I think Treliving has to look at this coaching decision as if he had a completely clean slate. Ward didn't earn the head coaching position, circumstances put him there. Treliving has to ask himself, out of all coaching possibilities out there, would Ward be the one to hire if the Flames didn't have a coach right now?
If he's the guy you'd hire if you had an open spot right now, fine, keep him on. But if he's not, you can't keep him on just because of circumstance and some kudos from the players.
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