With the Calgary Flames mired in a six-game losing streak, and maybe still a bit shaken from how the Avalanche dominated them in Round 1 this year -- and, yes, with bold change in the air thanks to Mike Babcock’s firing -- some wondered if Brad Treliving might need to do something drastic.
Earlier this week, PHT recommended avoiding such measures, especially if such a move involved trading Johnny Gaudreau at his coldest.
It sounds like the Flames’ GM got the memo, or never needed it. Treliving shot down talk of trading a key player, and also of firing Bill Peters early on through the coach’s second season, while addressing the media on Friday.
The fact that Treliving used salty language only made the candid remarks reverberate further, as PostMedia’s Wes Gilbertson reports.
Full context of Brad Treliving's 'The manager has been horseshit' quote. The #Flames GM addressed his slumping team today ... pic.twitter.com/XpWtQRNycz
— Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) November 22, 2019
A GM only gets so many cracks at finding the right coach, so it makes sense that Treliving wouldn’t throw Peters under the bus. It couldn’t make much more sense not to trade Gaudreau and other players who are important to the Flames, too, so this additional quote is crucial.
Strong stuff from #Flames GM Brad Treliving ... pic.twitter.com/w0mD3e6Dxc
— Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) November 22, 2019
The key phrases from Treliving, beyond all the horse-blank, are:
- “The coaches aren’t going anywhere.”
- “Our top players aren’t going anywhere.”
It’s understandable that Treliving is still leaving the door ajar for less-important players to be traded, but it’s reassuring that he won’t make a panic move.
Especially since, well, Peters and his staff might be taking on a little water, judging by the fact that Milan Lucic at least practiced as a member of the Flames’ (gulp) top power play unit.
#Flames power play at practice:
— Derek Wills (@Fan960Wills) November 22, 2019
PP1
Lucic
Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Giordano
PP2
Jankowski
Lindholm-Ryan-Dube
Hanifin
While there’s some logic to using Lucic as a big-bodied screener who would be tough to move from the goalmouth area, it’s not necessarily the greatest sign, either. Personally, I’m also a little underwhelmed by the lack of right-handed shots on that top unit, too.
But those are smaller tweaks that might not even last for a full game, and one cannot blame Peters for tinkering when the team is desperate for answers. It’s also key for the Flames’ GM to zoom out and take a longer view of things, so Treliving’s comments count as a comforting sign.
... Granted, there still isn’t a ton of comfort overall. This is a team that recently needed a players-only meeting, and sports an ugly overall record of 10-12-3.
There’s a lot of work to do, and maybe changes need to be made on the periphery, but credit the Flames’ “Riverboat Gambler” of a GM for knowing when to be cautious (perhaps even hold/fold ‘em) too.
Maybe Treliving’s vote of confidence and acceptance of blame might clear a few minds and help turn things around?
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.