I don't buy that he falls in love with players either. I think he just saw this team better than what it was.
In Peters' first season, the Flames were the 2nd best regular season team in the NHL - nothing to sneeze at. They ran into an 8th seed that was playing really well. I can understand that you don't want to break-up a team like that with big moves. I mean, imagine if Tampa (the 1st overall team that year) decided to blow it up after they lost in a sweep?
Last year with Dallas, it was frustrating, but they did look good until the wheels fell off. The idea there was that it would have been a different series if the Flames were up 3-1 instead of allowing Dallas to tie it late and then lose it in OT. Dallas did end up going all the way to the finals after all.
This year? Well... there isn't any excuses. I honestly do get that Treliving really couldn't make major moves to a team that looked like it was about to become a legitimate contender. Hindsight is hindsight, but this team looked promising. This season has been awful, and unless they somehow catch fire for the rest of the season, make the playoffs, and do a really lengthy run, I can't imagine that Treliving is going to keep this core intact through the off-season.
That's the only play left now. There is no more 'believing' to be done as they have not given anyone a reason to believe in them all season long. There definitely has been in the past, but it was just a team that was unable to take that step forward, and instead it stumbled. That's what happens sometimes. What is important to do now is to maximize value on players and figure out what kind of a team you want to build here.
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