Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
I guess it depends more on how you square expectations with reality, then.
Execution from both a player side and a management side is heavily reliant on luck. Not everything can just be willed to be. With players, it's bounces and other players. What's the puck doing, what's everyone else doing. You can play your game to 100% and nobody can ask more of you, but that doesn't mean you're going to lead the league in scoring or post 20 shutouts.
On the management side, it's players, agents, and other GMs. You can't will everything to happen. You can expect that Kadri might not waive, just as a player might expect another player might not pass, but you just put yourself in the right position and act accordingly. Treliving has proven he puts himself in the right position, at least more often than not. What's going on behind the scenes? We want all-star coaches, do any of them even want to come here? We want to trade Gaudreau for a bag of riches, does anyone want to offer that up? I think as fans, we're probably 80% ignorant of what it takes to build a team and how much it depends on everyone else and everything going right. You look at the trade proposals here, the pining for every 'name' coach, etc (I do it to) but most of it looks like NHL 20 stuff, not real life.
End of the day, though, you're right. Execution does matter. After years of failing to execute, you're going to find yourself out of a job (player or management). But recognizing the context, the effort, or the underlying numbers aren't "excuses." They're what gives you an accurate picture.
You do that for Bennett (a chronic under-producer, but you and I agree he has great underlying stats and benefits from the right situations which he hasn't had), so why not Treliving?
|
Definitely, it's all very complicated and the GM spot is a very difficult role. I'm not taking a negative path on my assessment of Tree, I just don't think he should necessarily be commended for effort on this almost trade or that almost trade. It's also likely he's had 10 or more almost trades in the last two years we haven't heard about.
I just really do view him the same as our team right now. They're both good, but they're both failing to execute when it really matters. I'm hopeful that the dam is about to burst open on both fronts.
This will be a cool off-season, I'm excited to see how it plays out.
Also, yeah - Calgary isn't the easiest market to be a GM. The fact that we've been on numerous NTC lists and have had numerous failed deals because of them (Kadri, Edler, Simmonds all rumoured to have said no in the last 18 months) also hammers home why I really want this team to sign Taylor Hall. If a talent like that actually is open to signing here, it's big for the team.