Speculation: Armchair GM 2024-25 Season, Craig Conroy's Can Do Calgary Flames

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Offer sheet Vilardi?

Vilardi is not going to be a centre at the NHL level

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Connor McDavid is a free agent in 2026.

 

[Figgy44]

2014-2015 got fans excited and we ended up not only trading for Hamilton which led to Lindholm and Hanifin but still got 3 NHL players in the draft. It was absolutely a success. There was no chance we were bad enough to finish top 5 (and besides hanifin went 5th overall).

Agreed, but the others weren't wrong.

14-15 loss of draft position to revive interest in the team was necessary. But it was also a double edged sword.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Agreed, but the others weren't wrong.

14-15 loss of draft position to revive interest in the team was necessary. But it was also a double edged sword.

Oh yeah for sure. I just think we squandered the 2014 draft very badly. We got a 2nd rounder for Berra and used it on what Hunter Smith when Brayden Point was available?

 

[Figgy44]

Oh yeah for sure. I just think we squandered the 2014 draft very badly. We got a 2nd rounder for Berra and used it on what Hunter Smith when Brayden Point was available?

Burke derailed that draft IMO. A different mandate could have put very valuable 2014 draft players into our prospect pool.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Burke derailed that draft IMO. A different mandate could have put very valuable 2014 draft players into our prospect pool.

Yeah like even if we just replaced Smith for Point it would have been a solid draft. The other lower round picks are a crapshoot.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

OK, I'm on the hype train now
Who is out there that is still useful, but overpaid? We could take a salary dump, gain a good pick, and still improve the team.
Guessing we could shore up C/D/G
If we're missing out on a top 10 pick, I would love to see us finish ahead of NJ

 

[Volica]

As we all predicted, first in the Pacific at American Thanksgiving.

 

[Anglesmith]

As we all predicted, first in the Pacific at American Thanksgiving.

Everyone remembers me saying all through the summer that we would be leading the division on November 24. Right?

 

[Khrox]

Everyone remembers me saying all through the summer that we would be leading the division on November 24. Right?

If I remember correctly, I don't think anyone predicted us lower than first in the division. Right guys? Right?

 

[The Gnome]

I just love this...All my Coiler fan friends can't even talk about hockey right now

 

[Volica]

If I remember correctly, I don't think anyone predicted us lower than first in the division. Right guys? Right?

This summer the talk of cup or bust was out of control here.

 

[Figgy44]

This summer the talk of cup or bust was out of control here.

Less joking for a moment, if we look at the division winners for the last few years, last year was the year we were supposed to trade Vegas for that Pacific Division winner position. If we're catching up this year for last year's weird Canucks/Oilers snafu... that's weird AF in terms of trends.

I expected maybe a Flames~esque dark horse bubble team type of scenario adding to the mediocrity this year, not a potential Pacific Division win. But if Flames wanna Flames... OK. Let's go all out and hope we middle finger Montreal with Flames/Panthers picks in the late teens/twenties.

The NJD pick is also confusing to me. If they draft just outside of top 10, we get that pick (seems likely), but if for whatever reason they crater again to injuries, is the 2026 pick completely unprotected? I can't find details on the 2026 pick if the 2025 one doesn't transfer.

Another funny possibility is that we could play well and draft late in this draft, but based on circumstances, it's possible that the Flames could just focus on playing well and suddenly find themselves with some top picks in 2026 courtesy of Vegas and NJD without intentionally tanking and factoring in their own pick? Weird possibility for 2026... Not as weird as the Monahan trade... but still weird.