Brad Treliving - GM Tracking & Evaluation

[kehatch]

It's looking like, for Bouma money or less per:

M. Richards

Travis Moen

Vernon Fiddler

Jason Chimera

Jarrett Stoll

Trevor Lewis

*perhaps* Alex Tanguay

Scott Upshall

Not one of these is over 2 yrs, yet most of them provide a "black and blue" haha, j/k.

But they provide a backbone for our young guys, so to speak.

None of these guys will lead your team in scoring, but they've played a lot of NHL.

They're the type of players, mainly, that keep you honest, good or bad, been there done that.

Except we are a rebuilding team. Veterans usually want a good deal with term / dollar or a chance at the cup. Would you be happy if we signed some of those guys to three year deals with a bunch of cap? I wouldn't.

[conundrumed]

Look i get it was an unpopular decision , Im even on record in these threads as saying i thought he deserved a do over.. but the reality is , if youre a coach in the NHL, theres a 99.9% guarantee you will get fired one day.

BT's test is now.. hes convinced we need a certain style to win in this league.. his job is to provide the players who play that style, and to put a coach in place to utilize it.  If he's wrong, he'll be fired one day too.

 

He was obviously convinced it wasn't sustainable based on the 2 year deal he gave Bob.. he was getting results, it was classy they kept him in the first place cuz usually the coach goes first , that and obviously he was getting results.

His results went backwards.. theres no denying BH didnt coach the team the same way this year as he did the years before.. the list has been hashed to death on here.. we can say bad goalies, but Bobs system needs an elite goalie.. we can say players had off years, but last year Bob benched people having bad years, this year he stuck with them while new blood rotted..

 

I liked bob , and everything he did for us.. but its true, he did this to himself as much as it was done to him..and i believe that a possible do over, had possible bad ramifications.. let him lose an entire season, or bring in a new coach part way with no training camp to waste it anyway .. hes right , if he truly believed, it had to be done now

Consensus is over-rated boss, hence, discussion and disagreement.

Turns out, everything you thought was right is wrong lol.

I hate when that happens!

[conundrumed]

Except we are a rebuilding team. Veterans usually want a good deal with term / dollar or a chance at the cup. Would you be happy if we signed some of those guys to three year deals with a bunch of cap? I wouldn't.

What? Those guys are just happy to keep playing lol. They're not exactly holding the cards lol.

"A bunch of cap", lol. 3 yrs?

Man you trippin', it's the bottom of the UFA list under 2.2 mil rofl

[phoenix66]

What? Those guys are just happy to keep playing lol. They're not exactly holding the cards lol.

"A bunch of cap", lol. 3 yrs?

Man you trippin', it's the bottom of the UFA list under 2.2 mil rofl

Right...so you either have to pay them a raise that even their current team won't give them.. Or you get then for close to the same price cuz their old team doesn't want them.

Ya gotta think this thru. Lol

How do you think Raymond got such a rich deal.. U really think that was our opening offer?? No we outbid other teams trying to sign him too.

[conundrumed]

Right...so you either have to pay them a raise that even their current team won't give them.. Or you get then for close to the same price cuz their old team doesn't want them.

Ya gotta think this thru. Lol

How do you think Raymond got such a rich deal.. U really think that was our opening offer?? No we outbid other teams trying to sign him too.

Actually pretty much yeah.

How we got Raymond at such a great price, I don't know, talk to BT lol. Have a luv in lol.

[jjgallow]

Engelland.

[Crzydrvr]

Engelland.

 

Honestly hasn't been that bad this year. Whether that continues next season aside, he wasn't as big of a tire fire as prior and brings something other defensemen didn't. Still not great and a replacement option as soon as someone better comes along IMO, but he isn't the worst option to play 6th defender minutes and right now playoffs are hoped for, not expected.

 

I like Hartley, but if he wasn't the long-term solution behind the bench, then BT had a responsibility to his team to find the guy that was. Hartley did an overall excellent job of instilling a culture of hard work and getting young players to improve. They are past that stage in the life cycle of a franchise.

 

I disagree that the next coach is under pressure to immediately make the postseason. I think his immediate goal is to get the team to buy into a style of game besides dump and chase, long passes and shot blocking. Not that a different system has to ignore those parts entirely, but there needed to be a shift in how we enter the offensive zone, how we stay in the zone, how we create space on the ice for plays, and how we structured our style of play defensively. If this means one year where the team lies outside the postseason (which I believe will happen, just not to the extent we saw this year), then so be it.

