Dreger: Early success won't shift Flames' philosophy

Darren Dreger was on TSN 1200 Friday afternoon.

On the Calgary Flames, and if they could become a buyer if the early success were to be sustained:

“I don’t think they’ll be a buyer, Ian, unless the pieces that they’re buying are age-appropriate.

“I talked to Brian Burke earlier today and he acknowledged that. In his mind, the philosophy of this organization hasn’t shifted. Maybe the expectation from the fan base or from those around – the outsiders of the National Hockey League have changed because of how Calgary has started this season the season in the Western Conference.

“But typical Brian Burke, he wants to expedite the process. Not to a point where they’re going to move good young assets out to bring in players who may be better on the short term. No, no, no. That’s not what we’re talking about. They’re interested in hockey moves. They’re interested in taking on dollars if necessary to bring a player in, that sort of thing, for a premium. There’s got to be longer-term return for them to do that.

“But he also soundly believes, and he always has, that you can go through a rebuild without it being absolutely jaw-dropping painful. You can still have players in camp and on the team at the NHL level who are willing to do what is necessary to compete game in and game out.

“If that is a philosophy that everyone is buying into as a team, then you know what? You’re going to be entertaining. And it’s a small sample size in Calgary. I get that. But for the most part, that’s the philosophy they’re adhering to. So there’s growing pains ahead, but it doesn’t look like they’re going to shift too far off the path.

Source: TSN 1200/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey