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

[Volica]

Except a win streak really doesn’t either. We are 14th in points percentage currently, and it takes a massive jump to get just to 12th. For example, to supplant LA for the final division spot we would need to go on a 9 game win streak just to hit their points percentage which is already a lot, but then also have to maintain that percentage the rest of the season which people never imagine when they state that. A better way to look at it is we would have to go 26-11-1 from today on to finish higher than their current points percentage. This is what people don’t understand about “it just taking a streak”, you need to have the streak+ the level of play afterwards to make it work.

On the flip side, for people hoping we salvage our pick from Montreal (we won’t), we would have to go realistically 13-19-5 (tried throwing a realistic amount of OT losses in this example) the rest of the season, or practically only win every third game from here on out. That record JUST gets us to the 10th ranked win percentage. That means for the rest of the year we need a .420 winning percentage, which is the 3rd worst in the NHL. There are no amount of trades that make us Chicago or San Jose caliber team that we’d need to be to get to that. The losing streak required to play at our current level of play after and still finish just in the bottom 10 would be a 10 game losing streak, with no OT losses thrown in there.

For whoever doesn’t want to read that blurb and math, long story short is streaks don’t actually effect it as much as you think, because even after that streak you then just have to be a better/worse team for the rest of the year too.

You’re looking top down, look down up. Calgary is sitting with a 3 point lead on Vancouver and St Louis; both teams have games in hand. With one win last night we’re already seeing separation from teams like the Kraken, who are nearing a point of being done already, and have three games more than Calgary. I’m not talking about catching the Pacific leaders. Because teams in the Chase are widely inconsistent, it’s why a win streak would create space behind us.

I’m dead serious when I say that if we win two or three more games in a row, the West’s playoff picture might actually be pretty much set like the East’s was a couple seasons ago in like January.

 

[Anglesmith]

You’re looking top down, look down up. Calgary is sitting with a 3 point lead on Vancouver and St Louis; both teams have games in hand. With one win last night we’re already seeing separation from teams like the Kraken, who are nearing a point of being done already, and have three games more than Calgary. I’m not talking about catching the Pacific leaders. Because teams in the Chase are widely inconsistent, it’s why a win streak would create space behind us.

I’m dead serious when I say that if we win two or three more games in a row, the West’s playoff picture might actually be pretty much set like the East’s was a couple seasons ago in like January.

Small correction to the syntax for clarity: the Flames have the games in hand on Vancouver and St. Louis.

 

[Mobiandi]

Win 3 in a row and we pass the Avs

 

[RasmusAndersson]

This organization is backwards. If the vets want to add, then be a top ten team.
28 teams could still make the playoffs. The gulf between us and teams like Vegas, Winnipeg and LA is huge.

Signing a number 3 defencemen like Rasmus from 30-37 at 9 million a year is the kind of move that keeps you in the 10-12 place in the west year after year. He’s a valuable asset and should be cashed in.

Last year I wanted to target Kulich, who is on the verge of breaking out. This year Cal Ritchie. Those are realistic trades but we are so focused on squeaking into the playoffs and things will never change with this organization.

Time to be progressive; but we won’t be.

My brother and I have been saying what’s best for the Flames is an injury to Naz or Wolf. The current trend is not looking good. Giving up our earliest pick to MTL and not making the playoffs is such a Flames thing to do. Like the Cleveland Browns being where QBs careers die. Can we just once pick in the top 3.

I honestly do not understand these posts at all. How are people possibly unsatisfied with everything Conroy and the team has done the past 18 months? How can you say this organization is backwards? Conroy litetally traded 7 top of the roster players (Lindy Mang Toffoli Hanifin Tanev Zad Markstrom) and completely re-stocked our prospect pool and picks. Whether you want to call it a fast rebuild or retool, he traded off 7 of our 9 most valuable assets over 25 that had decent trade value (the others being Weegar and Rasmus).

He completely restocked our defensive prospect pool in ONE deadline and offseason. Parekh, Mews, Brzustewicz all look like potential top-4 RD. We had 2 firsts last year, have 2 this year, and 2 next year. We’ve seen our elite goalie prospect turn into a Calder candidate and a top-5/10 goalie in the league at age 23 (5th in the league in SV%). Our winger depth is absolutely stacked long term with Zary, Coronato, Honzek, Basha, Gridin, Suniev (not to mention Pospy and Sharangovich). Zary and Coronato have taken big steps this year and look like legit top-6 pieces for years to come.

Our D has been very strong this year despite only having 3 NHL regulars. Credit to Huska for that.

Obviously we still have a glaring hole or two at C long term, but how can people possibly complain or say we’re a backwards organization? Conroy has done literally everything he possibly could to turn this team around. Adding a guy like Cozens or Kulich at the expense of Rasmus is not going to be what makes this team a contender in the future. We need multiple great drafts, hitting on picks in the first two rounds, good asset management, and continued development of our high end young guys. And Conroy has done everything he possibly can to make me trust that he has the vision. People need to trust Conroy and stop playing into the “Flames are eternally screwed because we never get a top pick” narrative. Conroy is different

 

[Figgy44]

I honestly do not understand these posts at all. How are people possibly unsatisfied with everything Conroy and the team has done the past 18 months? How can you say this organization is backwards? Conroy litetally traded 7 top of the roster players (Lindy Mang Toffoli Hanifin Tanev Zad Markstrom) and completely re-stocked our prospect pool and picks. Whether you want to call it a fast rebuild or retool, he traded off 7 of our 9 most valuable assets over 25 that had decent trade value (the others being Weegar and Rasmus).

