Draft move- up unlikely
Calgary has the 15th pick; club has eight more choices in later rounds
Brad Treliving is not exactly promising fireworks.
The Calgary Flames general manager — in advance of the National Hockey League’s draft — told reporters Thursday evening that he is not expecting to shake the rafters of the BB& T Center.
Not that bagging a coveted slot in the top 10 is impossible. Just expensive. “It’s open — if you’re willing to pay a price, right?” said Treliving, who currently holds the 15th pick. “To do so, it’s a price that we’ve got zero interest in at this point. We’ll see. We’ll continue to bang away. As you get closer to the bell going off ( Friday) night, the best offers are going to be made.
“But in terms of our positions ( moving) upwards? I would say nothing at all remotely close to being close, if that makes any sense.
“I predict right now, we’ll be picking No. 15.”
Treliving described the trading temperature as “the usual” for this time of year.
“You’re making lots of calls, you’re getting lots of calls,” he said.
“You’re hearing things that are very far from the truth in terms of what’s being bandied around. It’s the typical night before the draft. Lots of phone calls … 30 ( GMs) trying to their teams better. Lots of activity, which is the normal course.
“The end game isn’t just to make deals to say we threw a couple check marks up. For things we’re interested in looking at right now, prices are high.”
But what about Saturday? That presents plenty of potential for wheeling.
As everyone knows, the Flames — thanks to dealing away wingers Curtis Glencross and Sven Baertschi — own three second- round and two third- round hollers.
After the first round, the Calgarians own eight more draft choices.
Treliving said it would be folly to discount the importance of those, no matter how late.
“You’ve got to hit in third ( rounds) and fourths and fifths,” he said. “Our team’s done a good job. When you look at that team that played in the playoffs, Micheal Ferland’s not a first- round pick, T. J. Brodie’s not a first- round pick, Johnny Gaudreau’s not a first- round pick. Your ability to get players when you get into Day 2 is critical.”
And this particular crapshoot seems to be set up that way.
Some are calling it the deepest group of puck- chasers since the 2003 bonanza in Nashville.
“Lots has been made of this draft,” Treliving said. “The reality is, nobody knows until you get a few years out. But every draft is critical. The amount of picks that we have, puts more focus on … we need to get it right.
“We have to continue to add to that shelf. We have to continue to add pieces that can develop into players for us — or we can use as chips down the road.”
The Flames are re- interviewing one prospect Friday morning, then they’re done. Their list is set. “We’re ready to go,” said Treliving. “Our scouts are sick of me talking about ( how) every pick matters. So we’re not just picking. There’s got to be a purpose and there’s got to be a story and a reason for every pick. If you put the time in … you’re going to hit more ( often) than not.”
GIORDANO TALKS ONGOING
The Flames and Mark Giordano’s camp are not only negotiating, according to reports, but there’s a big fat number rolling around, too.
Apparently, the opening demand from Edmonton- based agent Ritch Winter is $ 9 million per season.
However, Winter, on Thursday, politely declined to describe their bartering even in general terms. He wouldn’t go as far as confirming talks were “ongoing.” That’s how tight he wants the lid on what is supposed to be a confidential process.
His bargaining mate feels the same.
“I find it quite an annoyance,” Treliving said of persistent rumours and whispers. “I understand it. I get it. I think you guys that are around me every day are ready to throw your shoes at me because I don’t talk about those types of things ( in public). I understand it, but it’s not helpful to the process. It’s part of the day and age that we’re in.
“A lot of what you see out there is inaccurate. These things take on a life of their own. But we conduct our business behind closed doors and we’ll continue to do that.”
CAP JUST FINE
The NHL’s announcement of a $ 71.4- million salary cap for 2015- 16 did not faze the Flames.
They’d been operating under the assumption that it would be $ 71.8 million.
“So it wasn’t a huge shock for us,” said Treliving, whose payroll, last season, was the league’s second smallest. “A lot of our planning was based on a number that was very close ( so) there’s no pivots here in terms of anything we’ve looked at doing.”
CHUCK THAT ONE OUT
Last time the draft was here — 2001, under general manager Craig Button’s guidance — the Flames selected Chuck Kobasew 14th overall.
The Flames’ next seven picks — including a pair of second-rounders from Russia, Andrei Taratukhin and Andrei Medvedev — played a total of one game for the team. ( Tomi Maki’s lone start, if you’re wondering).
But 220th overall, spending the seventh- round selection acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the Cory Stillman- Craig Conroy swap, the Flames latched onto David Moss, who’s suited up 501 times in the NHL.
That draft floor had also been the setting of two trades for Button:
Rob Niedermayer ( and secondrounder) from Florida for Valeri Bure and Jason Wiemer
Roman Turek ( and fourthrounder) from St. Louis for Fred Brathwaite, Daniel Tkaczuk, Sergei Varlamov ( and ninth- rounder)
AWARDS TIDBITS
In the aftermath of the NHL award banquet, it’s interesting to comb through the voting results. Writers nominate five candidates, in order of preference, for the trophies.
SOME FLAMES NUGGETS:
Mark Giordano ended up sixth in Norris balloting ( one firstplace vote, six seconds, 11 thirds, 15 fourths, 25 fifths).
The Flames captain finished sixth in all- star voting, behind Roman Josi and ahead of Duncan Keith.
Jiri Hudler received four nods ( one second, three fourths) in Hart voting, placing 13th.
In all- star voting, Hudler got two third- place votes at centre, one second- place vote at left wing, and the bulk of his attention at right wing, where he finished third, sandwiched between Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane.
T. J. Brodie got a single vote — for third — to finish 18th for the Norris. In all- star voting, he placed 21st.
Dennis Wideman, picking up four fifth- place nods, was 20th in Norris voting. He wound up 18th in all- star voting.
Sean Monahan, in Selke voting, got four votes — one first, one third, one fourth, one fifth — to finish 20th. The sophomore centreman, appearing on 39 ballots, sat fifth in Lady Byng voting.
Johnny Gaudreau placed 17th for the Lady Byng ( one first, one second, one third, six fourths, three fifths). The rookie also got one third- place nod for left wing on the all- star steam
Matt Stajan picked up a secondplace vote in the Lady Byng contest.