Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post

Lanny_McDonald · 02-21-2021, 08:15 AM

To make a firing decision you have to look at an individual's whole body of work and where the organization currently stands. Treliving has had a fair shake in being able to guide this team, so the argument of he needs more time doesn't hold water. Seven years seems more than enough to complete a build or rebuild. To determine Mr. Trelving's fate you have to review key areas. Treliving's ability to manage the select personnel, his ability to manage the budget, his ability to manage his player assets and make deals to improve the team, his ability to draft, and his ability to build a development system.

Personnel Selection

Personnel selection has definitely been Treliving's greatest weakness. Coaching staffs have been a weakness of the club since Treliving arrived here, but it has long been a weakness of this team. I believe that a good organization starts with string leadership and management. Treliving has been god awful at picking coaches to lead this team. At a time when good game management is the difference between winning and losing Treliving's coaching decisions have been like spotting the opposition a goal or two a game. Picking a coach is not easy, but there is no way he should have whiffed this many times. Big strike here.

Budget Management

This is a bit of a mixed bag. Treliving has done a very good job at some of the bridge deals he has struck. He's got his best players on very friendly deals. The problem with Treliving is his free agent selections and contracts he negotiates. There have been some good ones like Michael Frolik and Derek Ryan, but they have been offset by Jonas Hiller, Mason Raymond, Troy Brouwer, Chad Johnson, Austin Czarnik and James Neal. This year's free agent signings of Marksrtom and Tanev leave some hope he has learned his lessons, but then the depth signings of Leivo, Simon and Nordstrom just have you going back and scratching your head. The biggest problem is Trelving never recognizing what the team needs and getting it. The Markstrom signing was great and addressed a big need, but the top RW hole has existed for years. How much better would this team be with even Tyler Toffoli with Gaudreau and Monahan? Light years. Another opportunity lost. Overall a very mixed bag. Not a strike, but not a success either.

Asset Management

This is one of Treliving's greatest weaknesses IMO. He just doesn't value the importance of having a good development system and keeping it well stocked, which negatively impacts depth on the team. We should have known when his first move was to trade a 3rd for Brandon Bollig. Since Treliving has taken over he has moved out three 1st round picks, five 2nd round picks, six 3rd round picks, and six picks from the 4th round on. He has managed to bring back zero 1st round picks, five 2nd round picks, four 3rd round picks, and six picks from the 4th round on. That's a net of minus three 1st rounders, even on 2nd rounders, minus two on third rounders, and then even on picks in the later rounds. That's minus five picks in the top half of the draft which is why our system is pretty much a black hole for prospects.

Treliving has been active in the college free agent pool but has not yet found a full time player. Same with the junior or European ranks. In a league where you can't leave any rock unturned there just isn't enough talent being discovered and brought in. This is why there is a depth problem in the organization. Big strike against him here.

Trades

This is the original mixed bag. He's made some good trades, bringing in Hamilton and then turning him into Lindholm and Hanifin (was the squeeze worth the juice in the long run?) but those have been tempered with other moves. In the positive column is Hamilton, Lindholm, Hanifin, Glencross, Baretschi, Hudler, Russell, David Jones, and Alex Chaisson. In the bad column is Michael Stone, Curtis Lazar, Mike Smith, Hamonic, Kulak, Fatenberg, Forbort, Gustafsson, and Milan Lucic. Some good, some bad. While the argument is being made that Lucic is a win because of James Neal, I will argue this a terrible deal because of the immovable salary which acts as an anchor around the team's neck. It can't be stated enough how much better this team would be without that contract. The fact that we are saddled with it is indicative of Treliving not doing his homework. Even though I think this is a fireable move in its own right, there is some good in this body and I will give him a pass.

State of the System

The hockey team is no better than when he took over and the system is much worse. The prospects we have are all longer shot prospects and don't jump out at you as difference makers. They are support quality players. What's worse is the organization is small. The players with NHL size are unskilled. Those with NHL talent are small. It is a poor situation from an organizational perspective. The job of the GM is to make the team better, which he has not done. There are some very solid pieces on the NHL roster that could turn this thing around under someone who knows what the hell he's doing, but there is no help coming from the minors. This is a strike against Treliving.

Bottom Line

Over all Brad Treliving is a reflection of his team, and his team a reflection of Brad Treliving. There is some really good, mixed in with some really bad. The whole organization is "meh." If I am running the team I am having a sit down with Mr. Treliving and let him know about my displeasure and that he is on notice, having three strikes against him and being inclined to fire him. I would say he has two measurable moves to make that will determine his future. He has one more kick at picking a coach and turning this thing around. He has one trade to make to address the current roster. Both will determine his future with the hockey club and in the NHL. Both had better result in betterment of the hockey club or he get's his pink slip at the end of this shortened season and we wash the slate of him and everything he has done. Yes, that will mean full rebuild and a new GM tasked with managing the fire sale. So no pressure. Just get the hiring of a coach right and a trade of a player right, and done in short order, otherwise pack your ####, you're out here.

