Well, not surprised (but still happy) to hear that Treliving is 'angry' about this season. He should be. Every person in this organization should be, as are us fans (more or less).
It was such a disappointing season after the much hyped "100 point team" statements thrown around at the start of it. That's good that people are angry. Now time to calm down, talk a breather, and make some changes.
As for emotion and 'hate to lose' - there isn't a single person on this forum that can tell who does and who doesn't hate to lose. The only person I can definitively say 'hates to lose' is probably Tkachuk, and only because I remember him specifically stating to the media something like: "we have to figure out if we want to be a playoff team or we don't". Nobody enjoys losing. NOBODY. It is just that not everyone rises to the occasion to gather themselves and give that much more.
At any rate, I have always felt that the leader of a team is always the coach. The never quit '04 team was led not by Iginla, but by Sutter. The 'surprise' team a few seasons ago was led by Hartley, not Giordano. Those two teams had no quit in them and would just find a way to get the job done.
If Treliving really believes that this team needs more emotion, it has to start at the coaching position, then work down. If everything regarding Hartley was indeed true, and he was simply 'too hard' and the players - mostly the vets - disliked playing for him, then this makes everything really interesting. Gulutzan was a 'player's coach' that players enjoyed playing for by all accounts. Treliving listened to the players and replaced a 'too abrasive' coach with what they wanted - more of a player's coach. I would LOVE to be a fly on the wall when these same vets have their meetings with Treliving.
The first batch of players I would look to trade were the ones that didn't want to play for Hartley, but then didn't seem to play as hard under Gulutzan - whomever they might be (and nobody knows). To have Gulutzan call out his vets during that stick-throwing incident was really telling for me.
Also, good on Treliving to show class. Regardless of what he thinks right now, or who he holds responsible right now, you don't go to the media with it. I think he was very careful not to throw Hartley under the bus when he made the change. I think he will do the same with Gulutzan. I cringed when Feaster threw Modin under the bus (broken down Modin), or when he threw Darryl Sutter under the bus (with Ken King) in a Flames' season ticket holder event.
You never throw anyone under the bus that left an organization. You can call out someone in the media that is under contract - that's fine, but can be a slippery slope. Once you start throwing people under the bus that you are going to trade or fire, suddenly you become a classless franchise that has trouble attracting top talent.
This off-season is going to be very intriguing, with a tonne of rumors and speculation. This is going to be interesting. As far as what Treliving spoke about - I think he showed both a healthy amount of emotion but did it in a respectable manner. No surprises, but I am strangely relieved to hear that he is angry.
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