Whether Calgary signs Weegar to an extension is going to be a good measure of Treliving again, and whether he learns from situations. He nearly burned the team to the ground by misplaying the Gaudreau contract, which he would have been happy to sign before last season started for a reasonable value (less than what was on the table after the season). After Gaudreau bounced he had Tkachuk then decide he wanted out as well. What worked for the Flames advantage there was he had a Tkachuk to trade, and another dopey GM who believed he was getting a generational talent in return and gave up more than anyone else would have. The Flames got exceptionally lucky as they recouped some really good assets because they had something tangible to trade. They then got as lucky in being able to sign Kadri, but having to pay to move Monahan to do so. That was then, this is now.
Treliving is staring down the barrel of the exact same gun. Only this time the outcomes look different. He can sign Weegar to what will likely be a very reasonable long-term extension if rumors are accurate. Or he can somehow let this slide this slide int the season and watch the number grow if the Flames achieve the levels expected. If the contract slides and the Flames have another successful season with Weegar as a main part of that equation the potential to lose him increases. At best the contract numbers increase, likely making him too rich for the Flames' blood. Weegar would position himself to walk, which the Flames don't want and can't afford to have happen. Why would that be? Look at the blueline and the contract situations to figure it out.
The Flames don't have much on the blueline in the development pipeline. It is not like they have multiple players knocking at the door to backfill players as they leave. They also don't have many more trade chips left to play with, so a replay of this past summer is highly unlikely. The best play here is to get the contract done now and keep the team focused on winning rather than the concerns about a repeat of this summer. If Weegar is that Giordano level defenseman, then get him under contract and make the Tkachuk trade a landslide victory once and for all.
|