He completely restocked our defensive prospect pool in ONE deadline and offseason. Parekh, Mews, Brzustewicz all look like potential top-4 RD. We had 2 firsts last year, have 2 this year, and 2 next year. We’ve seen our elite goalie prospect turn into a Calder candidate and a top-5/10 goalie in the league at age 23 (5th in the league in SV%). Our winger depth is absolutely stacked long term with Zary, Coronato, Honzek, Basha, Gridin, Suniev (not to mention Pospy and Sharangovich). Zary and Coronato have taken big steps this year and look like legit top-6 pieces for years to come.

Our D has been very strong this year despite only having 3 NHL regulars. Credit to Huska for that.

Obviously we still have a glaring hole or two at C long term, but how can people possibly complain or say we’re a backwards organization? Conroy has done literally everything he possibly could to turn this team around. Adding a guy like Cozens or Kulich at the expense of Rasmus is not going to be what makes this team a contender in the future. We need multiple great drafts, hitting on picks in the first two rounds, good asset management, and continued development of our high end young guys. And Conroy has done everything he possibly can to make me trust that he has the vision. People need to trust Conroy and stop playing into the “Flames are eternally screwed because we never get a top pick” narrative. Conroy is different

Perhaps in their eyes, since we don't have a single top 3 pick added to this rebuild, in their eyes it's a huge leap in the right direction, but still horribly incomplete? I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth. I'm just guessing.

But many of the rest of us have been part of the debate saying that having top 3 picks isn't a guarantee of anything (ie: see Buffalo, CBJ, NYR vs Vegas)

 

[crackdown44]

Perhaps in their eyes, since we don't have a single top 3 pick added to this rebuild, in their eyes it's a huge leap in the right direction, but still horribly incomplete? I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth. I'm just guessing.

But many of the rest of us have been part of the debate saying that having top 3 picks isn't a guarantee of anything (ie: see Buffalo, CBJ, NYR vs Vegas)

Yeah but that’s the thing. Conroy did everything in his power to get the team a high pick this year, like you trade your 1C, starting goalie and two top 4 D. You don’t sign anyone of note in free agency. Then your 7th round rookie goalie decides he’s just one of the best in the NHL and your team is somehow better than last year

I think we all wanted/expected a high pick this year but this ride is fun too, and I don’t think it’s fair to blame conroy for not committing to a rebuild when he literally did

 

[Figgy44]

Yeah but that’s the thing. Conroy did everything in his power to get the team a high pick this year, like you trade your 1C, starting goalie and two top 4 D. You don’t sign anyone of note in free agency. Then your 7th round rookie goalie decides he’s just one of the best in the NHL and your team is somehow better than last year

I think we all wanted/expected a high pick this year but this ride is fun too, and I don’t think it’s fair to blame conroy for not committing to a rebuild when he literally did

Yep. The fun is kinda like 2015. That run reignited my excitement for the Flames. If we were in Buffalo style turmoil, I'd probably wouldn't be as interested in them as much.

Same at that year, we were supposed to languish and be a favourite for CMD. Then JG (RIP) came out of nowhere and we were playoff bound).

Agreed we can't blame Conroy, but it's not like it's beneficial for Conroy to break the team's kneecaps for doing well either.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I honestly do not understand these posts at all. How are people possibly unsatisfied with everything Conroy and the team has done the past 18 months? How can you say this organization is backwards? Conroy litetally traded 7 top of the roster players (Lindy Mang Toffoli Hanifin Tanev Zad Markstrom) and completely re-stocked our prospect pool and picks. Whether you want to call it a fast rebuild or retool, he traded off 7 of our 9 most valuable assets over 25 that had decent trade value (the others being Weegar and Rasmus).

He completely restocked our defensive prospect pool in ONE deadline and offseason. Parekh, Mews, Brzustewicz all look like potential top-4 RD. We had 2 firsts last year, have 2 this year, and 2 next year. We’ve seen our elite goalie prospect turn into a Calder candidate and a top-5/10 goalie in the league at age 23 (5th in the league in SV%). Our winger depth is absolutely stacked long term with Zary, Coronato, Honzek, Basha, Gridin, Suniev (not to mention Pospy and Sharangovich). Zary and Coronato have taken big steps this year and look like legit top-6 pieces for years to come.

Our D has been very strong this year despite only having 3 NHL regulars. Credit to Huska for that.

Obviously we still have a glaring hole or two at C long term, but how can people possibly complain or say we’re a backwards organization? Conroy has done literally everything he possibly could to turn this team around. Adding a guy like Cozens or Kulich at the expense of Rasmus is not going to be what makes this team a contender in the future. We need multiple great drafts, hitting on picks in the first two rounds, good asset management, and continued development of our high end young guys. And Conroy has done everything he possibly can to make me trust that he has the vision. People need to trust Conroy and stop playing into the “Flames are eternally screwed because we never get a top pick” narrative. Conroy is different

I’ve never said that Conroy is doing a bad job. He’s doing a great job.
I just think signing Rasmus, who is a good but not great defencemen, to a deal with 70 million doesn’t make sense.
RD (and G) is the one area on the team where I’m really high on the prospects (Parekh, Brewski and possibly Mews).

What this team is lacking is two impact forwards. If they get that, I think this can be a deadly team. Trading for players like Ritchie or Kulich could give us those top liners we lack. There is no obvious path forward but this team still needs to play the long game for a few more seasons.

Sometimes it takes vision and tough decisions and I don’t think signing Rasmus long term is the right move for this team.

 

[joescores]

I would also deal Rasmus for the right package. This team needs new additions, he is one of a few trade pawns that can bring back value alas Lindholm...