904 and .906 the last 2 seasons. Have to adjust your criteria if you want to use stats like that. Even though he is playing solid I'm still skeptical you can move him because the 2 years left and the NMC but if the cap goes up like they think the chances might not be zero. NMC is a big challenge though.

Despite all the talk about wanting creativity (from all level of hockey ops) and fun, the Flames have actually managed to be more boring offensively so far then they were all of last year. That's my biggest surprise so far. I was expecting loose D, was not expecting a more boring offence than last year.

Maximizing LTIR is more of a start of season activity that is not as relevant right now. I think with Zary it's more about what's best for him. I think when you bring a player like that up it's to keep him here and they likely are not in a position to do that right now.

They also didn't need the space so there was no point in putting Rooney on LTIR. Rooney was wearing a sling during the Bonfire (kick off party) so I think he was always going to be out long term.

See if the team confirms but I would strongly suspect this means Rooney is going to be placed on LTIR. That is the obvious way to make this work within the cap.

Peeps alluded to this elsewhere but for me Kadri is trying to do too much. Kadri is a very good center when he is helping make other around him better. Rush the puck, find players in open spots, move the puck and support. What I see is him trying to take the puck end to end by himself, trying to get the game stated all by himself. I'm surprised we aren't seeing more passion but I do see him more engaged this than last. I just see a player who is really frustrated it's not working but it's not working because he's going about it the wrong way.

Welp so much for that analysis... LOL I'm surprised but pleased. I've liked Solovyov for a while and after camp he deserved a shot.

Irony is very thick on this one.....

Cap makes it tough to call up Solovyov. Could put Rooney on IR but they likely want to save that just in case. I'm not really a fan of Oesterle and I don't really see what he's done well, even in pre-season when the Flames liked his game, but it is just while Rasmus is out.

The desire to keep this group together continue to get weirder and weirder. Props to Z for calling it out.

Not really how it gets framed, at least it shouldn't. It comes down to the directive. When the 2 stars walked who make the call that the team had to return to 100pt form? I don't think that was Treliving and had that not directive not come down I don't think the Flames would have signed Kadri. He signed the deal so he is 100% accountable for the player but I don't think it was his decision or directive to think that this team should go all in to try and stay a 100pt team.

It's still early but i'm already asking how much longer the Flames can spin their wheels before they try something new. Not jus Zary but Wolf too. How much longer can you watch Vladar play below average and keep Wolf down there. Especially when Conroy has preached youth from day 1. It will get louder the longer the Flames spin their wheels.

well.... Weird for Salim to "break" anything (and nothing picked up by anyone else yet) and also weird that Hanifin would speak specifically. could be nothing. EDIT: looks like nothing

If the discussion is his legacy, I think it's fair to credit him for modernizing the Flames F/O. He hired more scouts, brought in Chris Snow and analytics, and updated their scouting criteria to more modern times. Agree with crediting him for that. Just was a really poor hockey guy.

Well then we differ on what constitutes a rebuild. I don't think drafting outside the top 10, and a 4th round pick means your in a rebuild. Especially in all of the years before that they were adding to their team to try and get back into the playoffs. He did mention they were in a rebuild but it was mostly in the context of playing young players. He was also honest that their goal in the 13/14 season was to get into the playoffs and that's not a rebuild in my books. But could just be a difference of semantics.

This is where I agree, what is the base here and how can we agree it's solid? At least not if the bar is competing for championships. We differ on Hanifin as I personally don't see him as part of a good base. Great player to bolster a base but not someone who should be part of it. That's where I don't see the vision here. I get the rationale of these are good players, because they are, and we don't want to lose them for less than what we are worth but I think this franchise needs to see the bigger picture and that's that these good players are not making for a great team. I will acknowledge that part of the problem with Hanifin is I think you won't get much for him in trade. So I can appreciate that looking at losing a 26 year old top 4 dman for little is not very attractive, but at the same time I think trying to keep this thing together is less attractive for me.

This. Maybe, maybe in 2 season if the cap jumps up as much as they are suggesting someone might take a bite but there is some wishful thinking in there on my part too. He'd have to really raise his level of play which has been pretty rough to start the season. Don't think he's going anywhere.

No he didn't. Jarome made that call for them when he told them he wasn't going to re-sign at the end of his contract and then Kipper retired. The marching orders after that season were to get back into the playoffs. They also went out to hire Burke, in large part due to the fact that they weren't impressed with Feaster's performance. The Flames owners have shown they are understanding of a bad year in order to get a high draft pick. But to date no one has been able to convince them to sustain a multi year rebuild.

Yikes. I mean i'm not surprised but it's getting very cringe worthy how much desire there is amongst Flames brass/hockey ops to keep this thing together.

Really good start for Poirier. Did get hurt in last names game but sounds like it isn't serious

To be more accurate i'm not sure either one stays. I sure as heck woudln't if I were them. City aside I'd be done with the "attempts" made to build a winner around me. I see no reason McDavid stays. He'll make more money elsewhere, he doesn't' have to live in Edmonton and he'd likely go to a better team. Even if he wants to stay I think his agent would talk him out of it. He's likely losing out on millions a year by playing in Edmonton. The only reason I could see Draisaitl staying is Oilers can make him THEE guy and give him a max deal. I don't think that will speak to McDavid, who like I said I think can make more elsewhere anyway, but it may speak to him.

Wasn't part of the summer camp. He'd be a real long shot as TC blueline is deep this year and they also tend to shy away from guys his age, especially on D. he'd have a better chance next year. Played for Canada at the Under 18s so he'd be on the radar for sure.

I may be wrong on this but so far basically all the buzz is that McDavid is not interested in playing in Edmonton for the duration of his career. It wouldn't surprise me if Draistail stays but it will shock me if McDavid does.