I get the frustration that fans have with Treliving, but I have long maintained that it is shortsighted. Without getting into it, I think that five years is an impossibly short window in which to build a team—it only works if everything goes exactly right. I think Treliving's situation is then complicated by the fact that this he was a first-time GM when he was hired in Calgary. Like in any job, it takes time to learn, and I think at the time that most people were happy to see Treliving forge his craft with a rebuilding team. Unfortunately, the unexpectedly good on-ice results in his first year on the job altered the mandate from his employers, and it probably convinced him to push forward prematurely.
He has certainly made mistakes—the most glaring of which has been his coaching selections. But at this point I find myself much more comfortable with Treliving continuing at the helm than I am with his likely replacement. Something I have always appreciated about Treliving is a willingness to own his own mistakes, and to work hard to correct them. I think that he understands what is wrong with the group, but for a variety of reasons—several of which are beyond his control—has been unable to see that through. I would prefer to see him continue to work towards playing out this group, and I am intrigued at the prospect of how he would handle a proper rebuild, in view of the mistakes that he made the first time around.
For those who are eager to see Treliving dismissed, I would ask what you expect to happen as a result? Because I am quite certain that his replacement would not be an improvement. Most likely, he would be another rookie GM learning on the job, and making mistakes along the way. The Flames have invested in Treliving as much as they have in anyone; I think there is some value in seeing how the return on that investment plays out in the long run.
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