 

Rather than spending that year of adjustment after Hartley's contract expired (and timing it with the Flames' short window of opportunity) the team now gets to spend this entire year working to get comfortable with Mr. New Guy and improve their own skillset so that the year after, when a bunch of contracts are off the books and the young guys have hit crescendo, they're a legitimate threat in the postseason. Opportunity cost is a real thing, and this is very good forethought by Treliving IMO even if it doesn't pay off with a championship or even a run of success.

[kehatch]

Focusing on just the major moves and singings

TRADES:

• 3-round pick for Bollig: D - Gave up a good asset for a fourth line player on a bad contract
• Glencross for a 2-round and 3-round pick: A - Great return on a rental player having a poor season
• Baertschi for a 2-round pick: D - Baertschi couldn't get ice time from the coach and wasn't going to sign in Calgary. That backed Treliving into a corner. Still, I would have preferred to see him develop in the AHL and traded in the summer then give a bargain to a rival.
• 1-round and two 2-round picks for Hamilton: A - Picked up a potential franchise D man for a mid round first and a couple of seconds. Stellar.
• Hudler for a 2-round and 4-round pick: B - Given how he had played most of the season this was a good return for a rental.
• Granlund for Shinkaruk: B - Granlund wasn't going to find a spot in Calgary and was about to be waiver eligible. Shinkaruk is a good add to the prospect pool.
• Russell for Jokipakka, Pollock, and a 2-round (or 1-round) pick: A - Fantastic return on a rental player

FREE AGENTS:

• Raymond 3x3.2: F - I didn't mind taking a flier on Raymond. But not on a three year deal.
• Hiller 2x4.5: C - Obviously this wasn't a good season. But he got us in the playoffs last season. Short term deal. Not a bad deal.
• Engelland 3x2.9: C - I HATED the Engelland deal when it was signed. I still don't love it. But he is playing much much better as of late. Solid veteran on a rebuilding team that didn't have a lot of prospect depth at the position.
• Frolik 5x4.3: A - Great pick up

EXTENSIONS:

• Brodie 5x4.7: A - One of the best value contracts in the NHL
• Hamilton 6x5.8: B - Solid deal
• Bouma 3x2.2: D - Too much money paid to a depth player following an abnormal year.
• Giordano 6x6.8: B - Keeping this contract under 7 and at 6 years was a big accomplishment

In general Treliving has nailed it in trade. He has struggled in free agency, but most of those mistakes were made in his first season before the new generation of players has proven anything. His extensions on our key players have been very reasonable.

I really don't see anything pantie knotting here. Someone can complain about what hasn't been addressed sure. But this is a rebuilding team and Treliving has had two season (one off season) to work. That is a heck of a resume for that time frame, especially considering the fact the Flames aren't contenders right now.

EDIT: Removed some of the smaller moves, fixed the Russell trade, and added the Hudler trade.

[xstrike]

Focusing on just the major moves and singings

 

 

I really don't see anything pantie knotting here.  Someone can complain about what hasn't been addressed sure.  But this is a rebuilding team and Treliving has had two season (one off season) to work.  That is a heck of a resume for that time frame, especially considering the fact the Flames aren't contenders right now.  

If we average everything out, we get

Trades: 3.625/C+

Free Agency: 3/C

Extensions: 3.75=B-

 

Still happy with those grades? 

[robrob1974]

Kehatch. The Hudler deal you're talking about is the Russell deal. It was Russell for Jokipakka, Polllock and a 2nd Round Pick.

I give an A for that one.

I would give the Reinhart deal a C+ because he wasn't going anywhere, his value was low and Treliving opened up a roster spot.

I'd give him a higher mark for Baertschi, mostly because he asked for a trade. Perhaps negotiating a deal just prior to RFA is a hard one, although he could've qualified him first and then dealt?

The Hudler deal is another A as they get a 2nd Rounder and a 4th Rounder which we got two picks for a rental. He wasn't getting us a 1st OA.

A lot of his trade deals are better than his signings, but then again, he only signed a few too high, while a few with steals of deals.

