Devin Loucks

@LastCanadaGoose @RingOfFireCGY Now, the Leafs could legitimately trade the first overall for McDavid. The likely return from that trade would vault Toronto to contender now, while Edmonton becomes closer to finishing a rebuilding than the Flames are... While San Jose will be contenders for the next 15 years.

@LastCanadaGoose @RingOfFireCGY It got worse... A few days ago, I actually predicted the Leafs to win 1st overall and the Sharks to win 2nd, because I was thinking about what would be the worst possible universe for the Flames. The Flames dream of being contenders in the next decade or two is dead

Obviously we want the Flames to win the draft lottery. But I don’t think it’ll be devastating if they lose. McKenna and Stenberg aren’t generational players like a MacKinnon or McDavid. And the players ranked 3-6 look to have very high ceilings at the NHL level.

@CofRedCentral Ugh... I knew this was coming... In this timeline that I unfortunately predicted, does Toronto trade the pick to Edmonton for McDavid, or do they simply go "oh cool we now have a better Marner for Matthews"?

RIGGED

@NHL_Watcher The Blackhawks already had the Kane Toews dynasty. They neither need nor deserve another one.

Not gonna lie, kind of want to see the Blackhawks with the draft lottery, who doesn’t want to see Bedard+McKenna playing together for the next decade plus?

@MikeBartner Calgary isn't lower because of the new arena, right?

Who the NHL would rig the Lottery for Ranking (among the 11 teams): 1. Leafs 2. Blackhawks 3. Rangers 4. Sharks 5. Jets 6. Canucks 7. Panthers 8. Flames 9. Kraken 10. Predators 11. Blues

@nitwitschool I have never been so invested in ping pong balls.

I know Carels and Malhotra will still position this franchise tremendously, but god damn I'm so nervous!!!!!!

@FlamesNation ... Apparently the Canucks emblem looked like the jackets to me... Nothing to see here....

@FlamesNation That would be pretty sweet, Flames/Jackets going 1/2 in the draft. Like Johnny looking out for us.

🙏 MAKE THIS HAPPEN HOCKEY GODS 🙏

@nitwitschool They probably are anyways. The only way I see them using them all is if they are targeting the Ruck twins.

@nitwitschool Please........... Flames fans have always been faithful through some really tough times. You owe it to us because even you know IT WAS IN.

Please hockey gods. You knocked out the Oilers in round 1. You got our GM to call it a rebuild. All the vets got traded. Our 2024 picks look like stars. We just need McKenna. Come on. Please please please. Let us have nice things for once.

@AzaelOfficial I am sad that Dhokla, one of the best NA success stories in recent years, is being replaced. That said, he hasn't really been very good since lock-in playoffs. My only caution on this move is Revenge. EG was supposed to be good with him. That team also had Inspired.

Castle has spent his whole time in NA on bottom teams and consistently stood out. He is easily one of the best laners in the league, and now has a chance to prove himself on one of the best teams in the region. Will be interesting to see how quickly he gels w/ LYON!

@FlamesNation Florida and San Jose win the lottery, so the rich get richer. Canada gets screwed everywhere, from Toronto losing their pick to Boston to all the Canadian teams moving down. Though I think it would be hilarious if Toronto wins and uses the pick as part of a trade for McDavid.

What is your prediction for the draft lottery tomorrow night?

@EdmOilerlytics With what assets, though? Cupboards are pretty bare for the Oilers.

We saw NYI trade Dobson for picks. I wonder if they are contemplating a full rebuild. There are players on all positions I would pay a premium to have on the Oilers. •Barzal •Sorokin •Pelech

@RingOfFireCGY I like this take. I think that he is the mold of the future 4th line "star", instead of players like Lomberg who bring energy, spunk, and very little else.

The key is to decide what Klapka's role is on the Flames Is he a 4th liner? Is he a top 9 forward? Once they figure that out, they can assign a role to Klapka and they can tell him what exactly they want from him I personally think he can be a good 4th liner for a long time

#Flames Report Cards Adam Klapka: C+ Klapka had an up and down year. He shows glimpses of brilliance when he's able to combine his skill, size and physicality. The guy is a unicorn. But he was wildly inconsistent and there were a lot of games where he wasn't impactful.

@EdmOilerlytics The unfortunate true for the Oilers is that the Nurse contract is very likely what has kept them from winning. That's been the main difference between Edmonton and Florida.

Why is everyone evaluating Nurse like he’s gunna get some positive value back? It will cost a first to shed that contract and that’s the truth.

@RingOfFireCGY I agree. He lived down to our new expectations of him. That said, I always believe that it is important to account for the contract in performance, so I would give him a D+.

I’ll add come context to this. I’m doing these grades based on expectations heading into the 2025-26 season My expectations for Huberdeau were low. The days of him being a high end player in the NHL are over I think he is a 50ish point player Based on that, I gave him a C

@averyspacehall @JasonGregor That's a common misconception about probability. The likelihood is only relevant in predicting the comeback in game 4, or even 5 and 6. Once they got to a tied game state in game 7, the whole probability argument is a false narrative.

@JasonGregor its about the probability of winning 4 in a row. Florida had 4 cracks at closing it out, their odds were far more favourable. The Oilers went up against goliath and failed. The final score doesnt tell the entire story, but I can see why people put a positive spin on it.

Subban saying Edmonton has never been that close to winning… They lost by one goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. You literally can’t get closer than that. Is it too much to ask that National broadcasters know basic facts about teams in the league?

@JasonGregor The only way they could be closer is if IT WAS IN. But yeah I agree. Wild take. Back to back cup finals, claiming they weren't close? For all the flaws with that roster, nobody else was closer the last two years than the winners themselves.

@Kent_Wilson @RyanNPike @FlamesNation Mailbag question here. Wild hypothetical. Say Toronto wins the lottery and McDavid wants a trade. Flames have cap space. Three way trade with Flames, Leafs, and Oilers involving the first overall and McDavid to Leafs. What is the trade framework?

So McDavid requests a trade this summer right?