The flame feels like a lost team without a plan or direction – Hockey writer –
After the 2021-22 season, the Calgary Flames began to move in different directions. They were Stanley Cup contenders that season but were demolished in the second round of the Edmonton Oilers’ playoffs. After the loss, things quickly began to collapse.
Johnny Gaudreau left the group to support the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Matthew Tkachuk traded to the Florida Panthers soon after. While the Flames are trying to be a competitor again in 2022-23, it is clear that they need a new direction and they certainly seem to be moving forward in that way.
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After the 2022-23 season, Flames and General Manager (GM) Brad Treliving stood out and replaced him with Craig Conroy. Right now, Conroy seems to suggest that the team will focus on building the future, which to many sounds like the flames are in desperate need of reconstruction.
To some extent, Conroy made a rebuilding move as he had moved out several veteran players in exchange for draft picks and/or his tenure prospects. That said, he hardly said of these trades because players essentially force them out of town. Conroy even tried to sign Elias Lindholm for a long delay, thankfully, it was the flame of the Swedish Center rejection and himself.
The flame does not apply in any way
Many people think that what Flame needs to do as a competitor is a year or two at the bottom. Many of the top NHL teams have become like this after struggling for a few years and bring elite talent through the draft. However, the flame does not seem to be too enthusiastic about this strategy.
It seems that flame management is not going in any direction. They just missed the playoffs last season and seemed happy until the end, even if the fans didn’t. But, apart from signing backup goalkeeper Ivan Prosvetov, they did nothing at all in free agents, but instead did nothing on the basis of success and improving the roster.
Not adding a free agent is by no means a wrong decision because it shows patience. However, this patience only makes sense if the reconstruction is an attack plan. Obviously, this is not, because despite its many value, it includes but is not limited to Blake Coleman, Nazm Kadry and Mackenzie Vegall, and despite its many value, it has not moved out any veterans in the offseason.
Given the movements made by flames or lack of action, it is hard to imagine that they are different from the end of a season ago. This again means they aren’t great enough to make the playoffs, but not enough to help them get very high draft picks in the first round. Their first draft picks ranked 18th overall in the past drafts.
The mediocre path of flames
The reason why it’s so frustrating is the fact that this is the exact same pattern we see from the Organization year after year. Even in “good” times with Gaudreau and Tkachuk, management never really seemed to have any specific plans in place and just made things instantly. They will make it to the playoffs and just missed the next one, but nothing has changed.
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Things have certainly changed since the days of Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but that’s because many veterans have made it clear that they want to travel elsewhere. Treliving certainly never took any bold or bold moves to try to shake everything, and so far it seems Conroy, his staff want to do the same. In fact, it’s not clear what they’re doing, as they’ll be in another season’s roster.
