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Originally Posted by The Original FFIV
Except it flies in the face of 'always earned, never given.'
If Granlund earned the spot over Raymond so be it and contract status/waiver eligibility be damned.
That being said I would prefer Granlund play instead of sit, which has to factor into the final roster decision. I would also prefer that Raymond be off the NHL roster and I truly hope that Treliving is working on a deal and this is the reason Granlund hasn't been sent down.
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Not picking on your specific remarks, but just generally commenting on this idea that cutting players now because of the flexibility in their circumstances somehow flies in the face of the team's mantra and undermines what has been built here.
We're not privy to the conversations between the staff and the players. I find it highly, highly unlikely that any player who is cut goes in and asks the coaches "But I thought I earned a spot, why wasn't a given one?" isn't given an explanation.
We got a sense of what the conversation might have been like between the staff and Wotherspoon - a spot wasn't earned. We can guess what the conversation was like between Treliving and Wilson - a spot wasn't earned.
Who's to say the coaches haven't told Granlund and Treliving "As far as we're concerned, you've earned a spot". Only for Treliving to respond along the lines that while he agrees, the team is also a business with constraints and circumstances that have to be balanced. Which could include assessing players who are on the roster now because of inflexible circumstances such as waiver eligibility, or trade discussions that are pending with other teams, or the team's reluctance to pay NHL salaries to players in the AHL, or a host of other possible things.
If Granlund is assigned before the season starts, it doesn't mean the Flames have abandoned the rebuild, or spit on the mantra, or ruined a young player, or been two faced. It means a deadline has passed, and the team is exercising an option that gives it the most flexibility and the most options going forward. Treliving has stated publicly that he considers having more options is preferable to having fewer options. And this situation may play out like it did last season, when Jooris was assigned after a fantastic camp because he was waiver exempt. The team took some time and tried Setoguchi out in a variety of spots, and likely shopped around the league to drum up interest in him, before finally abandoning him and calling Jooris up to take the spot he had earned.
Within 2-3 weeks, Brodie could return. Within two weeks from there, Colborne could be ready. Smid might even be back in that 4-5 week timetable for all I know. And the coaches have gone on record that running a roster with three goalies is, at best, problematic and disruptive. There's already a ticking clock on moves and decisions that have to be made, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if making room for Granlund and/or Kulak is weighing on those decisions.
Barring further injuries that might alter the current dynamic, I wouldn't be surprised if one of Kulak or Granlund isn't either still on the team or returning to the team. They might not be in Wednesday's line-up. But they'll be around this season.