robrob74

Conroy did suggest the cap flexibility to sign some players. I hope they don't sign anyone just because they have the money to, but do it with the future in mind.

I think we win two of the next three. It's just how the Flames roll. I think we draft 9,10, or 11 depending what the other teams do. we win tomorrow and we solidify the 8 spot but possibly hit 9th in the process.

I agree. even the PWHL leagues draft rules might make it too hard for the worst team to draft #1 or up in the top 5 even, if they're not winning, it isn't like after they're Mathematically eliminated going to just magically start winning.

yup, we are getting there with an extra guy. Maybe Kuzmenko goes there too. I might be Jaded... I know Saks mentioned Tkachuk as an elite. I think we got one year of that out of him. His usage was probably holding him back? Still, I don't think he's a guy who drags the whole team in, which might be elite.

haha, not you; but you lost me at perimeter shooter. I get we need those, but also need guys who actually go to the net when those shots are taken. Good to have, but if the players don't go to screen or dig then the player is useless, and what if they can't do anything else! Not on the player to worry about the other part of the team game, hope Conroy understands this, that the team has held the puck a lot in the last 10+ years, but not a lot of play in the slot.

I'm making an obvious joke. We also only got a player with elite skills in the 4th round, so no stars in the first for how many years?

Flames will have a brooding 6'5" LW they've reached by 5 spots, who needs work on his foot speed and foot work... Id like to see them start drafting dynamic players now. BPA is safe, but I dunno. There are no sure-fire stars outside of the top of drafts, but the Flames only operate in the 5-10 range with building or tooling in the re- periods. Bennett and drafting 4th was unusual for the team... How do you get elite outside of those top picks?

maybe with expansion looming they'll start include old guys again, creating job for aging vets.

thing about signing up to this site, I think they make newbies create a new topic post as a way to verify they're not a Bot.... maybe.

that depends though. Is hockey that much expensive in the States? I assume things are cheaper outside of Canada because you pay for the demand here. It's the Canada tax. Equipment might be expensive, but maybe the play and other parts of the game are cheaper? I wouldn't know... just spitballing...

if there's a need in Buffalo, I can't see why not... and could it be a possible destination for Marky in some way or another? Or is their goaltending ok? are they like the murky area now where they need a few top up pieces? the Flames '04 team came together nicely. Ville N. was a huge add, Gelinas a proven performer, Simon too, and Kipper as a huge add that year. Small moves but big impacts. is there a move that can be had with Buffalo there? Maybe. We should trade them Andersson, Markstrom and Mangiapane, or Kuzmenko. But we'd need some firsts for this year and next year. We'd retain on Mange, Marky, or Kuz... two firsts and a second for the three? Maybe a roster player lol... I dunno I feel like I'm lowballing ourselves though.

I would say he's a bit more like a 7-12 range kind of player. And it might depend on the strength of draft where maybe in this one, one can argue for a higher pick.

you might have Montreal or Ottawa. It's possible any of the teams ahead of us would be willing to trade for him. They're a step our three ahead of the flames and possibly ready to compete soon. Ottawa alone expected to make some steps toward playoffs.

when I went through the selections by round in Wikipedia that draft looks pretty ok. It has decent players throughout. Kipper was drafted. We had two of the best goalies of that draft too, Kipper and Giguere... M. Savard was in a later round as well. Not a bad one, and I think orgs were just starting to realize the importance of scouting as the Cap happened after it. So I think back then it was normal to find gems later... im with you on trying to go for the Skill and not go for a guy just because he's big.

Iginla's draft wasn't that deep. Some good players but not very deep. In a redraft looks like he'd go first overall. Giguere might be the closest to 2nd overall. I don't see another star player besides Shane Doan, and for me he's just an extremely good loyal player. Although, he might have had the same thing as Iginla, not really building a quality team around him. he might have been better than Iggy but more the all-round game. Redden, Berard, etc were really good players, but not stars...

The Flames should have traded Marky. CanThe play of late lower his value?

I agree with that. They need to hold everyone to that standard. While he called out vets, I think it means more if vets get sat too.

For what was expected to be a "deep draft" in 2023, one where no one was trading first rounders, was the first rounder one we should have taken, without hindsight? Not knocking Honzek, just asking if maybe we might have needed a different approach to the depth. and can last year or the few years before's approaches hint at what to expect this year? Is it good, bad, exciting, worrisome? Many on this site seem to have their wishlist, and many are writing Santa. I was worried Honzek was a reach, and maybe needs a bit of time to grow into himself. I hope he becomes an NHLer. I get wanted a player of his stature and possible power, which makes it all that harder to read an 18yr old.

The problem with taking guys off lines they've had most success on is they might not replicate it with other teammates...

can skating only be worked on in the NHL though? Skating is something worked on outside the game, learning edge work and it's better to practice on players who aren't going to take their head off, and NHL isn't a full developing league... which I found they did with Monahan. I hated Monahan since his first year in the NHL. Maybe it's bias, but I just couldn't get passed his skating.

I think Bennett had an extra year where he could have gone back, after the injury? I think a consensus was that he was now too good for JR and then after he was on the team they felt disrespectful to send him to the AHL, which was another thing they should have done. I might be getting that mixed up and that because he came back and played the playoffs and played it well, they wouldn't send him to the A. Also, with Monahan, it might have been good to continue to develop his skating and defensive game. But he was kind of NHL ready. I remember seeing him and wondered how he could play, but Theo couldn't when he did the comeback thing. Monahan looked like he thought the game good, but his skating wasn't there.

while I agree, I think Johnny could be good, IF he had more around him. Him alone doesn't cut it and that's all the Flames had when they had him. Not the same but similar to the shortsightedness of trying to build around Iginla. The player was there, but nothing else other than Reggie. the philosophy needs to change and we need some superstar picks. im more in line with the goalie is important but not as important as the elite defender and center. But that doesn't mean the goalie is not a good goalie. Elliot looked great in a blues uniform. But we didn't have the same level of defenders the Blues had.

so basically, let guys develop even if they could be on par with NHL players? Like allowing Monahan an extra Jr year, not you saying that.... and Benny too. Tkachuk was good to play with Backs... but ya.

Never bet for or against this team, you can't figure out what you'll get...

Shouldn't they be playing Wolf? I guess Coach has learned from Sutter-ism.