Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Why? He will likely be better in the 2nd year of the deal. If it was a 4 year deal then maybe you could look at it as a mistake but I feel confident he will be a better player next year for this team as I subscribe to the adage that it sometimes takes a player a year to feel comfortable on a new team. Guys like Hudler and Russell have got better every season for the Flames as they have become more comfortable.
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A two year deal would have given Treliving more options IMO. If he works out, great, you can look at resigning him after the 2nd year. If he doesn't, then he becomes trade bait in the 2nd year on an expiring deal. But right now I think the Flames will be stuck with him next year regardless while there are several players on the farm that are ready to take his roster spot. Raymond has had more than enough time to get comfortable with the team but has managed to play worse as the season has progressed
I don't blame Treliving for the signing, at the time it was a good move to make. But he had to have known that in a couple of years he'd have guys like Gaudreau and Bennett on the team with maybe a couple of other guys from the farm club making the jump, so why give Raymond that extra year? This is a guy that only last season had to go to the Leafs on a tryout before getting a contract, the demand couldn't have been that high