Hockey News looks at the 2019-20 Flames

[Bingo]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/ar...in-three-years

In the summer of 2017, Treliving rolled the dice on 35-year-old stopper Mike Smith, and the blueline additions of Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone gave Calgary a top-rated blueline for the first time since the Stanley Cup title year of 1988-89.

With the Flames playing more of a possession game under coach Glen Gulutzan, and the beefed-up two-way blueline, the expectation is Smith need only supply league average goaltending or better to remain a competitive team capable of winning a playoff round or two. But what sort of reasonable growth is projected from the forward ranks?

[Captaincanada80]

Thing I love most about Treliving. He's a man with a plan, he's ready for next season. The season after. 3years out. Probably 5 years too. This franchise is in great hands as long as he's calling the shots.

[Rick M.]

Interesting speculation, with Janko centering Bennett and Foo.

[Enoch Root]

Pretty knowledgeable article about the Flames

[keenan87]

I would be curious to know what the mood would be next offseason if both Smith and Lack disappoint... I think he is a great GM but should that be the final straw for Treliving?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I would be curious to know what the mood would be next offseason if both Smith and Lack disappoint... I think he is a great GM but should that be the final straw for Treliving?

Well, I don't know how you can fault Trelving if the goaltending fails. He spent his resources appropriately building a top 5 ranked among the best in the league on paper. All those goalies have to do is make a few key saves here and there.

Edit: And I think Mike Smith is going to have a monster season barring any serious injuries.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Well, I don't know how you can fault Trelving if the goaltending fails. He spent his resources appropriately building a top 5 ranked among the best in the league on paper. All those goalies have to do is make a few key saves here and there.

I do agree with that.. but if Smith and Lack fail... he brings in 2 new guys?? At one point does it stop and at what point does someone take the ax for it.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I do agree with that.. but if Smith and Lack fail... he brings in 2 new guys?? At one point does it stop and at what point does someone take the ax for it.

Smith's going to be the Flames guy until his contract is up. He has two seasons .
After that, if the net is still shooter tutor esque, the Trelving will get the ax.

[OutOfTheCube]

Articles like these are basically pointless. Obviously it's impossible to predict trades and drafts and free agency to any reasonably accurate degree, so at that point, why even bother?

This was the roster three years ago:

Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau
Sean Monahan
Dennis Wideman
Mark Giordano
T.J. Brodie
Lance Bouma
Kris Russell
David Jones
Curtis Glencross
Joe Colborne
Mikael Backlund
Josh Jooris
Mason Raymond
Paul Byron
Markus Granlund
Matt Stajan
Deryk Engelland
Micheal Ferland
Brandon Bollig
Raphael Diaz
Sven Baertschi
Drew Shore
Sam Bennett
Emile Poirier
Ladislav Smid
Jonas Hiller
Corban Knight
Brett Kulak
Brian McGrattan
Joni Ortio
Corey Potter
John Ramage
Karri Ramo
Max Reinhart
David Schlemko
Devin Setoguchi
David Wolf
Tyler Wotherspoon

That's an almost 80% turn-over! In 3 years.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I would be curious to know what the mood would be next offseason if both Smith and Lack disappoint... I think he is a great GM but should that be the final straw for Treliving?

It baffles me that this narrative has any life.

Treliving supposedly 'failed' with the goaltending, yet somehow his teams have made the playoffs 2 out of 3 seasons while rebuilding.

He inherited a rebuilding team with zero good, quality NHL starting goalies and a pipeline with only a 19 year old college guy in it who had/has any chance of being decent down the road.

Yet as mentioned, they've made the playoffs 2/3 years and hosted 8 (IIRC?) home playoff games in that time. Seems so odd to twist that into some sort of 'failure' on his part.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I would be curious to know what the mood would be next offseason if both Smith and Lack disappoint... I think he is a great GM but should that be the final straw for Treliving?

Why would someone you think to be a great GM get the ax?

The hockey world liked the Elliott move a lot, the Smith move is getting mixed reviews, but mostly positive based on the fact that he is cost shared, and has done the work, and is getting a solid d core.

The only mistake that I've seen Treliving make with goaltending was trying to get cute with asset management by signing Ramo before getting a firm deal done to move Hiller. I think he thought he had a deal for Hiller and was going to move him for a third or something but it fell through.

[GioforPM]

Treliving's "failures" on goalie signings have largely been seen as good moves when they happened. Both the Hiller and Elliott and even Johnson signings were met with reactions like "good goalie, good price, good term" at the time by most analysts.

