One thing that I liked that he said was being careful of not making a trade for the sake of a trade, and capitulating under the pressure to do so - that it usually leads to making your team worse, not better.
How many GMs do you see that try and save themselves by making poor trades? I am sure that Treliving feels the heat, and because of that, I am eager to see the changes/cringing at what they may be. However, I am glad that he is very cognizant of not making the team worse.
6 years of wheel spinning is tough on everyone, however. There is no guarantee that your rebuild will be successful enough to win a cup, but IMO it is considered a failure if you don't at least build a contender. These team looked like it was going to be a contender, but that never transpired.
Now, I also think that coaching has been an obstacle for this team. I look at the roster, and I don't know if I see a contender - was the team that finished 2nd overall in the regular season the outlier? I think so, but I also do think that this is a talented squad.
I am ok with blowing it to smithereens and kick-starting a rebuild - I think with the new arena, the timeline can fit that, and with the Covid-19 economic fallout, I think it also would make financial sense for the owners to do it now.
However, I am also fully on-board with getting a reputable, experienced and proven coach to come in here and try to make the most of this team. I don't believe for a second that you can't win with Gaudreau and Monahan, and I do think this team is a lot better than their playoff record (or even just their record of actually making the playoffs!).
I am ok with one more season of this core - hopefully including Hall (I was against bringing him in, but I do think having another scoring line will provide the new coach with more options, and drive opposing teams nuts in coverage and line-matching) - as long as there is a new and experienced coach. If it fails - so be it.
It has been ages since Calgary has had this skilled of a team. When was the last time? The 80's? Arguably the late 2000's with Iginla, Tanguay, Huselius, Langkow, Jokinen, Bertuzzi, Bourque, Regher, Phaneuf (the good version!), Kiprusoff, Glencross, Sarich... Ok, well, the most talented team in 11 years, but then you have to go all the way back to the late 80's/early 90's.
So you get a team this good only once every decade it seems in Calgary, so I am willing to do whatever it takes this upcoming season to see if it is even worth continuing to massage the roster, or tear it down. I am ok with either, as long as you bring in a coach with an actual good CV. Please verify the CV, and do the appropriate reference checks!
If you do a rebuild, please have the patience this time around. I do think that this is more and more of a young man's league, and these prospects seem to be coming onto rosters with more of an impact than ever before, but don't get too excited and start making trades/signings thinking that you are close to being a contender. Take your time, keep adding talent through the draft, and when you have too much, make appropriate trades and signings to maximize the core, hopefully not having to add to the core.
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