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

[Zirakzigil]

Good to see Zary and Bahl at practice

 

[super6646]

The tank is real, we just didn't see it coming properly.

I’m not bullish on them finishing well, but it’s just silly from a developmental standpoint. Like how much more juice can we squeeze from Backlund and Kadri?

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

Zary practicing on the wing with Backs and Coleman and Rooney still in the lineup. Like I always expect this org to do the wrong thing, but come the f*** on . Not taking their “playoff push” remotely seriously at this time, but from a developmental standpoint it’s disappointing as well. This team is 2 seasons out from having Morgan Frost as their best natural centre option if this is the path they are taking.

What exactly were you expecting? They aren't going to play Zary on the 4th line, he's easily been one of our best players this season, you put him in a position to succeed. Playing him on the wing after coming back from a week to week injury is also pretty logical, let him get up to speed again

 

[super6646]

What exactly were you expecting? They aren't going to play Zary on the 4th line, he's easily been one of our best players this season, you put him in a position to succeed. Playing him on the wing after coming back from a week to week injury is also pretty logical, let him get up to speed again

Him on the wing. Doesn’t mean that was my hope. And no, him on the 4th line isn’t the only alternative

Here’s the thing: a centre is a centre. When monahan or backs or whoever was being reintroduced into the lineup from injury, they weren’t eased in from wing. They played their natural spot from the get go. If the org saw him as a centre and wanted to entrust him, they’d play him there regardless. But hey, they can kick the can down the road some more to eek the last bit of juice from their 35+ guys… all the good that will do.

 

[Figgy44]

Him on the wing. Doesn’t mean that was my hope. And no, him on the 4th line isn’t the only alternative

Here’s the thing: a centre is a centre. When monahan or backs or whoever was being reintroduced into the lineup from injury, they weren’t eased in from wing. They played their natural spot from the get go. If the org saw him as a centre and wanted to entrust him, they’d play him there regardless. But hey, they can kick the can down the road some more to eek the last bit of juice from their 35+ guys… all the good that will do.

Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but it depends on the injury too. I recall guys like monahan and Bennett positionally play C but didn't take faceoffs when dealing with certain upper body injuries.

Zary is coming back from knee injury though, so I wonder if some of the positioning is due to the extra skating at C vs wing?

It's also practice though. Let's wait till Zary plays wing for a game or two and make sure his legs feel good under him before wondering if he's mismanaged by not going back to C.

 

[SaintMorose]

Which centre goes to the 4th line if Zary goes back to C?

I feel like Kadri, Backlund, Frost are all more natural at C and don't belong on the 4th line either. Assuming no trades of those players, which I think is a given with Conroy wanting to give the team their shot at a playoff push, I think Zary is playing wing until injury or next season.

 

[Sparky93]

Its really not that hard. Backlund has 22 points, in 55 games and is probably best suited for forth line duties. Bottom six numbers and he might even benefit from some reduced playing time.

 

[Darth Vladar]

Its really not that hard. Backlund has 22 points, in 55 games and is probably best suited for forth line duties. Bottom six numbers and he might even benefit from some reduced playing time.

Unpopular opinion, but one that I share.

The Flames have far better options at 4RW with Klapper and Hunt than they do at 4C with Roondog and Bishop. Unless the tank is back on, it doesn’t make sense not to put Zary at C when he comes back.

Huby-Naz-Pospy
Rango-Frosty-Coro
Coleman-Zary-Farabee
Lomberg-Backlund-Klapka/Hunt

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Which centre goes to the 4th line if Zary goes back to C?

I feel like Kadri, Backlund, Frost are all more natural at C and don't belong on the 4th line either. Assuming no trades of those players, which I think is a given with Conroy wanting to give the team their shot at a playoff push, I think Zary is playing wing until injury or next season.

Backlund and you roll 4 lines 5v5

Not technically a 4th line either in this example.

 

[Figgy44]

Which centre goes to the 4th line if Zary goes back to C?

I feel like Kadri, Backlund, Frost are all more natural at C and don't belong on the 4th line either. Assuming no trades of those players, which I think is a given with Conroy wanting to give the team their shot at a playoff push, I think Zary is playing wing until injury or next season.

Perhaps Zary? But that line would be more like a 3B than a 4th line? (Same idea as Backlund on the 4th line, but roll 4 lines) You'd want to monitor Zary's injury at first so that he doesn't rush it and reaggravates it.

 

[Darth Vladar]

Looks like Solo is back up, and he brought Kuzy with him, let’s fkn go

 

[joescores]

What exactly were you expecting? They aren't going to play Zary on the 4th line, he's easily been one of our best players this season, you put him in a position to succeed. Playing him on the wing after coming back from a week to week injury is also pretty logical, let him get up to speed again

Backlund to 4th, to be traded to contender at TDL. Simple...

Unpopular opinion, but one that I share.

The Flames have far better options at 4RW with Klapper and Hunt than they do at 4C with Roondog and Bishop. Unless the tank is back on, it doesn’t make sense not to put Zary at C when he comes back.

Huberdeau-Kadri-Pospisil
Rango-Frosty-Coro
Coleman-Zary-Farabee
Lomberg-Backlund-Klapka/Hunt

Not unpopular to me at all, very logical in fact. But we want to lose so Rooney will be slotted in

 

[Darth Vladar]

Backlund to 4th, to be traded to contender at TDL. Simple...

I get the sense that Backs would just retire before accepting a trade to another team, contender or not.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I get the sense that Backs would just retire before accepting a trade to another team, contender or not.

Eh, I'm not sure I agree with that. There was plenty of smoke about him going to a contender over re-signing with us. That wasn't a slam dunk to happen.

