[Sylvanfan]

I don't think the Flames signed players like Raymond, and Jagr to add grit and truculence. In fact of the guys the Flames spent money on back on July 1st 2014, the gritty and truculent and "slow" Deryk Engelland is the one who's still in the NHL.

The Free agent adds that the Flames have gone after in Treliving's tenure have generally not worked out. Although Brouwer largely skews that one..and if he wakes up this coming year and has two really good years...could still turn it around. But that's free agency for you. Very few of the guys you sign deliver good value for what they're paid. It's when a non playoff team signs a Vanek, let's him play a lot, and than raffles him off at the deadline where a team makes a profit in free agency.

If I have one criticism for the Flames Management during Treliving's tenure it's that they spent too many picks to go after Stone, Elliott, Smith, and Hamonic given where they were in the rebuild at the time. Even the Hamilton move could be assessed as jumping the gun, although given the opportunity presented, you can see why they made the move.