FLAMES GM DECIDES AGAINST ANY BIG GAMBLES
Treliving shows prudence by refusing to overpay for rental players at deadline
If Monday’s NHL trade deadline was a costume party, the Calgary Flames showed up wearing a pirate’s hat made out of newspaper.
They relied on a cheap, creative solution to barely gain entry to an expensive game they deemed too rich for their blood.
All told, one seventh-round pick in 2019 was sent to Ottawa for fourth-line centre Nick Shore.
However, the way GM Brad Treliving sees it, the team also addressed some depth issues on the right side by plucking Chris Stewart off waivers from Minnesota.
After kicking tires on the Max Paciorettys, Mike Hoffmans, Evander Kanes and Brendan Gallaghers of the world, the Flames wound up with mere token gestures the GM made no apologies for.
“These aren’t the big sexy moves, but if you go back in history and see how many times the big sexy moves have paid off, more often than not they haven’t,” said Treliving.
“We looked at specific roles in which people can help us, and while we couldn’t get some things done, we got some things accomplished.”
At the end of the day, the GM looked at his underachieving team and realized this isn’t the year to be pushing all his chips in.
It’s the right call, especially considering the high price of deadline rentals, the organization’s low number of high drafts picks and its distaste for peddling top prospects the club has worked so hard to develop.
Not that it couldn’t have used help, but this team truly is devoid of any major holes in its top six forwards or the blue line.
The biggest question mark is in goal, where Mike Smith’s lower body ailment was theoretically addressed by way of the GM’s inaction. Not only does it suggest the prognosis is good on the team’s 35-year-old MVP, but also gives rookie David Rittich and Jon Gillies the chance they deserve to keep playing in his stead.
“We looked at that option (of trading for a netminder) and just felt it didn’t make any sense,” said Treliving, who had no desire to spend heavily on rent-a-goalie options like Robin Lehner, Antti Raanta or Cam Ward.
“We’re hopeful Mike will be back and we’re confident in the two lads we have here. You look at everything, but in terms of spending what you need to spend and acquiring something that was A) available and B) could make a difference, we felt our situation was best to stand pat.
“I know you’re all expecting my nose to grow in terms of the timeline (on Smith’s return), but we just don’t know. We’re hopeful.”
Treliving also feels like more help is on the way with Kris Versteeg hoping to get the go-ahead on Tuesday from his hip surgeon to start skating with the team. The inking of Canadian Olympic team loaner Cody Goloubef also pads out Treliving ’s extensive blue line depth on the farm.
Critique the moves — or lack thereof — any way you’d like, but fans shouldn’t lose sight of the fact this team’s playoff hopes will have little to do with how it’s bottom two lines perform.
The Flames are clinging to the last wild card spot in the west without third- and fourth-line help thus far.
It’s Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, the 3M Line, their vaunted blue line and their goaltending that will dictate whether there will be playoff hockey here in April.
With all the young talent assembled in Calgary, the window to chase championships is ajar. However, next year it should be gaping, giving Treliving more of an impetus then to add significant pieces this summer and down next year’s stretch.
“The difficulty in sport is, sometimes tomorrow doesn’t come,” philosophized Treliving.
“I’m not a big believer in, ‘Oh, everything ’s OK — let’s wait until tomorrow.’ Our core is a young group and that young group played in the playoffs two years ago. I think you have to be careful of saying, ‘It’s OK boys, there’s always tomorrow,’ because tomorrow doesn’t happen in pro sports.
“You’ve got an opportunity now, so make the most of where you’re at. You come to the trade deadline and you have to read where you’re at. We looked at a lot of things today and nothing else made sense, in terms of improving our team for now or the future. But we’ve got a group here that’s capable of doing it, regardless of their age.”
Indeed, it will be interesting to see what his talented bunch does with the opportunity in front of them.
Will they wear a paper hat to the playoff party or turn into pumpkins before it begins?
Or will they piece together something that few can take their eyes off of this spring ?
If you go back in history and see how many times the big sexy moves have paid off, more often than not they haven’t.