Does Treliving accomplish the needs we needed at the start of last season? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

hockey.modern · 08-03-2015, 07:57 PM

What were people saying we needed at the beginning of last year, and did Treliving accomplish it?

jayswin · 08-03-2015, 08:04 PM

Yep, Hamilton alone means he surpassed our needs, imo. If he would have signed Cody Franson or some other top 4 D man and signed Frolik, it would have been hailed as a really solid off season and we'd be saying our needs were filled as best as you can without wasting cap space needed for Bennett/Monahan/Gaudreau.

But the fact we got Hamilton...for no roster players......and at 5.75 per year? Yep, the needs....they've been accomplished.

Vinny01 · 08-03-2015, 08:22 PM

The Hamilton trade is the steal of the offseason. Trelving went out and added the exact player we needed to add to our core. The Flames have 2 centers from the 2013 and 2014 draft that have elite potential (heck Monahan is already there). Gaudreau has the makings of an elite winger. While Brodie is already a top tier guy at 25 getting Hamilton who has franchise potential for a mid first and 2 mid seconds was insane

Frolik also was a very nice pickup and is a utility player that hopefully can top 50pts next year.

Depending on the Flames moves I thought we were due for regression but after the additions of Hamilton, and Frolik (adding a full year of Bennett and healthy Gio) I think the Flames are going to be a very good team and a playoff team for sure

Vulcan · 08-03-2015, 08:23 PM

Pretty much but I would still like a real #1 goalie that Ortio could back up. On the other hand maybe Ramo can still be that guy.

sempuki · 08-03-2015, 08:30 PM

Did you mean to say
"Has Treliving met this team's needs for the start of next season?"

CroFlames · 08-03-2015, 09:41 PM

I'd say only the goalie situation needs to be dealt with. The D corps is set.

The forward group will take another year IMO to weed out the pretenders and for BT to fill in the holes.

Anduril · 08-03-2015, 09:54 PM

Arguably the biggest concern is adding to the future of the blueline without taking away from our current players, with specific needs like a potential top 3 guy, RH, etc.
A reasonable expectation was getting a stopgap guy or maybe a Franson who could potentially be part of the future as we looked to the draft for adding to the future and depth.

Finding another top 6 forward? Another potential hole but not necessarily a big deal. Check marked with a great two way guy who fits in the age and culture.

Strange Brew · 08-03-2015, 10:30 PM

Securing Hamilton was a home run. Getting players of his quality and age at a critical position is just so hard to do. That alone gives Treliving an A for the offseason in my books.

Adding Frolic as a UFA will be helpful as he is a quality player. But I am not prepared to give any GM a high grade for winning a bidding war for a UFA on July 1. The Flames essentially were prepared to pay more than any other team in the league. I know we heard the usual "it wasn't about the money" or "there were higher offers" but I am skeptical. So let's hope Frolic can play up to his new fat contract.

Did nothing with the goalie position but I like that he kept total flexibility there.

Biggest disappointment is that Flames lost all salary cap flexibility that they previously enjoyed. Not all the bad salaries are Treliving's fault, but he has yet to do anything about them either.

The Flames are acting like a team looking to make a deep run this year.

Wolven · 08-03-2015, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I'd say only the goalie situation needs to be dealt with. The D corps is set.

The forward group will take another year IMO to weed out the pretenders and for BT to fill in the holes.

I would echo this statement. The roster is pretty much good to go for the start of the season. All that is left is to find out which of the young guys are going to steal a job from a vet. Specifically Ortio. I don't think he will make it past waivers after what he showe d in the nhl last season.

I still check the Hamilton thread once in a while to confirm it wasn't a mass hallucination. Such a perfect trade to acquire a RD with top pairing ability who at 22 is essentially both a proven roster player and a prospect. Otherwise we were looking at signing a vet and waiting 3-4 years for our new d prospects to develop.

Itse · 08-04-2015, 03:14 AM

We have a lot of money tied to what probably will again sum up to be rather average goaltending. Other than that, yeah, I feel pretty good about where we are now.

