Imagine walking away with a Barzal or Connor type of player in this draft. But the Flames also fixated on Thomas Chabot back in 2015 before moving the pick for Doug Hamilton. So I’m expecting them to take a Dman
At least we can say the scouts were right about Chabot. Hamilton was a former top 10 pick, a RHD (high demand), young, further developed than the 2015 pick (2011) etc. There weren't any flags with him other than Boston not wanting to pay him what he wanted and he wasn't very physical. It did make sense to chase a player like that with a 2015 pick.
I would assume with Connor or Barzal, maybe they assumed wouldn't be around? It seems teams are sometimes pretty good at predicting who some teams might draft.
But even then, Connor and Barzal are really good, but not without the occasional concerns. We had LW logjam so I assume Connor was out, but Barzal would have been a consideration as well, but neither Chabot or Barzal would have truly trumped a 4 year developed offersheet risk, RHS RD, RFA Hamilton at the time. Sweeney was lambasted for the way he dealt with the scenario and Treliving finagled that upwards into Lindholm/Hanifin RFA deals that are also looking like good value trades prior to this draft.
I can't think of any specific RFA that might be worth jumping out of the 2023 draft for and taking a risk on though. Perhaps Debrincat if the AAV is reasonable, but no one else IMO. Debrincat would really hamper salary structure, but Coronato behind Debrincat in learning how to be a triggerman? I think it would be a very good structure.
Honestly speaking, all options are possible for the Flames with the 2023 16th OA pick. And by possible options, I mean deals that could make sense with what the Flames are trying to do/stuck in trying to figure out with the current contract structure.
Trade up (ie: picks only, bigger deal such as Hanifin), pick at 16, trade down (ie: for extra picks only, bigger deal on young player) or trade out (ie: Debrincat w/ extension, other young player with term+ RFA at end of contract) etc.
I honestly have no clue what to expect. Usually has an idea about 2 of 4 possibilities at most (trade out or draft at or trade up/down or draft at) and you're like, "Damn. No clue what that team might do." Rarely does a team have a possibility that makes sense of all 4 of 4 draft floor possibilities.
This doesn't even include the possibilities of trading out of the 2023 first round, but then getting back in with another trade (ie: Hanifin rumors etc.) and other retool/rebuild options. I don't think any other GM has had such an ultra key point of focus (2023 draft) and true ability to really put his stamp on the team like Conroy and his team do right now. Typically, at best, they'd inherit a specific rebuild or retool scenario that was well designed for them to go forward. Conroy has inherited a scenario where both the retool or rebuild decision must be made by him and he has a good scenario to carry both out well.
This is one of the biggest reasons why I disagree that Treliving left things in a chaotic mess. It turned into a mess, but was always still well structured on paper. I don't know if the 7 UFA thing was coincidence and happened at the same time a few other key UFA contracts expired was intentional. But it certainly is interesting that it happens a key juncture of where things would be with this core and prospects on paper. Even if it wasn't plan A or B in Treliving's mind, with his personality and style, I can't at least believe he was aware of it as a possibility of it being a plan C or D in the worst case scenario (which it is the worst case scenario) after the whole Tkachuk and Gaudreau fiasco (which IMO is also partially influenced by ownership).
I've made many posts about Treliving and my support for what he did, which extended super importantly beyond just what our roster and contract structure looks like when he departed. I don't disagree with some of the disdain some of you have for him. But I'm saying also that the guy was the guy we needed at the time we had him and we are lucky for that. I think some of the issues during his time relate to paths he wanted to go down that ownership sealed off (ie: Meddling or mandate). But it hit a point where he was not the GM we wanted or perhaps needed. This in the same way as Sutter, but not as rapidly. Add on the off ice distractions of Wideman, Peters, Snow and Sutter and ownership meddling/mandate. The dude dealt with some stuff beyond the difficulties of a typical GM by a large margin and still walked out with a good reputation by the end of his tenure.
Circling back, this draft is ultra key and it's insanely nuts how many options we have that are reasonably viable. The group of Conroy, Nonis, Murray, Maloney, Pascall, Button etc. have their work cut out for them, but damn, that's a group I honestly believe we can be confident with.
Maloney/Conroy mandate is extension of Treliving mandate which IMO is good.
IDK about trading skills but assume similar to Treliving era, which IMO is good.
RFA and extension contract negotiations, similar group, which IMO is good.
Drafting under Button has always been good/borderline great under this mandate. Add Nonis, still good. The second round has been both pros and cons, so IMO, it's more key what happens there than the first round IMO.
It'll be super interesting and scary and exciting to see what lies ahead.