[tmac70]

Focusing on just the major moves and singings

 

TRADES:

• 3-round pick for Bollig: D - Gave up a good asset for a fourth line player on a bad contract
• Glencross for a 2-round and 3-round pick: A - Great return on a rental player having a poor season
• Baertschi for a 2-round pick: D - Baertschi couldn't get ice time from the coach and wasn't going to sign in Calgary.  That backed Treliving into a corner.  Still, I would have preferred to see him develop in the AHL and traded in the summer then give a bargain to a rival. 
• 1-round and two 2-round picks for Hamilton: A - Picked up a potential franchise D man for a mid round first and a couple of seconds.  Stellar.  
• 2-round pick for two 3-round picks: C - Vanilla deal to increase the number of picks we had.  
• Reinhart for a conditional 4-round pick: C - Didn't materialize.  Was giving the player a shot somewhere else. 
• Granlund for Shinkaruk: B - Granlund wasn't going to find a spot in Calgary and was about to be waiver eligible.  Shinkaruk is a good add to the prospect pool. 
• Hudler for Jokipakka, Pollock, and a 2-round (or 1-round) pick: A - Fantastic return on a rental player

FREE AGENTS:

• Raymond 3x3.2: F - Gave up a good asset for a fourth line player on a bad contract
• Hiller 2x4.5: C - Obviously this wasn't a good season.  But he got us in the playoffs last season.  Short term deal.  Not a bad deal.  
• Engelland 3x2.9: C - I HATED the Engelland deal when it was signed.  I still don't love it.  But he is playing much much better as of late.  Solid veteran on a rebuilding team that didn't have a lot of prospect depth at the position.  
• Frolik 5x4.3: A - Great pick up

EXTENSIONS:

• Brodie 5x4.7: A - One of the best value contracts in the NHL
• Hamilton 6x5.8: B - Solid deal 
• Bouma 3x2.2: D - Too much money paid to a depth player following an abnormal year.  
• Giordano 6x6.8: B - Keeping this contract under 7 and at 6 years was a big accomplishment

In general Treliving has nailed it in trade.  He has struggled in free agency, but most of those mistakes were made in his first season before the new generation of players has proven anything.  His extensions on our key players have been very reasonable.  

 

I really don't see anything pantie knotting here.  Someone can complain about what hasn't been addressed sure.  But this is a rebuilding team and Treliving has had two season (one off season) to work.  That is a heck of a resume for that time frame, especially considering the fact the Flames aren't contenders right now.  

As a new GM in the league I agree with you that he has been better as of late, overall he has been average trending on the upside

[phoenix66]

If we average everything out, we get

Trades: 3.625/C+

Free Agency: 3/C

Extensions: 3.75=B-

 

Still happy with those grades?

Compared to the last 2 guys track records this guy is =\%*$§& Sam Pollock lol

[tmac70]

Trevling has now removed the coach and will put his stamp on the team. If you listen to what he says, we need better puck possession play a more physical style and defend better in front of our net. I believe this season early on is going to be a huge struggle. Anytime you make a change you have to willing to be uncomfortable. The one element that BT wants is Puck possession which we could see immediate improvements,  the rest is going to look like a kindergarten fire drill.

[phoenix66]

Trevling has now removed the coach and will put his stamp on the team. If you listen to what he says, we need better puck possession play a more physical style and defend better in front of our net. I believe this season early on is going to be a huge struggle. Anytime you make a change you have to willing to be uncomfortable. The one element that BT wants is Puck possession which we could see immediate improvements,  the rest is going to look like a kindergarten fire drill.

Agreed...I think the 2 big winners in this will be Engelland, and whoever our goalie is.

I can see Engelland starting to get a much bigger role than Hartley gave him. And if the D is a better system, the goalies won't be facing multiple shots and high end scoring chances.

[kehatch]

If we average everything out, we get

Trades: 3.625/C+

Free Agency: 3/C

Extensions: 3.75=B-

Still happy with those grades?

Absolutely. Especially since he knocks the big deals out of the park.

His biggest fault was his free agent signings early + the Bollig trade. At the time he was fresh into the league and dealing with a team in full rebuild that didn't know what they had in their young guys. He was a rookie GM and he overpaid for placeholder players to fill spots. Since then the only issue I had was the Bouma extension.

His ability to address the goaltending, sign Monahan/Gaudreau, and find the right coach will be his next big tests. If it was Feaster in charge I personally would be nervous. I am not with Treliving.

[jjgallow]

Treliving is tough for form an opinion on.

 

Derek Engelland:   No excuse for that.  I understand he "hasn't been bad" this year. ...(for what he is)..totally irrelevant to the signing, however.   Bouma, same thing to a lesser extent.

