Quoting: Dr_Invictus
I'd be happy if they just effectively retooled. Calgary's issue is that they never capitalize on those opportunities to acquire draft capital or assets. They perpetually let players walk or trade them at sub optimal times.
Did you happen to read the Athletic draft rankings article? It compares how teams have drafted relative to their draft capital by expected wins. Calgary ranked 2nd on that list. However, they had one of the lowest number of picks in the last 15 years and the expected wins of Gaudreau and Fox, relative to the expected wins for their draft position, is what pushed them to the top of the rankings (Dallas was 1st). Without those 2 players Calgary would be far lower on the list. In short, they have done well with what little, and poor draft positions, they have had. Hopefully they can pull a Dallas or St Louis and capitalize on a few strategic drafts and retool.
https://theathletic.com/5084336/2023/11/24/nhl-draft-ranking-best-picks?source=user-shared-article
Well we're committed to Huberdau, Kadri and Weegar now and have a New Arena to pay for, so tearing it down will hurt the revenue stream
I'd accept the Draft and Develop Strategy, but CGY sucks at Drafting tbh. Their Scouting has been horrendous
Willam Stromgren, Jake Boltman, Cole Huckins, Cameron Whynot, Mason McDonald, Emile Poirier, Morgan Klimchuk, Keegan Kanzig are all 2nd/3rd Rounds Picks over the past 10 years that won't have produced anything.
Going back further, 1st Rounders over the last 20 years that didn't amount to much in CGY: Juuso Valimaki, Sam Bennett, Mark Jankowski, Sven Baertschi, Tim Erixon, Greg Nemisz, Leland Irving, Matt Pelech and Kris Chucko. The only 1st Rounders that have worked out are Coronato (maybe), Zary (maybe), Pelletier (maybe), Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan, Mikael Backlund, Dion Phaneuf
We've been lucky to land guys in later Rounds, like Gaudreau, Mangiapane, Ruzicka, Pospisil, Kerins, Solovyov and Wolf
So unless it's a Top 10-15 Pick, I've come to the realization that Draft Picks after those are just Lottery Tickets and who knows what you'll get. Guys on this site put WAY too much weight on the value of a 20th-32nd Overall 1st Round Pick, whereas I believe GM's know better and would rather acquire a sure thing than cross their fingers, hold their breath and hope for a quality player out of a late 1st Round Pick....
My tactic would be to pick up guys that other Teams have given up on, like FLA did with Sam Bennett or ARI did with Valimaki and see if we can use them as reclamation projects. jmo for what its worth