I don't see anything wrong with saying this is Treliving's team now - has been since he was hired as the GM. It is his responsibility to build a team - and that includes standing pat. A former or different GM might have made more moves. Making or not making moves is in large measure what Treliving is paid for.
There is nothing wrong with saying that Treliving's team includes big pieces from Sutter's and Feaster's teams either - they both deserve their fair share of credit.
I look at Sutter taking over the GM duties on April 11, 2003. There was a tonne of pieces left from Craig Button's team (obviously, as Sutter didn't conduct a firesale and jettison every player). Would Button have made those moves that Sutter made and turned the Flames into a Stanley Cup Winner*? Maybe he would have made some, maybe he would have made different moves - point is it was Darryl that took the team over, identified who he wanted to retain, identified who he deemed expendable, and identified who he wished to acquire. Does Button (and Coates, btw) deserve any accolades from the '04 run? Of course they do - but it was Sutter's team.
I guess I am being a bit literal with my interpretations as to whose' team this is.
The one area that I find it difficult to judge for a GM is in regards to drafting. Rarely does a GM get hired and feels he should fire the entire scouting staff and replace them all with guys he knows and trusts already. Takes a few years I imagine for that to work out, and by that time the GM may no longer be employed.
This is without question the team that Treliving built, regardless of how many pieces he inherited.
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