Hey y’all! Sorry I wasnt here much this season, (frank)in mods kept banning me for no reason. Did you Jabronis miss me?
- Larsson_fan

You are so pretty!

good call on Cameron.

Bring in Tim H to take his spot, and serve as a Back up if Gully can't pull up his socks.

Is Neal an answer to the RW problems? I'm really on the fence with him. Did he use all the gas in the tank for this season? Maybe playoffs will show what he has left in the tank
- numbear

I think that Foo might be able to slot into a top 6 right wing spot. I liked what I saw through a short window. He grew with Stockton over the year and I think he's ready to make the jump to the big club.

I think he's better at how he uses his best players and knows how to play to their strengths. I also think he's better at matching lines and exploiting mismatches in certain games. He plays a more up tempo game and has more of a counter punching offence which I like. I have no idea what he's like with the players but he has achieved a very good winning record throughout his career so I think he gets more out of his teams than Gulutzan has shown. I am biased from watching how good those Canuck team were which I know had great players but they were really playing well for quite a few years with him as their coach.
- tincup

I would rather see D Sutter back behind the bench than AV.

Was listening to the guys on the Fan this morning about how Trei is stuck because we don't have any picks. Hamilton is probably our best chip to move if we were to move someone. At first I thought it would be nuts to move Hamilton, but then I got thinking, could a deal for Edmonton's 1st be available for Hamilton? If so, that pick is probably high enough to grab Tkachuk little brother which might be the tonic that we need. Having those brothers on the same team would be deadly, is it worth giving up Hamilton to one of your biggest rivals?

Was listening to the guys on the Fan this morning about how Trei is stuck because we don't have any picks. Hamilton is probably our best chip to move if we were to move someone. At first I thought it would be nuts to move Hamilton, but then I got thinking, could a deal for Edmonton's 1st be available for Hamilton? If so, that pick is probably high enough to grab Tkachuk little brother which might be the tonic that we need. Having those brothers on the same team would be deadly, is it worth giving up Hamilton to one of your biggest rivals?
- Flames in 6 04

That would be an awful, awful trade. If the Flames do trade Hamilton it better be for an established top line forward, not a draft pick.

Was listening to the guys on the Fan this morning about how Trei is stuck because we don't have any picks. Hamilton is probably our best chip to move if we were to move someone. At first I thought it would be nuts to move Hamilton, but then I got thinking, could a deal for Edmonton's 1st be available for Hamilton? If so, that pick is probably high enough to grab Tkachuk little brother which might be the tonic that we need. Having those brothers on the same team would be deadly, is it worth giving up Hamilton to one of your biggest rivals?
- Flames in 6 04

No. No trading Hamilton

That would be an awful, awful trade. If the Flames do trade Hamilton it better be for an established top line forward, not a draft pick.
- Hunkulese

No. No trading Hamilton

Was listening to the guys on the Fan this morning about how Trei is stuck because we don't have any picks. Hamilton is probably our best chip to move if we were to move someone. At first I thought it would be nuts to move Hamilton, but then I got thinking, could a deal for Edmonton's 1st be available for Hamilton? If so, that pick is probably high enough to grab Tkachuk little brother which might be the tonic that we need. Having those brothers on the same team would be deadly, is it worth giving up Hamilton to one of your biggest rivals?
- Flames in 6 04

If Tre makes that trade than he's out of the job the next day. We gave up a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd for Hamilton and almost everyone still thought that we fleeced the Bruins in that trade, and that's disregarding the fact that he's a better player now than he was when we got him.

Dougie is an untouchable right now, unless Edmonton decides they want to give us McDavid. That trade would be just horrible and put this team way further back.

We have a few pieces that can get us some quality assets back that aren't Dougie Hamilton. This team doesn't need to tear everything apart, and doing so would put us back years.

If Tre makes that trade than he's out of the job the next day. We gave up a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd for Hamilton and almost everyone still thought that we fleeced the Bruins in that trade, and that's disregarding the fact that he's a better player now than he was when we got him.