 

Baertschi:  With Hartley now gone, this continues to look more and more short-sighted.  To a lesser extent, guys like Brossoit.   Who we really could have used.

 

Goaltending:   Trelivng has absolutely failed here.  We can all disagree on how, and where he went wrong, and what we would have done, etc.   But it's hard to dispute that he's failed.  Even he admits to it.

 

Hamilton:  Brilliant Long term Move BUT:

 

Hartley:  I have big issues with the firing, specifically, the reasons Treliving gave for it.

 

 

 Treliving admits fault for goaltending (our biggest current problem), yet sends Hartley packing for the "poor play" in front.

 

             Big issue here.

 

             Ie:  Hamilton.  Great long term move.   But....did Treliving somehow think that Hamilton was going to be an immediate positive on this team?  He WILL be, when he figures out his all around game.  In the meantime, he is Developing.   Shocks me that Treliving wouldn't know this.

 

                     We lose Glencross, Hudler, Russel, and more:     And Treliving expected the play to IMPROVE this year?

 

                        How?

 

                     Last year, we were were rated by many as the worst team in the league.   

 

                     We had a cindarella season, which was great.   But to think that was going to continue, especially after gutting the team of Glencross, Hudler, and Russel, and others...and bringing on Long Term projects like Hamilton...  we were Expected to be Better this year?

 

                How?    BTW, I support a Lot of the moves mentioned above.   Especially Hamilton.  But I have no idea how Treliving thought expectations would rise now.  I really don't.

[DirtyDeeds]

Teliving is tough for form an opinion on.

 

..........

 

                How?    BTW, I support a Lot of the moves mentioned above.   Especially Hamilton.  But I have no idea how Treliving thought expectations would rise now.  I really don't.

and add to your thinking:

 

Why if he wanted to see more puck possession play from the Team, did he not tell BH that he would like to see it? He talked to him every day.. You would think it might have come up if it was that important to BT.

 

Conspiracy Theory: He has wanted his own coach in place since day one, but how do you fire a coach who is getting playoff performance from a rebuilding team and wins Jack Adams in the process of getting them to 2nd round.

 

This would certainly explain a few things and explain why the Flames are in no hurry to talk to coaches available now... like Bruce Boudreau. It was said they never asked for permission to speak to him. Fastest coach ever to win 400 games or something and we don't even talk to him.

[MAC331]

and add to your thinking:

 

Why if he wanted to see more puck possession play from the Team, did he not tell BH that he would like to see it? He talked to him every day.. You would think it might have come up if it was that important to BT.

 

Conspiracy Theory: He has wanted his own coach in place since day one, but how do you fire a coach who is getting playoff performance from a rebuilding team and wins Jack Adams in the process of getting them to 2nd round.

 

This would certainly explain a few things and explain why the Flames are in no hurry to talk to coaches available now... like Bruce Boudreau. It was said they never asked for permission to speak to him. Fastest coach ever to win 400 games or something and we don't even talk to him.

Did it ever cross your mind that BH was deviant in those daily talks and this is why he is no longer here. Posters have pointed out some very valid examples and provided some very reasonable back up. Most coaches run with their own way until it either doesn't work or the management wants something different. In this case management wants something different. I don't think the situation is hard to understand.

[jjgallow]

Did it ever cross your mind that BH was deviant in those daily talks and this is why he is no longer here. Posters have pointed out some very valid examples and provided some very reasonable back up. Most coaches run with their own way until it either doesn't work or the management wants something different. In this case management wants something different. I don't think the situation is hard to understand.

 

So here's the thing.    Why didn't Treliving just say that?

 

It would have been 1000x more professional.   You should be his media relations expert

 

 

Instead, he turned it into a performance issue.   Which is really hard to swallow, given the goaltending given to BH, and the gutting of some core players.   Now, maybe BH had a say in the goaltending.  Fine, that goes back to what you said, again.  And, ultimately, still a Treliving issue.

 

But ultimately, very unsettling to turn this into a performance and capability issue ("taken this team as far as he can").   Given the paradox of last year's performance it is basically impossible to understand in any logical manner, and comes across as either arrogant, or naive.

 

I think we all understand that GMs and coaches can have their differences, and also that Treliving probably wanted to hire his own guy.   What is harder to understand, is the reasons given (performance}.    It is indicative of either of a lack of understanding, or an arrogance/ego that is affecting his decisions.

