[Bingo]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Agreed in isolation, but should be but another factor in his evaluation. (trades/drafting/free agency/etc)



Right. But like I suggested, the same GM in that time? no.
https://www.capfriendly.com/buyout-history

Total cap hit in buy outs in the Treliving era for all NHL teams (2014-15 season into the futures)

NYR $60,233,331
MIN $50,605,131
TBL $44,984,845
BUF $39,483,333
PHI $38,855,557
NSH $25,177,778
NYI $24,971,700
CBJ $24,516,667
NJD $24,400,000
EDM $23,183,333
ANA $23,055,555
FLA $22,500,000
CAR $21,833,333
TOR $21,666,667
DET $21,233,333
OTT $20,666,667
SJS $18,800,000
ARI $15,733,333
MTL $15,435,714
VAN $15,033,333
CGY $13,758,333
LAK $11,000,000
COL $9,816,667
BOS $6,866,667
PIT $6,500,000
DAL $5,966,667
CHI $3,791,667
WPG $1,750,000
WSH $916,667
STL $0

20 NHL teams with more buyout dollars spent (cap terms), the average is $20.4M or $19.8M if you include Vegas.

Calgary's buyouts ...

O'Brien, Shane - Inherited
Raymond, Mason - His Signing
Murphy, Ryan - Acquired to Buy Out
Bouma, Lance - His Signing
Brouwer, Troy - His Signing
Stone, Michael - His Signing

All in all Calgary in pretty decent shape on this front.

That's not necessarily a tribute to the GM, as the ownership has to agree to these, so perhaps there would have been more.

But nothing there to suggest he's painted himself into a corner with buyouts compared to most NHL GMs.