cross16

Trelving being officially named as Leafs GM

This is the litmus test we'll have to se play out. Did the owners agree to Conroy for his vision, or because of his history with the club? Conroy has said all the right things but most new GMs do. When push comes to shove here or the flames have a dissponting year does it get harder to execute on? How long is the leash for getting younger and building through the draft if he misses the playoffs? I hope he did sell them on a new vision but i'm VERY skeptical.

This makes the "promotions" of Pascal and Snow make even more sense now. I wish him well and I think he's going to do a good job. I think Toronto is getting the right GM for what they need. Hopefully he doesn't flex the Toronto resources on the Flames scouting staff.

Wish them all the best and probably rooting for them to win it if i'm honest. For sure I wish Bennett and Tkachuk were still here and if the Flames had of developed Bennett differently (mostly just kept him at center) then there is a chance he'd still be here. Interesting to point out though, his performance hasn't exactly shot up in Florida like some argue so while I do think the Flames could have done a better job with his development I don't think it's a game changer. Tkachuk only hurts a bit because he was my favorite, and my sons too, player. So emotionally it sucks but I get why he left and don't harbor any ill will on it. Not the fault of anyone, he just wanted to play elsewhere and I respect that.

very consistent for Edwards. I also doubt it was only money. He really isn’t a great fit for what they’ve said they want by I’m just money was the excuse they gave him. im still of the belief that they only reason they called was to gain insight on Huberdeau.

According to Seravelli Gallant isn’t a candidate. Had a conversation but he’s too expensive. not a surprise, for multiple reasons

Currently only the Ducks, Jackets and Rangers are looking. Rangers are rumored to be hiring Lavy so it leaves 2. Both of those searches have been quiet and it's possible that you won't hear much on Love until now given the Wranglers season ending and the fact that Flames are including him in their search. Be interesting to see if you start hearing his name towards the end of the week (rumors are internal candidates are getting interviewed this week) But you also can't simply think about it just in terms of his cycle though. What happens next year when another 3-4 teams fire their coach and now they want to consider him? Are you prepared to fire the coach you hire this year in order to block Love from leaving then?

FWIW, Friedman threw some cold water on the reports that Shannan is really pulling the strings there. In particular he was told that the rumor that Shanny nixed the potential Knives deal was bogus and that the Leafs apparently laughed at the prospect that they would give up that type of return for what they were getting. No question Shanahan has a say, as he should, but from what I understand it's no where near what Treliving was dealing with here (which was ALOT from what I understand). Guess we'll find out

It is pretty common. 2 of the best coaches in the game (IMO) in Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar both came straight from the AHL. Other successful coaches like Jim Montgomery (when he was hired by Dallas), Dave Hakstol, and Keefe. Andre Tourigny was hired directly from junior, so ws Peter DeBoer, I don't think where the coach comes from matters. It's more about the candidate then the background.

Love as an assistant I think depends on whether or not the rumors of him being candidate for other jobs is true or not. I think he has enough pedigree that he won't need to take an assistant job, he'll likely just get hired straight out of the AHL. Don't know him well enough to say for sure, but i'd be surprised if he was interested in an assistant job. I don't think it really makes sense for his career path, and honestly doesn't make a lot of sense for the flames either if they see him as the future head coach.

Looks like Marc Savard has in fact interviewed, according to Marek

The other knock on Gallant was I think a key reason he was let go in New York was his handling of Lafreniere and Kakko. sure he played kids in Vegas because he had to but in New York, he did tend to lean on the more veteran players. I would agree he is the "safest" bet, but he really doesn't fit the profile of what Conroy said in the presser.

Good luck with that. It sounds great in theory and I get what Conroy is trying to say but It will be interesting to see what happens when they miss the playoffs and pressure starts mounting to get back in. I actually don't think he was speaking to anyone player or individual he was just speaking generally about what his philosophy is and how he plans to build the team. If he was thinking of any specific player it was likely James Neal. And we need to stop this narrative that Crosby took less, he did not. He signed, a now illegal, back diving contract that at the time was the richest contract in NHL history (by quite a bit).

He also spoke about how he wanted a partner in the new coach. https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/calgary-flames/conroy-puts-no-timeline-on-search-for-new-flames-head-coach

Basically the feedback on Gallant I hear is he is stubborn, and he is prepared to be let go rather than just make the changes his boss/the team want him too. That's why I say i don't think he fits the harmonious relationship Conroy spoke about. Florida wasn't totally his fault. He was hired by a different GM and I don't think the new regime really wanted him but couldn't really fire him coming off a successful year. But in both Vegas and New York it sounds like orgs got tired of his stubbornness in particular on how he deployed certain players and in played certain situations. I do think he is a good coach but I just don't think he's a good fit for a first time GM like Conroy, nor is he a good fit for the situation the Flames are in right now coming off another stubborn coach.

