TSN: Mike Johnson and Craig Button discuss rebuilding the Calgary Flames and wonder how far they should take it as they open their new stadium in 2027. The changes started last season and should continue this year.
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“The Calgary Flames are a team in transition. They were a really good team with a lot of good players who had a chance to succeed, they didn’t blow it. So they went into rebuilding.
We lost a bunch of really good players last year, and they’re going into this year thinking about the new structure coming up, the draft picks coming up, the prospects for the future, Craig, one big question for the Flames is, how deep should this go. rebuild go?
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Button: “I strongly believe. Now I will go to the future. I will start in 2027. This is where they found their new building. They want to compete in that space when they start that season.
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And now Mike, it will come this year, this season. Four really good players. You have (Nazem) Kadri. You have (Blake) Coleman. You have (Rasmus) Andersson, and you have (MacKenzie) Weegar. Competing teams, who want to win, must be interested in those players. Which gives Calgary a real opportunity to significantly add prospects, draft picks, future players.
Johnson: “That’s right. How deep should it be? As deep as their owners are willing to absorb the financial consequences of having a really bad team for a year or two.
And there is nothing. There is a financial aspect of maybe ticket sales or interest, or whatever if you were to come out near the bottom of the league.
But you are absolutely right. I think being stuck in 25th place, 26th place, that’s not good. You want to go down to 32 or 31 if you’re going to rebuild, which is flames.
And you mention those players, and you just think, if you’re a game, a team trying to win the Stanley Cup. Want Nazem Kadri on your team? Yes. Are you looking for Blake Coleman? Yes. The defense will be at that level. Right-footed defender. MacKenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, all very talented, high-level players who can play and fit into any type of system. It can thrive in the playoffs and that style of play. We know this about the NHL. So they have incredible bargaining chips to work with.
Now, there may be contractual terms, trade provisions that they have to work with. But I think those players also understand where the Flames are headed and what the next few years will look like, and at this point in their careers, they will probably be open to playing for a team that is close to being competitive. right now rather than the flames being so.
So I think there will be flexibility and being able to work with all those guys to get them a new place and bring in some future assets. You will also find yourself in the right place to stop for a few years, as you said.
So it’s not easy, but with all the excitement about the future, with that new arena finally coming to Calgary, it seems like the right time to take this rebuild deep, down to the studs, strip the bear and really build a couple. in the coming years when you may be a competitor again.
Button: “Craig Conroy last year showed that he can be successful in many ways to get a profit from the players who sold away. And he’s going to be in really good shape again this year with the players we just talked about. And their contracts are good, and some of them are long, but they go up. And like you said, those four players are really good, and they’re really competitive, and they can strengthen whatever team they end up on.
And I believe that when the Calgary Flames, we saw (Jacob) Markstrom, didn’t he want to leave Calgary? He just saw where it was going, he’s looking for something different right now. And the Calgary Flames want something different.
And being in 2027 in a new building, they have a lot of good young players. Most of those good young players are starting to show that they can be more than capable. It’s not like they start now and look to 2029. The timing is right, as you say.
Johnson: “And I think Craig Conroy has the patience and vision to do it. I also think that the market is smart enough to understand what is going to happen and is willing to support the organization in what could be a difficult few years on the horizon, knowing better days are ahead.
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So even though the Flames may look like they’re going to be competitive to start the season, I would think that at the end, Craig, some of those really good players, won’t be on the Flames anymore. Hopes and picks are on their way and will have a better outlook in a year or two for the Calgary Flames.
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