IMO the first really big chance to screw things up is still to come though. There's the Giordano signing, handling of Hudler and signing of Monahan and Gaudreau. Big decisions, and lots of smaller ones too, as cap space starts becoming an issue.

T@T · 08-04-2015, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Securing Hamilton was a home run. Getting players of his quality and age at a critical position is just so hard to do. That alone gives Treliving an A for the offseason in my books.

Adding Frolic as a UFA will be helpful as he is a quality player. But I am not prepared to give any GM a high grade for winning a bidding war for a UFA on July 1. The Flames essentially were prepared to pay more than any other team in the league. I know we heard the usual "it wasn't about the money" or "there were higher offers" but I am skeptical. So let's hope Frolic can play up to his new fat contract.

Did nothing with the goalie position but I like that he kept total flexibility there.

Biggest disappointment is that Flames lost all salary cap flexibility that they previously enjoyed. Not all the bad salaries are Treliving's fault, but he has yet to do anything about them either.

The Flames are acting like a team looking to make a deep run this year.

I could make a long list of players that are more expensive and not as good as Frolik right now and going forward. Frolik is a very good PK'er , and if you take out Chicago where he was 3rd or 4th fiddle for RW (Kane,Hossa for sure) his offence is very good. when played in top 6-9 in Florida and Winnipeg he has 5 consistent 40+ point seasons which would have been good for 4th on the flames for forwards last year. plus he's only 27 years old.

I would take his $4.3m over anything 31 year old Glencross wanted, I actually think he came a little cheap, I thought up to $5m would be ok.

T@T · 08-04-2015, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itse

We have a lot of money tied to what probably will again sum up to be rather average goaltending. Other than that, yeah, I feel pretty good about where we are now.

IMO the first really big chance to screw things up is still to come though. There's the Giordano signing, handling of Hudler and signing of Monahan and Gaudreau. Big decisions, and lots of smaller ones too, as cap space starts becoming an issue.

yeah, If they keep Hiller I'm a little perplexed, they gave Ortio a one way this year for a reason, re-sighing Ramo shows they don't trust Hiller or Ortio.

Take your pick...mines Hiller

bubbsy · 08-04-2015, 05:11 AM

Offsets on looks great except for the 3 goalie situation.

Am hopeful that gets resolved before the season starts.

Vinny01 · 08-04-2015, 06:56 AM

At least after this season Hiller, Ramo, Jones all come off the books which is over $12M right there. The following summer Engellend, Raymond, Wideman come off the books.

I don't know if the Flames will have the cash to keep both Hudler and Russell after this season but as long as the core of Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, Hamilton, Brodie, Giordano is kept in place I will be happy

Strange Brew · 08-04-2015, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T@T

I could make a long list of players that are more expensive and not as good as Frolik right now and going forward. Frolik is a very good PK'er , and if you take out Chicago where he was 3rd or 4th fiddle for RW (Kane,Hossa for sure) his offence is very good. when played in top 6-9 in Florida and Winnipeg he has 5 consistent 40+ point seasons which would have been good for 4th on the flames for forwards last year. plus he's only 27 years old.

I would take his $4.3m over anything 31 year old Glencross wanted, I actually think he came a little cheap, I thought up to $5m would be ok.

I like the enthusiasm for Frolik and I am certainly not totally against the signing. But at this money and term, he absolutely has to be in your top 6. No doubt he is in that group for the Flames but I am not certain he plays top 6 for a championship team.

Bingo · 08-04-2015, 07:34 AM

Clearly the man exceeded all expectations in what he's managed to get done this summer. The Hamilton trade was stunning, his signing almost equally so. Frolik was the guy we all wanted (when does that happen?).

Didn't love the Bouma contract, but I'm fully aware that he doesn't need to score 16 three straight years to make that a good contact.

