I'm sorry to have to have to be the one to tell you this, but you are in the same position Edmonton was in 3 years ago. No big name free agents are going to want to sign with the Flames. You're going to have to fill your team with plugs for a couple years until you get a few really solid 1st round picks that are ready to help your team. Just look at the Oiler's 09-10 roster.. Brule, O'Sullivan, Potulny, Nilsson, Comrie, Pouliot, Stortini, Jacques, Pisani, Stone, Chorney, Reddox.. that's like half of the team right there. Literally none of those guys are playing in the NHL anymore and most of them had no business in the NHL in the first place.
- SteveTambellini

next year is going to be extremely tough, and hopefully prospects aren't rushed into the roster and get hurt.

Can we have a lockout next year please....

I would think that Feaster will go hard after at least 2 of Filpula, Weiss, Roy and Ribeiro and solidify our C position for the next few years. I would like to see a Clarkson and/or Horton on the RW as well. I'm sure Feaster's plan would be to utilize most of that free cap space, ala FLA from 2 summers ago. I agree that cap space should be a BIG asset come FA. Not to mention, we maaaaayyyy be able to gain more assets by aquiring some salary dumps from other teams. I also think that the frenzy that is FA should have fewer teams making big offers because nobody will have the space to do so.
The one thing that Feaster has managed to do and probably will continue to do, is free up a tom of cap space. If we move Cammi and Kipper as well, we will have a lot of flexibility.
- TandA4Flames

Yeah, no big name free agents wanted to sign there so they had to overpay for 3rd line players. Just look where that got them..

Yeah, no big name free agents wanted to sign there so they had to overpay for 3rd line players. Just look where that got them..
- SteveTambellini

I don't really consider Hudler and Wideman 3rd liners. Wide's is a legit top 3/4 and Hudler is a good top 6. Like it has been for years in CGY, there needs to be a better mix of players. I don't think any of the C that I said are legit top liners but they are all better than what we currently have, aside from Backlund. Who knows, with teams now being able to talk with FA a week prior to July 1st, maybe CGY let's players know what the plan is. It took 1 FA signing in FLA and all of a sudden it was the place to go.
Auuuuuhhhh, it likely won't happen but I can hope.

next year is going to be extremely tough, and hopefully prospects aren't rushed into the roster and get hurt.

Can we have a lockout next year please....
- numbear

This really is the key and I wish we were better at it. If prospects are playing don't play them over their heads.

This really is the key and I wish we were better at it. If prospects are playing don't play them over their heads.
- Lahey

I agree. I do think, not to troll, that that is certainly 1 area that the Oil messed up. Too many teenagers in too short a time. Paajarvi was sent down and it was likely the best thing for him.

Whatever player(s) we draft this year, I really hope we don't keep them up beyond their 9 game allowance. Let them finish out their junior careers and work them into the system.

The one thing about all these college "prospects" we aquired in these 2 trades that has me curious is how they may all play together in Abby. I believe Bill Arnold will be pro this year as well. Although I think only Arnold and Hanowski are turning pro this year.

I don't really consider Hudler and Wideman 3rd liners. Wide's is a legit top 3/4 and Hudler is a good top 6. Like it has been for years in CGY, there needs to be a better mix of players. I don't think any of the C that I said are legit top liners but they are all better than what we currently have, aside from Backlund. Who knows, with teams now being able to talk with FA a week prior to July 1st, maybe CGY let's players know what the plan is. It took 1 FA signing in FLA and all of a sudden it was the place to go.
Auuuuuhhhh, it likely won't happen but I can hope.
- TandA4Flames

I think he meant Florida

I agree. I do think, not to troll, that that is certainly 1 area that the Oil messed up. Too many teenagers in too short a time. Paajarvi was sent down and it was likely the best thing for him.

Whatever player(s) we draft this year, I really hope we don't keep them up beyond their 9 game allowance. Let them finish out their junior careers and work them into the system.

The one thing about all these college "prospects" we aquired in these 2 trades that has me curious is how they may all play together in Abby. I believe Bill Arnold will be pro this year as well. Although I think only Arnold and Hanowski are turning pro this year.
- TandA4Flames

It does become tough when you are drafting top 3 though to send a guy back to Junior. It's kinda why I disagree with the AHL rule. Does a guy like yakupov have anything to learn in the CHL? Not at all, but the AHL for even half the year would be great for him. I almost wish he would've just stayed in Russia to be honest.

His team isnt exactly helping him out, either. But he has been pretty good this year...his numbers do not reflect his play, imo.
- Colin Dambrauskas

Wtf was Gio doing on that Schultz goal? Schultz had time to make a sandwich and take a nap.

It does become tough when you are drafting top 3 though to send a guy back to Junior. It's kinda why I disagree with the AHL rule. Does a guy like yakupov have anything to learn in the CHL? Not at all, but the AHL for even half the year would be great for him. I almost wish he would've just stayed in Russia to be honest.
- Lahey

I dont. Breaking him of bad KHL habits has taken some time this year.

I dont. Breaking him of bad KHL habits has taken some time this year.
- sanfordnson

Fair enough.

I will say this Flames fans and it's something that took me some time to figure out, but as bad as some of your players might look if you can't get anything in a trade for them just keep them. Nothing worse then moving guys out for nothing only to find out your rookies aren't ready and are 5x worse.

I will say this Flames fans and it's something that took me some time to figure out, but as bad as some of your players might look if you can't get anything in a trade for them just keep them. Nothing worse then moving guys out for nothing only to find out your rookies aren't ready and are 5x worse.
- Lahey

We learned the hard way.

"Souray? Pffft. We dont need him."
"Visnovsky? Pfffft. Sucks."

We learned the hard way.

"Souray? Pffft. We dont need him."
"Visnovsky? Pfffft. Sucks."
- sanfordnson

Souray I was okay with because of the cancer he was.

Lubo, meh we got Whitney.

It was more the Pisani, Moreau, Staios Horcoff's etc... While those guys were horrid, it's not like Chorney, Pecham, Jacques, Pouilots etc.. were even better.

Souray I was okay with because of the cancer he was.

Lubo, meh we got Whitney.

It was more the Pisani, Moreau, Staios Horcoff's etc... While those guys were horrid, it's not like Chorney, Pecham, Jacques, Pouilots etc.. were even better.
- Lahey

Agreed, just that many Oilers fans said the D would be fine without them. It was not and even a climb back to mediocrity has taken a while.

Agreed, just that many Oilers fans said the D would be fine without them. It was not and even a climb back to mediocrity has taken a while.
- sanfordnson

In all fairness the Souray that we had his last year was horrid. At 5mil he was really overpaid.