Elliot Friedman believes Treliving may not be back next season

[Calgary4LIfe]

Sounds like some posters seem more worried than Treliving does. By everything Treliving is saying and doing, I highly doubt he is a dead man walking or lame-duck GM. He knows he is going to get re-upped, and he also knows that the longer it takes, the larger that contract will be seeing as the Flames are looking to make the playoffs.

That's 2 seasons out of 3 since he has been a GM here that the Flames make the playoffs. He knows his value, and I am sure the Flames know it as well.

[powderjunkie]

Can we finally change the thread title to "Flames Franchise for sale"?

[Flash Walken]

I also don't believe Burke is being accurate regarding his own contract history.

Burke was extended in 2001 in the middle of the season, january or february. At the end of his 3 year extension, he was not renewed.

So, from Burke's perspective I don't know how he doesn't think it's a problem. The last time he went into the spring without a contract extension he ended up NOT being re-signed and eventually ended up working for another team two years later.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I also don't believe Burke is being accurate regarding his own contract history.

Burke was extended in 2001 in the middle of the season, january or february. At the end of his 3 year extension, he was not renewed.

So, from Burke's perspective I don't know how he doesn't think it's a problem. The last time he went into the spring without a contract extension he ended up NOT being re-signed and eventually ended up working for another team two years later.

I think Burke is just towing the company line - he can't throw the ownership group under the bus here.

He is on the record in the past in saying he thinks that "lame duck" GM and coaching situations are not a good situation for the team or the management member.

Also he clearly put the onus on the decision on "This is how the ownership group here has always done things" - aka it's not my decision that we haven't discussed an extension.

[Tinordi]

Just bizzare how this is all playing out.

What is going on in the Flames front office that the friggin GM's contact situation is being publicly litigated?

This looks bad. There's no two ways about it.

[Redlan]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Boy, I do not agree with this at all.

Elite talent is able to negotiate security because their elite talent dictates you'll be unable to easily find a replacement.

...

Who said elite? Quality and Elite are not the same.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Redlan

Who said elite? Quality and Elite are not the same.

In the history of the Calgary flames they are basically one and the same.

If you'd like an example, check out Dennis Wideman.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Can we finally change the thread title to "Flames Franchise for sale"?

Good idea, or "Friedman might be wrong". I like Friedman generally, but this one was purely speculative. I didn't think BT was gone then, and I certainly don't think that now.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Just bizzare how this is all playing out.

What is going on in the Flames front office that the friggin GM's contact situation is being publicly litigated?

This looks bad. There's no two ways about it.

I am guessing, but it seems reasonably certain that they don't care if it is "publically litigated'. I am not so sure they should care. Do you think they cared about the sky-is-falling-crowd with the Johnny negotiation?

[Zevo]

Why would Burke not want to see how the season plays out before deciding how much and how long Trelivings next contract will be? It seems prudent to me to wait and see the full result of his trades and acquisitions this year before deciding on his next contract.

[Strange Brew]

When Burke comments on this publicly, does he express confidence that Treliving will be with the team next year, or does he just focus on explaining the process? I have only read about the latter but I could be missing something.

Now that said, I personally don't put much stock in whatever any of these guys say publicly, but I know many believe in Burke's straightforwardness and honesty.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Zevo

Why would Burke not want to see how the season plays out before deciding how much and how long Trelivings next contract will be? It seems prudent to me to wait and see the full result of his trades and acquisitions this year before deciding on his next contract.

This is part of why this is bizarre as burke does not appear to have the authority to extend him, suggesting the corporate culture in calgary prevents him from doing so until towards the end of the contract. This actually partially confirms friedman's initial report and lends credibility to the rest of his reporting on this issue.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Zevo

Why would Burke not want to see how the season plays out before deciding how much and how long Trelivings next contract will be? It seems prudent to me to wait and see the full result of his trades and acquisitions this year before deciding on his next contract.

A GM can only work in the present, and almost all of Treliving's moves have been lauded by fans and media.

It would be absolutely foolish to bet his future with the team on the success of these last 20+ games.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

A GM can only work in the present, and almost all of Treliving's moves have been lauded by fans and media.

It would be absolutely foolish to bet his future with the team on the success of these last 20+ games.

Exactly. His next contract should be based on his entire body of work here, including the last part of this season. Now is when we(he) get to see the full extent, and results, of all his moves.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I don't think that's really a great strategy to keep top-end people. Quality people at that level need security beyond a month, and if they don't get it, they start planning for something elsewhere.

Brad Treliving and Burke have both given every indication that they expect Treliving to be the General Manager for a long time. Whether he has an extension or not, I don't believe Treliving is suffering for any supposed lack of job security.

People are panicking about nothing.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

When Burke comments on this publicly, does he express confidence that Treliving will be with the team next year, or does he just focus on explaining the process? I have only read about the latter but I could be missing something.

Now that said, I personally don't put much stock in whatever any of these guys say publicly, but I know many believe in Burke's straightforwardness and honesty.

For what it is worth Burke gave every indication that Treliving will be the Flames General Manager for a long time.

No, we don't have any real reason to believe Burke, but I would suggest that it makes virtually no sense for the Flames to start shopping for a replacement GM, and it also does not make any sense for Treliving to suddenly abandon what he has started to build here after only two years.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Brad Treliving and Burke have both given every indication that they expect Treliving to be the General Manager for a long time. Whether he has an extension or not, I don't believe Treliving is suffering foray supposed lack of job security.

People are panicking about nothing.

No one is panicking. It is very uncommon for a general manager to be in this kind of situation. According to Friedman, 30 other NHL teams do not operate this way, it is unique to the Flames.

People are reacting to the best GM in potentially decades being without a contract for next year on a team without an illustrious history to assuage the doubt that they don't know what they are doing.

It is not a good thing, regardless of how you frame it, that the current and successful general manager is without a contract for next year when the accompanying rumour is that the Flames president of hockey ops is ALSO potentially on the outs.

It's a big deal.

[Tinordi]

Sit back and ask yourself who could possibly be Friedman's source in all of this to get a head start on how screwed up this situation is.

[Jay Random]

His source? The Flames haven't re-signed Treliving yet, and the front office is telling the public that negotiations haven't started. As far as I can tell, those are all the facts Friedman is going on. Everything else is his own speculation.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Sit back and ask yourself who could possibly be Friedman's source in all of this to get a head start on how screwed up this situation is.

If you would like to actually step up and share with us who you think Friedman's source is, please do so.