Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
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The few things that Jay Feaster has actually done so far have been all ok in my books-- I like the steps he has taken . .. but the reality is that he has done nothing earthshaking or at all controversial and the team for 2011-2012 still looks much like last years model-- Perhaps he looks at their overall record after he took over as GM and thinks that THAT is the level of this team. Or perhaps the fact that everyone down to the assistant puck boy has a no movement clause means he is limited in what is available to do. The trade, no-trade, yes its a trade for regeher showed how difficult those contracts can make things. But in trading Regehr he has touched the 'core" of the team. I expect that with Regehr gone, we may see Giordano step up into a bigger leadership role.
Bottom line is that I see a team that has failed to make the playoffs the last two years and which is largely unchanged. So my feelings are pretty much the same as they were last year-- its a team that with Kipper playing very well could sneak into the playoffs but since it is an aging team, its more likely to decline that surge. Perhaps I am wrong in this. Last year after GM Sutter was fired they had such a great surge that it would be nice to believe that the surge is the true team . . . but frankly I have seen too many surges by too many teams to be fooled by that.
It appears Feaster is unwilling to blow it all up and wants to see if the surge team of last year second half or the crappy first half team is the real Calgary Flames. If the team is in the playoff hunt near deadline day, there are often good deals at that time for a rental guy and if they are not, you can often reload with prospects and picks from teams that are in the NOW.
But I still don't see the vision. It appears to be much the same "believe in this team" that GM Sutter did. I just don't know how subtracting Regehr and adding a few margin players fundamentally changes the team but who knows? perhaps some of the acquisitions are burgeoning stars. It would be really nice to have someone join the team and really OVERPERFORM for a change. That was my biggest thing with GM sutter-- almost everyone he added seemed to look ok on paper and then underperform as against expectations
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