Beyond the 'rebiggle': Is Conroy building a sustainable contender?

The NHL Draft Lottery is just about a month away, which means it is nearly time for Calgary Flames fans to exhale. Sam Bennet going fourth overall in 2014 may no longer be the highest draft pick in franchise history. There is a real chance the Flames land within the top three to five picks, landing a franchise-altering player. This is an opportunity for the bigger picture in Calgary to come more into focus. The Flames have great building blocks with players like Dustin Wolf, Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin, and prospects like Ethan Wyttenbach. All of that to say, they are your starting point. Craig Conroy must find a way to secure more high-end scoring talent. There must be a true first line established for Calgary to find success.

Identifying Key Players

Craig Conroy accepted this General Manager position knowing what he was walking into. There was no quick fix for a decade-plus-long problem. Things needed to change fundamentally for there to be any movement toward success. There has been a shift in the acceptance of rebuilding. Trading Nazem Kadri and Mackenzie Weegar solidified that Conroy is willing to do whatever makes the most sense for long-term success. It’s not a win and get in mentality. There is a method to his madness.

Through Conroy’s strategy, he has been able to amass significant draft capital and restock the prospect pool. Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin are both 2024 first-round draft picks, making their way through the Flames system.

Not rushing Parekh

Parekh is a right-shot defenceman with an elite offensive touch to his game and standout playmaking skills. Parekh is very much in the early stages of his NHL development, and the Flames don’t need to rush. Due to AHL eligibility rules, Parekh couldn’t spend time with the Calgary Wranglers outside of his conditioning stint. It was either the NHL or OHL for the 19-year-old, and the Flames made the right choice. After this season, there will be more flexibility with his development. Being assigned to the AHL should not be seen as a punishment but rather a stepping stone. NHL stars like Patrice Bergeron and Mikko Rantanen spent time in the AHL before finding success in the show. Everyone’s development is different. Thankfully, the Flames seem to understand that.

Gridin gets ’em going

Gridin is a promising young forward whose playmaking abilities have found him success early on. His time spent with Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato has shown signs of promise. The speed, skill and scoring have fans feeling hopeful. Before being called up to the Flames, Gridin found his stride with the Wranglers. He tallied 10 goals and 30 points within 37 games.

The Flames have time on their side. How much time is up to them.

Dustin Wolf is the backbone of your team. The Flames finally found their guy. The Flames saw the potential in him through his time in the AHL as well as his Calder finalist-worthy season, Wolf and the Flames agreed to a 7-year extension.

While Wolf has struggled this season, there is no reason to believe this is who Wolf will be long-term. Goalies take time to hit their prime, and given the position the Flames are currently in, that’s a very good thing.

Waiting in the wings

Ethan Wyttenbach’s freshman season with Quinnipiac University is drawing comparisons to none other than Johnny Gaudreau.