Dougie is an untouchable right now, unless Edmonton decides they want to give us McDavid. That trade would be just horrible and put this team way further back.

We have a few pieces that can get us some quality assets back that aren't Dougie Hamilton. This team doesn't need to tear everything apart, and doing so would put us back years.
- Helios

Agreed, I don't see how he moves. He and Gio are a dominant duo, Hamilton has proven he is a PP driver and stable defenseman.

Brodie, likely available, prospects, likely available.

If I were Tre, I would be gunshy on a trade and focus on FA acquisitions this year. Can't surrender too many assets, so if you can get your #1/2 RW without moving anyone in the system, that's the biggest win you can get. Unless there's a guy you REALLY want that is...

Agreed, I don't see how he moves. He and Gio are a dominant duo, Hamilton has proven he is a PP driver and stable defenseman.

Brodie, likely available, prospects, likely available.

If I were Tre, I would be gunshy on a trade and focus on FA acquisitions this year. Can't surrender too many assets, so if you can get your #1/2 RW without moving anyone in the system, that's the biggest win you can get. Unless there's a guy you REALLY want that is...
- rmull905

I'm not sure how he has proven to be a PP driver. The power play actually scored less after he got on it.

I doubt he gets traded, but's he's definitely not untouchable. They'd need to be getting a young stud back that could step right into the top line, and I don't really see how they could get that. The obvious trading partner would be the Leafs, but there's really no motivation for them to trade a Marner or a Nylander.

I'm not sure how he has proven to be a PP driver. The power play actually scored less after he got on it.

I doubt he gets traded, but's he's definitely not untouchable. They'd need to be getting a young stud back that could step right into the top line, and I don't really see how they could get that. The obvious trading partner would be the Leafs, but there's really no motivation for them to trade a Marner or a Nylander.
- Hunkulese

And yet he was 4th on the team in power play points, and for a chunk of the season, the Flames ran one of the dumbest 1-3-1 powerplay setups. Oh, and then Monahan fell off a cliff due to injury, they had a zone entry that was a flop because everyone knew the drop pass was going to Johnny etc etc etc.

He's not elite, granted. With a powerplay system that was semi-funtional last year, he averaged 4.5 points per 60 PP minutes. Better than Doughty, Ekman Larsson, Keith, Fowler etc.

This year, yeah, he struggled. Because the power play was a general flaming disaster.

He's pretty close to untouchable in terms of the Flames. He's not Karlsson, or Hedman, but beyond Gio, who else are you putting up on the 1st unit anytime soon?

It would be a massive mistake for the Flames to move him

If Tre makes that trade than he's out of the job the next day. We gave up a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd for Hamilton and almost everyone still thought that we fleeced the Bruins in that trade, and that's disregarding the fact that he's a better player now than he was when we got him.

Dougie is an untouchable right now, unless Edmonton decides they want to give us McDavid. That trade would be just horrible and put this team way further back.

We have a few pieces that can get us some quality assets back that aren't Dougie Hamilton. This team doesn't need to tear everything apart, and doing so would put us back years.
- Helios

Gio is good enough that anyone who plays with him is better. I think they'd be fine if the paired him up with Brodie or Hamonic. The Flames desperately need another impact forward. The only way they're going to get one is if Bennett breaks out, they overpay for a JVR or a Kane, or they trade Hamilton.

Again, I don't see it happening, but I think the Flames are a better team with a Marner or a Nylander even if Hamilton is a more valuable player. Similarly to the Jones for Johansen trade. It's hard to argue that Jones isn't a more valuable player, but the Predators are a better team with Johansen, and they probably don't regret making that deal.

I'd rather they traded Brodie, but the return wouldn't be nearly as nice.

Gio is good enough that anyone who plays with him is better. I think they'd be fine if the paired him up with Brodie or Hamonic. The Flames desperately need another impact forward. The only way they're going to get one is if Bennett breaks out, they overpay for a JVR or a Kane, or they trade Hamilton.

