travel_dude

He probably felt dissed due to bringing in Kadri, and thereby demoting him to the 3rd line. BT wanted depth, so I can understand why he would not seek a trade. This summer is different. Everything possible should be on the table. Not to see we rebuild, just that anything should be looked at for value. Staying the course makes no sense. In one out one is not a good plan.

For Backlund, the best times would be before UFA day and at TDL. Same is true of Tanev and Hanifin. I am actually okay with keeping Toffoli. I think he and Lindholm would have had an even better season if they had Huberdeau once he was used to the team. We had nothing to trade last TDL. Maybe it was the time to trade Vladar, since he was still cheap. Dube probably holds similar value if not more than Backlund. Not a great season, but he was not well used. None of this is due to wanting to strip the team down and rebuild. This is about needing to get value for players while they have any. Backlund's best season to date. Hanifin looking good. Tanev is the warrior that teams need, but may be better to trade at TDL. The thing about TDL is we rarely sell. We are always somehow still in it. Even when we get eliminated, we are close. There isn't the smart GM (and coach advice) that says sell regardless of where you are. You have to prepare for next season and position yourself to win more than just a round.

Teams already know their seeding for rounds 2-7. May be some movement in Round 1. Either way, teams are not taking chances before the draft. Not unless it's a steal.

If you are able to get a 1st for anyone not named Lindholm (since you are signing him), I would suggest that 2024 is a better gamble. Teams may fall from grace. At worst, you end up with a similar pick to the Flames. I just don't see anyone being worth that. And I don't see a teardown even possible. To do so, you have to trade anyone and everyone you can. There is a list of players you can't trade and that's due to recent deals.

Lame duck GM not having a contract. The only assets that teams wanted were picks and prospects. Nobody wanted a Lucic or Lewis. Turned a D that Sutter wouldn't play and a Ritchie into another Ritchie and Stecher. Nobody wanted us to give up a 1st rounder. You can blame the GM for trades and signings, but ask yourself who was providing the list of player to go after? Pro scouting? Ownership? Coach? You have blinders to the coach's impact on the team. It wasn't the dick press conferences that killed the results. It was a early 2000's mindset in a game that has changed in the last 10 years. There aren't many team that play the style we do, and none of them are in the playoffs. If you need to depend on goaltending, then most teams will not survive. Yeah, we had the suckiest bunch of sucks in nets for most of the season. Maybe some of it is on the coaching decisions on who to start, but it seemed by January that it didn't matter. I think it's been mentioned before but a Pres of hockey ops is needed to insulate the GM. Decide where you are going and tell the owners that is the plan. Tell them what you need to do and how it's going to change the organization from a bridesmaid to a bride. It's going to be run as a business not a country club. I'm not talking about players, but they need to define the must haves and must goes.

Okay, so BUF currently has 29 RW to our 30. We have a possible 31 RW and 36 ROW. BUF has a possible 32 RW and 40 ROW. In a tie where they get at least 2 RW to our 1 but still get 3 wins, they overtake us. NAS and WPG are still fighting for their lives. Even BUF is there. I would forgo playing new guys in game 82 or even starting Wolf. Not the right atmosphere to bring those guys in. It's pretty toxic now.

When asked about Toffoli and Lindholm sitting out the SO, he said well Nick got a goal before. Neither of the guys sitting was going to make much of a difference. I could see Duehr being given a shot over Nick. Even Stecher may have been a better choice. But the team sits and watches the newest Flame sink their chances.

Honestly, you can only blame the coach up to a point for the end results. Goaltending had a big part in it. But there are enough reasons why coaching made the difference between making it and not making it. If you had mini rebellions, that's on the coach for creating the atmosphere. If your use of the 4th line has a negative effect most games, then you own that. If you can't understand that a top LW can only effectively play LW, then it's on you. The things Sutter was brought in to do went back to square one. The good home record turned into a 500 record. The ability to lock down one goal games was gone. The ability to come back when down a goal was gone. The only positive was the PK, and that goes to the coaching staff for kudos. But then a bottom third PP also falls on them. The bland hockey we all watched is enough to turn off a lot of fans. It can't just come down to one player to make something out of a boring style. That's not what good teams do. So make the roister changes needed, revamp the coaching staff and find a style of game that bring winning back to this team.

I had a real feeling that Vladar would tke a big step this year. Whether it was usage that made him lose his rhythm or that he is still just a backup that only plays well at times, we have to do something different next season.

What I understoof was after the 5-1 start, he was pissed with them and bag skated them hard. I don't get that one bit. It was a tough change to most of the players and getting wins was huge. Instead, he thows it out and changes everything. Sorry you wasted the money on it. I'm lucky to be able to see games, should I find them worth watching. Honestly, I saw a team get frustrated because of goaltending and it didn't change. Since the All Star break, we had .883 and over 3 GAA. That's not a winning team. Doesn't matter how close we came, we lost it ourselved even with the help from the Jets. And the Preds trading everyone not injured.

You got your money's worth, considering both were free. I wouldn't pay to watch this team live this year. Major surgery required.

Ahh. I saw the finale just recently. Couldn't remember it. Kinda like the way the Flames season finished. A team about nothing.

Which one is that. I should say which character on BB was he.

I almost expect him to retire now.

Totally awesome we put out Ritchie with a chance to win the shootout.

Fat lady done singing.

Shoot out, so typical.

End of the season for one team. Is RobRob the sage he seems to be?

Coleman with the timely penalty. We have been perfect on the PK. But way too much practice for them

He is always the end of the PP or first shift. It's the coach smarter than us.

Le Sigh

Roh roh.

You shall remain in the box of shame....

Nashville is playing rope a dope with us. Playing defensive hockey, just waiting for the Flames to make their usual mistake.

So far, our cheapest D is playing the best.