Curious to see how he handles three different gluts;

1) the goaltending. Great asset management if he can get a third out of Hiller, keep the younger and better Ramo in the fold and promote Ortio. Bad asset management if he loses Ortio on waivers.

2) 18 forwards coming to camp that have a good case to be here. Competition is great, but that's a lot of bodies to sort out.

3) Prospects. He made a move with Reinhart, and these will be key as the Flames can't possibly progress that many interesting bodies through the system. The Flames ability to pick the right half of these guys will be the make or break between a decade of good hockey and an iffy peak.

and now the controversial one ... curious on Hudler. I'll be pretty pumped if he does one of two things soon.

1) Get Hudler on a short term team discount (don't blame Hudler for not doing this)
2) move him soon for young players, picks to keep bolstering a rebuild

Moves like this separate the GMs that are trying to save their jobs from the ones that have the confidence to act like they are here for a generation.

Vinny01 · 08-04-2015, 08:30 AM

It will be interesting to see what happens with both Gio and Hudler. Obviously Gio is a top priority to retain but Brad has proven to be a very smart hockey mind and I am Notnsure he is ready to hand out the term and $ that the Gio camp will want. Picking up Dougie also relieves the absolute need to retain Gio at all costs.

Hudler is a great player and leader like Gio but 2 guys that are 32 this year will likely want huge money and term. Treliving knows he has to sign Johnny, and Monahan next summer and those players could command $7+M per. Our youth is the most important pieces we need to retain. I am interested to see how Hudler and Gio are handled moving forward. I think Gio is re-signed but Hudler could prove himself off the team

ricardodw · 08-04-2015, 08:53 AM

This is the year... All of last years playoff team with Hamilton, Gio and Frolik added.

Frolik for the Hudler replacement is a long reach. He was put on the Jets top lines due to injuries and was an adequate but not a solid top-6 guy. Stafford stepped up a heck of a lot more with his opportunity.

Frolik sort of fits into the mold of Stempniak.... a lineup filler. I don't think it will be very long before he, similar to Mason Raymond, will have his ice time and spot in the hierarchy challenged from the prospect pool... (Arnold, Jooris, Poirier, Ferland and Klimchuck) It is hard to imagine that he will be given more opportunity with the Flames than he had with the Jets.

I would have rather had the Cap room to keep Russell and one of Wideman and Hudler.

The biggest hole was not the need for a top 4 d-man. The Flames had 4 of the best in the league last year.

However getting Hamilton really filled the defensive depth and youth hole better than any other option I can imagine.

The Flames still need a couple of young #5/6 that could step up in a few year. Flames Management clearly recognized this and did the best that they could with their 2nd round picks and maybe Hamilton bought them enough time.

It will be up to Hartley and the coaches to get the defense to play as well as they did last year..... Who thought that replacing Aucion with Bouwmeester and Gio being top-4 ready would be such a step backwards in 2009?

Strange Brew · 08-04-2015, 09:23 AM

With respect to Gio and Hudler, I would be surprised if either gets moved this year. As long as the team is solidly in a playoff position, I believe management is bullish enough on current year chances that they will want to see how well this team can do in the playoffs.

I know that contradicts a "rebuild" philosophy.

Gaskal · 08-04-2015, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

With respect to Gio and Hudler, I would be surprised if either gets moved this year. As long as the team is solidly in a playoff position, I believe management is bullish enough on current year chances that they will want to see how well this team can do in the playoffs.

I know that contradicts a "rebuild" philosophy.

You're simply weighing the pros and cons of selling Hudler off for assets vs a full season of the mentoring and performance that he brings. So if Treliving feels like its worth it for the development of his star prospects (plus some more valuable playoff experience) then he'll opt to keep Hudler for the year. Probably trade his rights at the draft after some teams have the chance to talk to Hudler too.

I'm predicting Hudler's next NHL destination as Florida. Kick back and get a nice tan, mentor some young kids including the Calder winner Ekblad, enjoy the more relaxed hockey market. They may be a playoff team in 2-3 years too.