The frustration and loss I feel from the Flames missing the playoffs again this year is really being compounded by the chatter around the path ahead. I know this sounds crazy, but I find that a lot of hockey analysis lacks clarity of thought... Anyway, here's some questions for the group:

• If you believe that Jarome Iginla is no longer a true All-Star (and not good enough to be a star forward on a Stanley Cup contender), then in what way would trading him represent the beginning of a tear-down and long, patient, proper rebuild?
• Is it possible to believe both that (a) the current core of players isn't good enough to win with, and (b) gutting the current core means flushing the next season or three away?
• Of the five teams in attendance at Tuesday's draft lottery, how many would you swap rosters entirely with? 
• Let's say the Flames trade Kipper to Tampa for Richard Panik and Mathieu Garon, then trade Jarome to L.A. for Tyler Toffoli and Dwight King. Go with some combination of Ramo, Garon, and Irving in goal, and otherwise make the usual summer-type moves to address weakness and shore up depth. Where would you see them finishing in the standings? If it's 18th overall, do you see that as a problem?
• How many teams in the league would you say do NOT have a Matt Stajan equivalent, as in someone who's an NHL player but untradeable because of too many years left for too much $$?
• If I said I was in favour of the St. Louis Blues' model of rebuild, how would you talk me out of it (if you were so inclined)? If I said I was in favour of the Philadelphia model, how would you talk me out of it (if you were so inclined)?
• How big an obstacle do you see a player's NTC as being? I haven't counted but it does seem that there are a lot more Robyn Regehrs (agree to go to Buffalo(!) on 24 hours notice) than there are guys who veto specific requests.

Most of these questions are not rhetorical; I obviously have my own thoughts, but I'm interested in the discussion. Where I am pretty firm in my convictions:

1) I don't see any problem in trying to improve the team's future while still retaining Jarome Iginla. Rebuilding adjacent to him is not much different than rebuilding around him is not much different than rebuilding without him. Insofar as this represented a chunk of the philosophical difference between Feaster and Brent Sutter, I'm on Feaster's side -- trading Iginla is not a prerequisite for successfully moving forward.


2) I understand the sentiment, and even admire the patience, behind someone like Eric Francis propounding that a team take two steps backward in order to take three forward. Where he loses me, and frankly, goes wrong, is in failing to properly appreciate the difficulty of taking three steps forward, regardless of where you're starting from. Getting better is hard! Getting a LOT better is really hard.

3) I'm thrilled for Kipper that he had a good season. I didn't think it would happen again, and I was wrong. But it's quite possible, bordering on likely, that the Flames could replace him next season and get better goaltending than what he provides next season for his new team. His recent performance, his contract status, and the team need for some young pros (notice I didn't say draft picks) mean that now's the time to trade him. Then he can come back in a few years and receive a hero's welcome when he's honoured as the greatest goalie in team history.