Why would the fact that a stopgap goalie signing like Smith doesn't work out (whatever that means) be the "last straw" for a guy who has done a ton of great work in other areas. Defence has become a strength where it was once a weakness. Centre has become a strength where it was once a weakness. Treliving has a strategy. POs in 2 out of 3 years (and ousted by a pretty strong Ducks team both times).

[Imported_Aussie]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Articles like these are basically pointless. Obviously it's impossible to predict trades and drafts and free agency to any reasonably accurate degree, so at that point, why even bother?

This was the roster three years ago:

Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau
Sean Monahan
Dennis Wideman
Mark Giordano
T.J. Brodie
Lance Bouma
Kris Russell
David Jones
Curtis Glencross
Joe Colborne
Mikael Backlund
Josh Jooris
Mason Raymond
Paul Byron
Markus Granlund
Matt Stajan
Deryk Engelland
Micheal Ferland
Brandon Bollig
Raphael Diaz
Sven Baertschi
Drew Shore
Sam Bennett
Emile Poirier
Ladislav Smid
Jonas Hiller
Corban Knight
Brett Kulak
Brian McGrattan
Joni Ortio
Corey Potter
John Ramage
Karri Ramo
Max Reinhart
David Schlemko
Devin Setoguchi
David Wolf
Tyler Wotherspoon

That's an almost 80% turn-over! In 3 years.

The difference here is that there are more players signed to cover that next 3 year term or guys with RFA years in that time who are developing well.

How many of the above fit that description, and are not here now? Bollig being buried is one, Granlund and Baertschi are the others (but traded for an asset in Shinkaruk and pick turning into Andersson). But most of those other players were on expiring deals or were not on a strong development trajectory

So while you can't take what they are presenting as 100% how the team will be, there are a lot more pieces locked into the plans now than before when the roster was being positioned to turn over

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I do agree with that.. but if Smith and Lack fail... he brings in 2 new guys?? At one point does it stop and at what point does someone take the ax for it.

GM is ultimately responsible for product on the ice. If the goalies play well, and team performs then Treliving rightfully will earn praise. If the goalies are bad and team misses the playoffs, then I'd expect him to be on the hot seat.

Isn't that how we want it? Winning the offseason doesn't mean much.

[FBI]

Loved the article slightly below as well about a 2016 redraft. Parsons up to #20. Tkachuk up to#3.

[Iniggywetrust]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Articles like these are basically pointless. Obviously it's impossible to predict trades and drafts and free agency to any reasonably accurate degree, so at that point, why even bother?

This was the roster three years ago:

Jiri Hudler
Johnny Gaudreau
Sean Monahan
Dennis Wideman
Mark Giordano
T.J. Brodie
Lance Bouma
Kris Russell
David Jones
Curtis Glencross
Joe Colborne
Mikael Backlund
Josh Jooris
Mason Raymond
Paul Byron
Markus Granlund
Matt Stajan
Deryk Engelland
Micheal Ferland
Brandon Bollig
Raphael Diaz
Sven Baertschi
Drew Shore
Sam Bennett
Emile Poirier
Ladislav Smid
Jonas Hiller
Corban Knight
Brett Kulak
Brian McGrattan
Joni Ortio
Corey Potter
John Ramage
Karri Ramo
Max Reinhart
David Schlemko
Devin Setoguchi
David Wolf
Tyler Wotherspoon

That's an almost 80% turn-over! In 3 years.

Completely agree. So many things can happen. Drafts picks making the team in year 1, another expansion draft, career ending injuries, trades. You can't just look at th or current roster and farm system and project the roles.

Hell even PTO's to unsigned vets can change things. No one would have looked back 3 years and thought Versteeg
Would be in our top 9.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by FBI

Loved the article slightly below as well about a 2016 redraft. Parsons up to #20. Tkachuk up to#3.

Couldn't find it - would you mind providing a link?

[Plaedo]

Originally Posted by Iniggywetrust

Completely agree. So many things can happen. Drafts picks making the team in year 1, another expansion draft, career ending injuries, trades. You can't just look at th or current roster and farm system and project the roles.

Hell even PTO's to unsigned vets can change things. No one would have looked back 3 years and thought Versteeg
Would be in our top 9.

People have to remember that articles like this are made for the off-season, since the off-season is all about projections after all, isn't it?
For me, this article is about projecting the potential skeleton, or backbone, of the team going forward a few years. Of course things can change, but even if the GM did nothing, it is very likely that there would be a good backbone in place.

[Dan403]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I would be curious to know what the mood would be next offseason if both Smith and Lack disappoint... I think he is a great GM but should that be the final straw for Treliving?

FFS. No. Just No.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by FBI

Loved the article slightly below as well about a 2016 redraft. Parsons up to #20. Tkachuk up to#3.

Juolevi 13. LOL.