Things have gone from bad to worse in Calgary (as expected) as the Flames have now fired general manager Jay Feaster. While team president Brian Burke is looking for a new GM most likely with some form of experience, here is my pitch.
Yes, there is a reason that I am a writer and not in charge of a NHL team, but the Flames need to follow a specific blueprint in order to rebuild and contend as soon as possible.
1. Trade Michael Cammalleri and Dennis Wideman for youth or draft picks
Calgary is not going anywhere this year, that's a fact. There is no sense in holding on to a talented player like Cammalleri and watching his value slowly decrease over time if he can help a contender and yield a decent return. Shipping him off to a contender that needs offense, such as the Minnesota Wild, could pay dividends for both teams involved.
Wideman, on the other hand, may be tougher to trade. He will not be going anywhere for the next six-to-eight weeks due to an injury, but he will likely be very hard to get rid of even when he is healthy again. Signing him to a big contract last season was a foolish move by Feaster, and keeping him will not make Calgary's chances of contending this season much better.
Even if the Flames can just get draft picks in return, they will still be making positive steps towards the future.
2. Do not fire Bob Hartley as head coach
It doesn't matter what the team's record is, no coach is going to help this team make the playoffs the way it stands right now. Hartley is a proven winner and he will help the Flames get their feet back on the ground once the on-ice talent is there.
Too many coaches are fired solely because of the poor product on the ice. Hartley does not deserve to be once of those coaches.
3. Consider trading down if a top three pick seems unlikely
This is tricky because the new NHL Draft lottery could allow the Flames to obtain the first overall pick as long as they miss the playoffs, regardless of their record.
However, if the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers continue to play even worse than the Flames do and it seems unlikely that Sam Reinhart or Aaron Ekblad will not be on the board, trading the pick could be very wise. Besides, there are some talented prospects in this year's draft class, but Connor McDavid will not be available until next year.
As of now, the Anaheim Ducks are the only team that holds two first round picks in this year's draft. If Calgary decides to make a move later on in the season to obtain both of Anaheim's first round picks (one is from the Ottawa Senators) for its own, it could prove to be a smart move in the future.
4. Sign a veteran goalie and possibly a few cheap veteran skaters this summer
While Reto Berra has been a little inconsistent, Karri Ramo has done a fairly decent job between the pipes in Calgary and has shown some signs that he could be a productive NHL goalie in the future. In order to hone his skills next season, the Flames should sign a cheap veteran goalie such as Ray Emery or Tomas Vokoun and platoon the two, giving Ramo experience while also allowing him to learn under a veteran. Remember, the Flames will not be playing for a Stanley Cup, so trying something new like this cannot hurt them.
Also, Calgary should try to ink some veteran forwards who could come at low costs to work with star rookie Sean Monahan and any other prospects that they may obtain before next season.
Brad Boyes, Mason Raymond, Douglas Murray, Brenden Morrow and Ryan Jones are five players that the Flames could sign for $1.5 million or less each.
It won't happen overnight, but if the Calgary Flames make the necessary moves, they could get back to where they want to be within the next five years.