Again, I don't see it happening, but I think the Flames are a better team with a Marner or a Nylander even if Hamilton is a more valuable player. Similarly to the Jones for Johansen trade. It's hard to argue that Jones isn't a more valuable player, but the Predators are a better team with Johansen, and they probably don't regret making that deal.

I'd rather they traded Brodie, but the return wouldn't be nearly as nice.
- Hunkulese

The difference is Nashville is so stacked defensively that Jones was playing 3rd pairing. He's a #1, but on Nashville was just too deep defensively to play him there. That's why that trade made sense for them. They got a top line center, which they needed, and gave up a really good young defenseman that they had no room for. That was a true hockey trade that both teams benefitted immensely from.

Calgary has Hamilton playing top pairing, where he should be, and nobody in the system that can come in and take his place. On the Flames, Hamilton IS an untouchable, or at least pretty damn close to one. Calgary can't afford to trade him right now.

The difference is Nashville is so stacked defensively that Jones was playing 3rd pairing. He's a #1, but on Nashville was just too deep defensively to play him there. That's why that trade made sense for them. They got a top line center, which they needed, and gave up a really good young defenseman that they had no room for. That was a true hockey trade that both teams benefitted immensely from.

Calgary has Hamilton playing top pairing, where he should be, and nobody in the system that can come in and take his place. On the Flames, Hamilton IS an untouchable, or at least pretty damn close to one. Calgary can't afford to trade him right now.
- Helios

The reality is the Flames do have defensive prospects coming up that'll likely end up being decent top 4 defencemen and 0 prospects that look like quality top 6 forwards. The Flames already have a decent enough group of defenceman that they could shuffle things around to replace Hamilton and still have a quality group of six.

It's probably a moot point anyway because I don't see a team desperate enough for a defenseman right now that they'd trade away the forward equivalent of Hamilton.

The reality is the Flames do have defensive prospects coming up that'll likely end up being decent top 4 defencemen and 0 prospects that look like quality top 6 forwards. The Flames already have a decent enough group of defenceman that they could shuffle things around to replace Hamilton and still have a quality group of six.

It's probably a moot point anyway because I don't see a team desperate enough for a defenseman right now that they'd trade away the forward equivalent of Hamilton.
- Hunkulese

The key there is top 4. Dougie is a clear 1/2 right now.

Andersson barely cracked the top 6 this year, and while I don't see that being an issue next year, he is not likely getting top 4 minutes anytime soon.

Valimaki, Fox and Kylington are the only other prospects of note, and they are all at least a couple of years from being anything close to an impact player in the NHL.

For forwards, there are decent top 9 guys there (Foo, Dube, maybe Gawdin), we are not going to overcome that through the draft this year for sure, so walk into free agency, spend some money while you have the space. Bennett, unless he has a career year next year will be a cheaper re-up, on a short term deal. Tkachuk is going to cost the Flames for sure, but Frolik will likely be gone the following year, along with Brouwer, so the Flames will have some space to play with in the not too distant future.

For forwards, there are decent top 9 guys there (Foo, Dube, maybe Gawdin)
- rmull905

Unless they take massive steps forward, the ceiling for Foo and Dube is decent bottom six depth guys who can hopefully score the occasional goal. Gawdin is a fringe NHLer.

Don't read too much into junior success. Fringe NHLers look like superstars, especially when they're 19-20 years old.

Unless they take massive steps forward, the ceiling for Foo and Dube is decent bottom six depth guys who can hopefully score the occasional goal. Gawdin is a fringe NHLer.

Don't read too much into junior success. Fringe NHLers look like superstars, especially when they're 19-20 years old.
- Hunkulese

Lol, k, sure. I agree you can't read too much into junior success, but Foo lit up the A when he learned the ropes of being a pro. I'm going to have a little faith that he is at least a future upgrade over TB.

Dube had a great year, I don't think 3c is a ludicrous ceiling,more than held his own in a very short AHL stint (so far). Gawdin is admittedly the question mark.

So whether you call it top 9 or bottom 6, that lack of organizational depth was a killer for us this year. If these guys can upgrade those positions, we will be a much happier fan base