Gallant would definitely not be the harmonious relationship Conroy spoke about. But as I said I get the interest due to his history with Huberdeau. Pick his brain to see if what you can gather but I don't think he should be a serious candidate at this point.

Brunette off the board confirmed by Lebrun now. Gallant apparently will speak with the Flames. As I mentioned yesterday expectation is Laviolette is going to Rangers.

When it comes to coaching, systems are highly overrated around here. not so much about systems as it is philosophy. Good coaches are not tied to a certain system. This whole narrative around how Love is successful due to Sutter's system is terrible.

There is always the potential that I am wrong for sure. But I don't see this as the same thing for multiple reasons. 1. I don't' agree., he is not a legit #1 center and he showed that this year IMO. Very good player but I don't think he is the type that a team would go "all in" for. 2. Based on point 1, Tkachuk was that player. This was talked about throughout the whole trade/saga, Tkachuk is a unicorn when it comes to the league. His ability to impact the game in all 3 zones at an elite level, combined with the fact he can mix it up physically, agitate, his attitude etc all makes him a very unique player. 3. 24 vs 28. Your acquiring Tkachuk and paying him for all his prime years. You'll have to tack on some extra years on the back of Lindholm's age curve. so yes they were both pending UFAs, but what you were buying, and how long it should be good for is quite a bit different. 4. While the talent level is that trade was crazy, the contract situation wasn't favorable to the Flames. I said this at the time and it's even stronger now but for all the flack he took, Zito did well to put pending UFAs in the deal. Hard to find teams that have multiple pending UFAs like that they are willing to deal. Perhaps his value is higher than Horvat as you could pretty easily make the case he is the better player, I'm just not sure that matters much. I don't think the talent impact of the acquisition drives the offer as much as the years of control you get on the player, especially when it comes to giving up high end future assets. Think the Forsberg for Erat trade is what really set that off IMO. That was your case of a GM getting desperate and giving up a prime future asset for what he thought was the missing piece. It blew up and I think every since you'll seen a shift in the league. to be clear I think Lindholm is a very desirable asset and you'll get plenty of teams interested. Just think in terms of the price the return will be more lottery ticket based and not include more sure things.

I think Kirk Muller is a really good assistant but for me he isn't a head coaching candidate, more like a career assistant. I don't really blame him for the PP because I don't think they did anything wrong in terms of their philosophy. Just got sub par execution on it which is more on the players for me. I think using Weegar on the PP more would have helped but likely Sutter had a hand in that. either way I think the PP was more on the players than the coach. I still like Love best for the job but I think if you go that building out the staff become really key. I'm pretty sold on trying to get Tanguay here as an assistant but if you go Love-Tanguay you are VERY light on experience. Would be ideal to pair that with a more experienced coach who could run the D/PK but options are pretty limited there, at least so far as I can see. Like to see if they could maybe get someone like Mike Yeo for that role. I really like Huska as a coach but I think it's time to turn the page and start fresh.

Friedman update on the coach search. Doesn't sounds like this one will be quick. My guess would still be by the draft. Just probably weeks and not days away. The assumption is Laviolette said no because he is going to be the Rangers new coach

I'm not sure there is a package that could get that honestly but Lindholm and the first is probably what it would take. I don't get why Columbus should take any less. I don't see Columbus moving 3 and I definitely don't see them doing it for a UFA next year.

And if you could get someone like that I would 100% trade Lindhom. I'm just really skeptical you'll get that.

for sure the answer changes if he won't sign. 100% cannot let him walk for nothing. That's probably a reasonable return and a good example of what I mean. It's fine but it really isn't that good nor would it push the Flames forward. It's not an exciting return IMO. Better than nothing but if it came down to Lindholm signing and that return I'm taking Lindholm signing everyday. My point is the Flames are really in this mushy middle and short of taking it down to the studs I don't see them trading their way out of it. So really it's push this core forward the next few years and hope for the best or take it down to the studs and go through the long rebuild. I don't think you can trade your way out of a long rebuild here. That's all. Both sides have merits, both sides will have their followers but that's just how I see this franchise at this moment. I'd prefer they pick one of them then just make reactionary style trades.

Could be a touch pessimistic here but I don't see LIndholm/Hanifin trades as trades that would kickstart or shorten a rebuild. I just don't think your going to get the type of offers for them that some here think. I think you are likely going to get 2-3 lottery tickets for both players and I don't think your going to get sure things. I don't see pieces like the 3rd overall or Sillenger being offered. Doesn't mean I don't think you trade them just trying to be realistic with what I think the return will be and I don't think it be one that would get fans excited personally. Said this before but I think you are looking at the Bo Horvat package as to what you can expect in return for Lindholm. Less for Hanifin. May price goes up if you wait until July and it can come with an extension but that could be offset by the fact that now Lindholm gets to choose where he goes.