[Heartbreaker]

I really liked Bob, but I definitely understand why he was let go. What I don't understand, though, is how they'll do so much better next year without a lot of roster turnover - that I anticipate will not occur until the following season when a lot of contracts expire. The shortcomings of the player personnel have been discussed at length, but I still have a hard time understanding the timing of this decision.

Love.

[phoenix66]

So here's the thing.    Why didn't Treliving just say that?

 

It would have been 1000x more professional.   You should be his media relations expert

 

 

Instead, he turned it into a performance issue.   Which is really hard to swallow, given the goaltending given to BH, and the gutting of some core players.   Now, maybe BH had a say in the goaltending.  Fine, that goes back to what you said, again.  And, ultimately, still a Treliving issue.

 

But ultimately, very unsettling to turn this into a performance and capability issue ("taken this team as far as he can").   Given the paradox of last year's performance it is basically impossible to understand in any logical manner, and comes across as either arrogant, or naive.

 

I think we all understand that GMs and coaches can have their differences, and also that Treliving probably wanted to hire his own guy.   What is harder to understand, is the reasons given (performance}.    It is indicative of either of a lack of understanding, or an arrogance/ego that is affecting his decisions.

I think we are looking for, as somebody called it, a conspiracy theory..and I think we are making way too much of it..

Many things were mentioned by one or both of BB and BT that make it all ok with me, and I agree with:

- the play in front of the goalie was unacceptable

- how certain players were used was not agreeable

- they want us to play to keep the puck and be hard to play against

It was never said it was playoffs or bust this year, but it was stated even last year, that we cant expect 16 3rd period comebacks again.and that is what our season would have needed...again

BT brought in 2 top players..and we were no better than last year. Other players regressed.

I for one, and im sure management and others, had A HUGE issue with Hartley's statement, that we lost our season in the 1ST GAME OF THE YEAR! Hartley won the Jack Adams due to his ability to motivate and get his team to outwork the other team and never give up. I believed hestopped doing many things that accomplished that. a change was needed, right or wrong the coach and GM were not on the same page, unfortunately the coach will always lose that standoff.

As for BT, yes he owns the goaltenders, but it wasnt for lack of trying.. he was in on Talbot, Jones, even Cam Ward..at the end I dont think we can blame him for using his ammo when Hamilton was gifted to him. He knew our D needed an upgrade and he had no way of knowing 3 goalies who all helped us make the playoffs, would all drive off a cliff this year

Yes, I do believe them at face value when they label it as a performance issue. They allowed him the opportunity to prove them wrong, but they went backwards.

[MAC331]

So here's the thing.    Why didn't Treliving just say that?

 

It would have been 1000x more professional.   You should be his media relations expert

 

 

Instead, he turned it into a performance issue.   Which is really hard to swallow, given the goaltending given to BH, and the gutting of some core players.   Now, maybe BH had a say in the goaltending.  Fine, that goes back to what you said, again.  And, ultimately, still a Treliving issue.

 

But ultimately, very unsettling to turn this into a performance and capability issue ("taken this team as far as he can").   Given the paradox of last year's performance it is basically impossible to understand in any logical manner, and comes across as either arrogant, or naive.

 

I think we all understand that GMs and coaches can have their differences, and also that Treliving probably wanted to hire his own guy.   What is harder to understand, is the reasons given (performance}.    It is indicative of either of a lack of understanding, or an arrogance/ego that is affecting his decisions.

I think they kind of did in a colorful media way.

[DirtyDeeds]

I think we are looking for, as somebody called it, a conspiracy theory..and I think we are making way too much of it..

Many things were mentioned by one or both of BB and BT that make it all ok with me, and I agree with:

- the play in front of the goalie was unacceptable

- how certain players were used was not agreeable

- they want us to play to keep the puck and be hard to play against

It was never said it was playoffs or bust this year, but it was stated even last year, that we cant expect 16 3rd period comebacks again.and that is what our season would have needed...again

BT brought in 2 top players..and we were no better than last year. Other players regressed.

I for one, and im sure management and others, had A HUGE issue with Hartley's statement, that we lost our season in the 1ST GAME OF THE YEAR! Hartley won the Jack Adams due to his ability to motivate and get his team to outwork the other team and never give up. I believed hestopped doing many things that accomplished that. a change was needed, right or wrong the coach and GM were not on the same page, unfortunately the coach will always lose that standoff.

