[sureLoss]

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What the heck is taking so long?

“The only thing with Lance is we haven’t agreed to a number yet,” Treliving assured. “We’ll continue to work away at it. We’ve still got time before training camp opens and we’re hopeful we’ll get something done but as of yet, we haven’t. That’s where that’s at.”

The Flames have just under $17.3 million in cap space — plenty of room to sign the 24-year-old farm boy from Provost, Alta., who finished tied with Ryan Getzlaf for the second-most blocked shots (89) in the league among forwards.

Bouma showed considerable improvement in 2013-14, establishing himself as a physical presence on the fourth line in front of the net in 78 games, the most in his three-year NHL career with the Flames.

“Hey, I know who Lance is,” Treliving said of the former Vancouver Giants captain. “Not only last year but following him all the way to his junior career in Vancouver. He took a step forward last year and we hope and expect him to take another one (this year). This part is the business part.

“We like Lance, but now it’s getting something both sides are comfortable with. So far, we haven’t been able to do that and we’ll continue to do that.”