Maybe his attitude has changed. Time may tell.

 

[Darth Vladar]

Eh, I'm not sure I agree with that. There was plenty of smoke about him going to a contender over re-signing with us. That wasn't a slam dunk to happen.

Maybe his attitude has changed. Time may tell.

There was “plenty of smoke” about him going to a contender over re-signing with us… for $4.5M? What do you honestly suppose other teams were offering, and why wouldn’t he have taken it?

 

[joescores]

There was “plenty of smoke” about him going to a contender over re-signing with us… for $4.5M? What do you honestly suppose other teams were offering, and why wouldn’t he have taken it?

He has 1 year left, if we retain on him 50% in 25/26 (blocked 1/3 slots just for 1 year), I think we can get a decent value for him.

I also think his wheels will come completely off next year, so better trading him this year.

 

[Figgy44]

Eh, I'm not sure I agree with that. There was plenty of smoke about him going to a contender over re-signing with us. That wasn't a slam dunk to happen.

Maybe his attitude has changed. Time may tell.

IIRC, there was smoke before he extended, and then I think there was an article that said he spoke with Gio(?)/Iggy(?) and how dragging a family around without guarantees when chasing a cup is its own type of crappy situation.

 

[Darth Vladar]

He has 1 year left, if we retain on him 50% in 25/26 (blocked 1/3 slots just for 1 year), I think we can get a decent value for him.

I also think his wheels will come completely off next year, so better trading him this year.

We got a 2nd for an almost ten years younger Mangi who still had a year left on a deal paying $5.8M per, and didn’t have to retain anything, on the strength of him having scored 35 goals in a season once, two years prior to that.

If Conny were to trade Backs to a contender at the deadline, it wouldn’t exactly be a 40-year old Ray Bourque scoring 60 points en route to his first cup type situation. In fact, I’m almost certain we’d have to retain on Backs to be rid of him, and for the very reasons @Figgy44 stated, I feel like Backs would sooner retire a Flame than chase a cup as a limited role fourth line center, which is likely what he’d be. But what do I know? If it’s just one season before calling it a career perhaps he takes a final crack at it with his family’s blessing.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

There was “plenty of smoke” about him going to a contender over re-signing with us… for $4.5M? What do you honestly suppose other teams were offering, and why wouldn’t he have taken it?

Look, you don't like what I am saying, but there was plenty of talk at the time. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[Darth Vladar]

Look, you don't like what I am saying, but there was plenty of talk at the time. Take it for what it's worth.

It’s not that I don’t like it; it’s that I don’t recall hearing much “talk”, nor can I feasibly imagine what that “talk” might have been for Backs to ultimately re-up for a fairly reasonable $4.5M.

 

[Lunatik]

It’s not that I don’t like it; it’s that I don’t recall hearing much “talk”, nor can I feasibly imagine what that “talk” might have been for Backs to ultimately re-up for a fairly reasonable $4.5M.

There was a lot of speculation that he might not re-sign before he inked his extension.

Also, he's not going to retire if traded. He has full control over that until Dec. 31, after that his NMC w/ full trade protection turns into a 15-team no-trade list.

 

[JPeeper]

Flames re-signed Backs for 2 years and made him Captain. Knowing Conroy there is no world in which the Flames are getting rid of Backlund or putting him on the 4th line (at least not this year, maybe next year). That's the reality, Conroy is too loyal to his players (who are loyal to the Flames).

He's also on the brink of being completely cooked.

 

[joescores]

We got a 2nd for an almost ten years younger Mangi who still had a year left on a deal paying $5.8M per, and didn’t have to retain anything, on the strength of him having scored 35 goals in a season once, two years prior to that.

If Conny were to trade Backs to a contender at the deadline, it wouldn’t exactly be a 40-year old Ray Bourque scoring 60 points en route to his first cup type situation. In fact, I’m almost certain we’d have to retain on Backs to be rid of him, and for the very reasons @Figgy44 stated, I feel like Backs would sooner retire a Flame than chase a cup as a limited role fourth line center, which is likely what he’d be. But what do I know? If it’s just one season before calling it a career perhaps he takes a final crack at it with his family’s blessing.

Mangi is crap mate, check his stats, and he started on 1st line, then 2nd line now demoted to 4th line since Jan. Can’t compare him to Backs... If Eller could bring in 3rd and 5th at 2.45 mil (same age as Backs), Backs with 50% should easily bring in a 2nd and a player.

 

[Figgy44]

There was a lot of speculation that he might not re-sign before he inked his extension.

Also, he's not going to retire if traded. He has full control over that until Dec. 31, after that his NMC w/ full trade protection turns into a 15-team no-trade list.

Didn't he also muse about the idea of being one of a very select group of players who have played all their career on one time? I seem to recall something like that around his silver stick ceremony, but I could be mistaken.

It's possible he decided to say the right thing to get rid of the rumors after he signed an extension. But IMO it's also a possibility he was open to the idea of leaving, and then conversations, circumstances and situations caused him to realize he'd prefer to be a Calgary Flame for life.

TBH, the only person that probably needs to be considered, whatever Backs wants (trade or retire as Flame), he should have it.

 

[Volica]

Personally don't see Backlund traded unless he comes to management and asks for it.
What are you getting him Backlund at this stage anyway?

No one's going to offer much with that second year left.
And next winter, if his game regresses a bit more... what? Trade him for a 4th? Who cares, if he doesn't want to go anywhere, wants to be a Flame for life, just let him do it. He's 1000000x the player Rooney is, even 2-3 years from now. He could play on my 4th line for as long as the wheels don't fall completely off.