As for BT, yes he owns the goaltenders, but it wasnt for lack of trying.. he was in on Talbot, Jones, even Cam Ward..at the end I dont think we can blame him for using his ammo when Hamilton was gifted to him. He knew our D needed an upgrade and he had no way of knowing 3 goalies who all helped us make the playoffs, would all drive off a cliff this year

Yes, I do believe them at face value when they label it as a performance issue. They allowed him the opportunity to prove them wrong, but they went backwards.

After reading your above comments I have to agree with JJ when he said:

 

 

 

You should be his media relations expert

 

[cross16]

Treliving has said since Day 1 from getting here that he wants a puck possession team. When he signed Hamilton and Frolik he specifically commented that he felt both of them will help the Flames with their possession numbers and that he went after both of them because they are known for good possession numbers. At Season Ticket holder meetings when advanced stats have come up, he has ALWAYS re affirmed he wants to be a team that plays with the puck.

 

If Hartley actually believes that the idea of being a puck possession team was news to him he either wasn't listening or wasn't' paying very close attention because Treliving has made it well known publicly that he wants a team to play with the puck. 

 

I don't doubt for a second that a large part of this was Treliving wanted his own guy, most GMs do, but I also don't believe Hartley when he says it was "news" to him. It certainly wasn't news to me. 

[travel_dude]

Treliving is tough for form an opinion on.

Derek Engelland:   No excuse for that.  I understand he "hasn't been bad" this year. ...(for what he is)..totally irrelevant to the signing, however.   Bouma, same thing to a lesser extent.

 

Baertschi:  With Hartley now gone, this continues to look more and more short-sighted.  To a lesser extent, guys like Brossoit.   Who we really could have used.

Goaltending:   Trelivng has absolutely failed here.  We can all disagree on how, and where he went wrong, and what we would have done, etc.   But it's hard to dispute that he's failed.  Even he admits to it.

Hamilton:  Brilliant Long term Move BUT:

Hartley:  I have big issues with the firing, specifically, the reasons Treliving gave for it.

 Treliving admits fault for goaltending (our biggest current problem), yet sends Hartley packing for the "poor play" in front.

             Big issue here.

             Ie:  Hamilton.  Great long term move.   But....did Treliving somehow think that Hamilton was going to be an immediate positive on this team?  He WILL be, when he figures out his all around game.  In the meantime, he is Developing.   Shocks me that Treliving wouldn't know this.

                     We lose Glencross, Hudler, Russel, and more:     And Treliving expected the play to IMPROVE this year?

                        How?

                     Last year, we were were rated by many as the worst team in the league.   

                     We had a cindarella season, which was great.   But to think that was going to continue, especially after gutting the team of Glencross, Hudler, and Russel, and others...and bringing on Long Term projects like Hamilton...  we were Expected to be Better this year?

                How?    BTW, I support a Lot of the moves mentioned above.   Especially Hamilton.  But I have no idea how Treliving thought expectations would rise now.  I really don't.

 

Engelland was a move to make the team a bit tougher on the backend.  The cost should really be the only issue.  As a 6/7 D, he provides that.  Are you going to blame his usage on BT?

 

Baertschi - the kid wanted out.  He didn't see eye to eye with Hartley.  I don't see him performing any better than he did on the Flames, though.  Still just a complementary piece.  

 

Brossoit?  Really?  Why are you going there?  Not a BT decision.  Anyway, he has less NHL games than Ortio and still hasn't proved anything.  May be a backup this season in EDM, but I believe they are still looking for a backup.

 

Goaltending - hard to dispute the results.  You commented many times on how Hartley misused Ortio, so I'm not sure why you are coming down on BT now.  The biggest fail on BT's part was believing that Ramo was going to provide stellar goaltending.  Failure to trade Hiller, yes, but he did attempt to move him in the summer.

 

Moving GlenX was a positive move.  He was an expiring contract with declining play.  The team did just fine without him.  Moving Russell and Hudler this year was also a positive.  Both players had underwhelming results prior to TDL.  Both were thought to be wanting a raise.  We were out of the playoff prior to TDL and 9-8-3 after.  

 

Expectation may not have risen, but you at least expect to be in the top 2/3 of the league, not bottom 5.  Players like Wideman, Hudler, Bouma having great numbers, plus adding a possession player like Frolik and a top 4 defender like Hamilton would give you belief that we are better than a bottom 5 team.