02-21-2021, 08:15 AM	#137
Lanny_McDonald Franchise Player Join Date: Mar 2013 Exp:	To make a firing decision you have to look at an individual's whole body of work and where the organization currently stands. Treliving has had a fair shake in being able to guide this team, so the argument of he needs more time doesn't hold water. Seven years seems more than enough to complete a build or rebuild. To determine Mr. Trelving's fate you have to review key areas. Treliving's ability to manage the select personnel, his ability to manage the budget, his ability to manage his player assets and make deals to improve the team, his ability to draft, and his ability to build a development system. Personnel Selection Personnel selection has definitely been Treliving's greatest weakness. Coaching staffs have been a weakness of the club since Treliving arrived here, but it has long been a weakness of this team. I believe that a good organization starts with string leadership and management. Treliving has been god awful at picking coaches to lead this team. At a time when good game management is the difference between winning and losing Treliving's coaching decisions have been like spotting the opposition a goal or two a game. Picking a coach is not easy, but there is no way he should have whiffed this many times. Big strike here. Budget Management This is a bit of a mixed bag. Treliving has done a very good job at some of the bridge deals he has struck. He's got his best players on very friendly deals. The problem with Treliving is his free agent selections and contracts he negotiates. There have been some good ones like Michael Frolik and Derek Ryan, but they have been offset by Jonas Hiller, Mason Raymond, Troy Brouwer, Chad Johnson, Austin Czarnik and James Neal. This year's free agent signings of Marksrtom and Tanev leave some hope he has learned his lessons, but then the depth signings of Leivo, Simon and Nordstrom just have you going back and scratching your head. The biggest problem is Trelving never recognizing what the team needs and getting it. The Markstrom signing was great and addressed a big need, but the top RW hole has existed for years. How much better would this team be with even Tyler Toffoli with Gaudreau and Monahan? Light years. Another opportunity lost. Overall a very mixed bag. Not a strike, but not a success either. Asset Management This is one of Treliving's greatest weaknesses IMO. He just doesn't value the importance of having a good development system and keeping it well stocked, which negatively impacts depth on the team. We should have known when his first move was to trade a 3rd for Brandon Bollig. Since Treliving has taken over he has moved out three 1st round picks, five 2nd round picks, six 3rd round picks, and six picks from the 4th round on. He has managed to bring back zero 1st round picks, five 2nd round picks, four 3rd round picks, and six picks from the 4th round on. That's a net of minus three 1st rounders, even on 2nd rounders, minus two on third rounders, and then even on picks in the later rounds. That's minus five picks in the top half of the draft which is why our system is pretty much a black hole for prospects. Treliving has been active in the college free agent pool but has not yet found a full time player. Same with the junior or European ranks. In a league where you can't leave any rock unturned there just isn't enough talent being discovered and brought in. This is why there is a depth problem in the organization. Big strike against him here. Trades This is the original mixed bag. He's made some good trades, bringing in Hamilton and then turning him into Lindholm and Hanifin (was the squeeze worth the juice in the long run?) but those have been tempered with other moves. In the positive column is Hamilton, Lindholm, Hanifin, Glencross, Baretschi, Hudler, Russell, David Jones, and Alex Chaisson. In the bad column is Michael Stone, Curtis Lazar, Mike Smith, Hamonic, Kulak, Fatenberg, Forbort, Gustafsson, and Milan Lucic. Some good, some bad. While the argument is being made that Lucic is a win because of James Neal, I will argue this a terrible deal because of the immovable salary which acts as an anchor around the team's neck. It can't be stated enough how much better this team would be without that contract. The fact that we are saddled with it is indicative of Treliving not doing his homework. Even though I think this is a fireable move in its own right, there is some good in this body and I will give him a pass. State of the System The hockey team is no better than when he took over and the system is much worse. The prospects we have are all longer shot prospects and don't jump out at you as difference makers. They are support quality players. What's worse is the organization is small. The players with NHL size are unskilled. Those with NHL talent are small. It is a poor situation from an organizational perspective. The job of the GM is to make the team better, which he has not done. There are some very solid pieces on the NHL roster that could turn this thing around under someone who knows what the hell he's doing, but there is no help coming from the minors. This is a strike against Treliving. Bottom Line Over all Brad Treliving is a reflection of his team, and his team a reflection of Brad Treliving. There is some really good, mixed in with some really bad. The whole organization is "meh." If I am running the team I am having a sit down with Mr. Treliving and let him know about my displeasure and that he is on notice, having three strikes against him and being inclined to fire him. I would say he has two measurable moves to make that will determine his future. He has one more kick at picking a coach and turning this thing around. He has one trade to make to address the current roster. Both will determine his future with the hockey club and in the NHL. Both had better result in betterment of the hockey club or he get's his pink slip at the end of this shortened season and we wash the slate of him and everything he has done. Yes, that will mean full rebuild and a new GM tasked with managing the fire sale. So no pressure. Just get the hiring of a coach right and a trade of a player right, and done in short order, otherwise pack your ####, you're out here. Last edited by Lanny_McDonald; 02-21-2021 at 08:18 AM.