This question is inspired by a clip from Flamesnation Barn Burner Podcast where they discuss about whether or not the Flames should steer away from drafting American players (Link to video: https://youtu.be/w_WbmguItZg?si=EDmC3Ap9s8MNZctq)
As a Flames fan I don’t want another Gaudreau/Tkachuk situation where high-end non-Canadian players leave once their contracts are up; personally I would focus picking prospects:
Canadians > Scandinavians=Russians=West European > Americans
Also is it a valid question to ask NHL draft prospects about their willingness to play for a Canadian team?
I don’t want our team to draft players who are clearly not interested in playing for us (ahem* Adam Fox *cough)
Comment down below your thoughts and whether you think I’m being too xenophobic/paranoid about American prospects not being too keen on Canada…
by Responsible-Town-566
12 Comments
You take the BPA every time. A prospect that won’t sign is still an asset and can be traded.
No more Americans.
At one point it was Russians that would jump on a plane in the middle of the night.
You could just as easily have a Canadian player that wants to go home and play in Toronto/Vancouver/MTL. Calgary also drafted Tim Erxion (Sweden), who wanted to play in NYR because that’s where his Dad played.
The goal is to get the best player we can, if they don’t work out, you trade them. Calgary had opportunity to extend both players for longer and elected to risk their situations changing. So, let’s stop with all the diaper-filling over Tkachuk and Gaudreau; time to move on.
Which one of the Calgary-born active NHL players will want to finish their career with the Flames?
Makar, Brayden Point, Josh Morrissey, or Willie Nylander?
Edit: wait Matt Rempe is from Calgary? Wtf
Getting new facilities built will help a lot, at least I have to think so
Hire who does the best in the roll. Fuck nationality, fuck colour, creed, religion, whatever. Hire/scout. Who. Is. Best. For. The. Job.
Much like how society should run.
No more Americans.
I don’t think the nationality matters that much, I just think the current generation of players is not that loyal. If you provide them (near) top dollar to play on a team where they can have personal and team success they will sign; but if you can’t make this offer they will move to the team that has the best offer.
Outside of a handful of highly desirable locations, most teams will have to deal with this to some extent.
Nationality doesn’t matter. We just have to accept that no matter where they are from, as soon as they get the leverage they are going force their way out of Calgary, so you just have to draft and developed the best possible players, trade them for the best possible returns and hope you get a multi-year window with enough talent to compete.
People don’t seem to realize these guys did not leave due to nationality. Yeah it played a part but hear me out. We are a shit fan base that looks and sounds like we are sleeping in the dome. The energy and in game entertainment organized by CSEC is ATROCIOUS. The city itself is not so bad but the organization and how they treat their players is the main reason nobody wants to play here. Its a shit organization plain and simple. Might be one of the worst ran orgs in the league. Ran by greedy pigs who have not a clue what they are doing.
The new facility will help out a ton, I believe it’ll breathe a breath of fresh air into the franchise, changing the outlook American players may have. That and potentially drafting Iggy 2.0