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

[Iggys Dome]

Anyone watch that US/Canada final and just think of the road not taken by the Flames? I felt our fingerprints were ALL over that game, while have zero players involved.

- MacKinnon, Flames won our meaningless games and ended up drafting 6th instead of 1st.
- Bennett, highest pick ever, traded him for a bag of pucks after never even giving him a look at centre in the top 6 for the 7 years he was here.
- Tkachuk, another Flames pick, clearly the heartbeat of the US team, a trade that'll go down as one of our worst ever, with our history of bad trades.
- Hanifin, looked bad in that final, was a core piece for us we gave away for what'll likely end up being nothing.
- Eichel, we know the story here.
- Point, his dad begged the Flames to take him at the draft. We drafted 3 guys outside the first round before Point went off the board, they have a combined NHL stats of 0 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 saves.
- Reinhart, the Flames were tanking for Reino in 13/14.
- Stone, we know the story here.
- Fox, we know the story here too.

Lots of what ifs and whys.

This team really needs to commit to building a contender and not taking shortcuts in this retool/rebuild. I know the focus is the 27 season, but like you think of all the close calls, this team would be in such a different postion than it is today.

I wouldn't be overly surprised if the club offers Bennett a deal in the summer. I think he's more of a piece you add to a contender to take them over-the-top, but this team just feels like they're always looking for guys like him.

Why would you do this to us

 

[Lunatik]

Kerins is not a 4th liner. Hes not coming in to play defensive heavy minutes. Morton is the guy that could, but the Flames want him to stay in the AHL this season. Conroy is burning up mobile minutes trying to find a cheap right handed center. That much is well known. Unless the Flames bomb out this road trip, I am betting the 4th line becomes Lombo - new center - Rooney. Pospisil is playing himself off the roster in my opinion. He cant figure out the line between high energy pest and dirty idiot.

This is in part why I suggested Acciari the other day. He'd be an upgrade on Rooney, but he's also skilled enough where maybe he, Lombo and Pospisil could produce. I don't hate Rooney like most on here, but I'd rather have Pos in the lineup.

 

[Felidae]

I still really didn't like they sent Kerins back down after being nearly a PPG player. If a guys got a bit of a chip on his shoulder (like the flames didn't play him in preseason for years). Then let him run until he goes cold. Flames need/want a centre, might as well play him. If a player is producing, keep them going until they go cold for 4-5 games in a row.

Can't shout about it being a production based game/pro sport and then not honour it so to speak.

I hate just putting the toes in the water.

I agree he didn't deserve to be sent down but what is better for him, playing top line minutes in the AHL or playing a limited role in the NHL as a 4th liner and not utilizing his talents to its full potential?

 

[Darth Vladar]

I agree he didn't deserve to be sent down but what is better for him, playing top line minutes in the AHL or playing a limited role in the NHL as a 4th liner and not utilizing his talents to its full potential?

This is the main reason I’m not too bent out of shape about it, though I’d still rather Huska bump Backs down to the fourth line and roll Naz-Frosty-Zary-Backs down the middle.

Huby-Naz-Pospy
Rango-Frosty-Coro
Coleman-Zary-Farabee
Lombo-Backs-Klapper

 

[Volica]

Why would you do this to us

This is the Andre shoots Hannibal meme.

 

[Zirakzigil]

This is in part why I suggested Acciari the other day. He'd be an upgrade on Rooney, but he's also skilled enough where maybe he, Lombo and Pospisil could produce. I don't hate Rooney like most on here, but I'd rather have Pos in the lineup.

Pos needs to figure it out. Playing himself out of the lineup in my opinion.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Pos needs to figure it out. Playing himself out of the lineup in my opinion.

How? He was put on the 4th line and suddenly that line has their best night since November.

He's a great F1 imo.

 

[super6646]

How? He was put on the 4th line and suddenly that line has their best night since November.

He's a great F1 imo.

Roondog got a better flow, that’s how

 

[Lunatik]

How? He was put on the 4th line and suddenly that line has their best night since November.

He's a great F1 imo.

I wouldn't be too quick to anoint Pospisil as the reason why the 4th line looked better. Lomberg clearly needed a break, he hadn't been playing nearly as well as earlier in teh year... and with how badly Rooney was struggling, a break and getting out of the rink and a chance to get out of his head was probably a great thing. I'm not discounting Pospisil, he also played well last game, but I think even that was also helped by the break.

 

[Zirakzigil]

How? He was put on the 4th line and suddenly that line has their best night since November.

He's a great F1 imo.

Pops has done nothing over the last 20 games to say he has to be in the lineup. You could make that argument for the entire season. He still hasn’t figured out the difference between pest and a dirty liability

 

[HighLifeMan]

Pospisil is of no risk of being removed from the lineup as he is by far our most physical player and an incredibly good forechecker to boot. He has also drawn the 2nd most penalties on the team, so even if you dislike his discipline, he still draws roughly as many as he takes.

The kid is a valuable asset to have around even if he's not the perfect hockey player.

 

[Darth Vladar]

Pospisil is of no risk of being removed from the lineup as he is by far our most physical player and an incredibly good forechecker to boot. He has also drawn the 2nd most penalties on the team, so even if you dislike his discipline, he still draws roughly as many as he takes.

The kid is a valuable asset to have around even if he's not the perfect hockey player.

Not to mention capable of top-10 speed in the NHL. Hands of solid rock, though. I wish they’d focus more on improving his offense.