Ranking Brad Treliving’s trades
By Ryan Pike
6 years agoBrad Treliving has re-upped as general manager of the Calgary Flames. While the populace of Calgary breathes a heady sigh of relief, it’s probably a good idea to jump in the way-back machine and take a look at Treliving’s performance during his three seasons as Flames top dog.
Let’s start with a look back at the 17 trades he’s made since becoming GM.
17. 2014 third round pick (83rd overall) to Chicago for Brandon Bollig
The Flames got: a bottom-sixer with a Stanley Cup ring.
The Blackhawks got: short-term cap relief and a draft pick. They ended up using the pick on Matheson Iacopelli.
A slight overpayment by Treliving, as the Blackhawks seemingly benefited more from Bollig departing than the Flames did from his tenure with them. It was a move designed to give the team toughness, but Bollig spent a lot of time in the press box during his stint in Calgary. They had five picks in the first three rounds heading into the 2014 Draft because of Brian Burke’s trade deadline moves, but half of the four picks the Flames held onto (Mason McDonald and Hunter Smith) seem like whiffs.
16. Max Reinhart to Nashville for a conditional 2016 fourth round pick (not converted)
The Flames got: nothing. (Reinhart didn’t play enough NHL games that season for the condition to convert.) The Flames were just happy to give Reinhart a fresh start.
The Predators got: a fairly productive AHLer with minimal NHL upside.
The Flames gained nothing, but neither did the Predators.
15. Future considerations to Tampa Bay for Kevin Poulin
The Flames got: a minor league goalie.
The Lightning got: nothing. Poulin wasn’t playing and they were happy to just get rid of his contract.
Similar to the Reinhart deal, except the Flames gained a bit of minor league depth.
14. Corban Knight to Florida for Drew Shore
The Flames got: a right shot center who didn’t seem to have a fit in Florida.
The Panthers got: a right shot center who didn’t seem to have a fit in Calgary (or Florida, which is why he was traded previously to Calgary years prior).
A low-risk “spare part for spare part” deal. Minimal NHL impact for either side.
13. A conditional 2016 seventh round pick (not converted) to Colorado for Freddie Hamilton
The Flames got: Dougie Hamilton’s older brother, a productive AHLer with some NHL upside as a depth player.
The Avalanche got: nothing. (Hamilton didn’t play enough NHL games that season for the condition to convert.) The Avalanche were happy just to get rid of Hamilton’s contract.
Similar to the Reinhart and Poulin deals, except Hamilton has provided a small amount of NHL depth for zero assets expended to acquire him.
12. David Jones to Minnesota for Niklas Backstrom & 2016 sixth round pick (166th overall)
The Flames got: a third goalie and a late round draft pick, which they used to select Matthew Phillips.
The Wild got: a veteran forward for their playoff run and some cap relief.
Another low-risk deal, with the Flames and Wild swapping depth (a third line forward for a third string goalie) with the Flames gaining a sixth round pick for taking on Backstrom’s deal. Backstrom stole a late season win for the Flames and Phillips looks very promising thus far, so for future value this is slightly ahead of the Freddie Hamilton acquisition.
11. Jyrki Jokipakka & 2017 second round pick (TBD) to Ottawa for Curtis Lazar & Michael Kostka
The Flames got: a veteran blueliner for their very young AHL farm team, plus a past first round pick that didn’t work out in Ottawa.
The Senators got: some blueline depth for their playoff run, plus a second round pick in a weak draft class.
Basically a junk for junk deal, with a guy that wasn’t working out in Calgary (Jokipakka) being swapped for a guy that wasn’t working out in Ottawa (Lazar). Slightly ahead of the previous deal due to Lazar’s perceived upside, but it’s hard to rank it much higher because a second round pick is a lot to give up for an unproven player.
10. 2015 third round pick (76th overall) & 2015 third round pick (83rd overall) to Arizona for 2015 second round pick (60th overall)
The Flames got: they traded up to select Oliver Kylington.
The Coyotes got: two later picks, which they used on Adin Hill and Jens Looke.
Kylington was highly rated by the Flames scouting staff and was sliding down the draft board. The Flames were able to utilize some additional picks they had from prior trades to move up to grab him. He’s been good in the AHL thus far, so it seems like a decent gamble.
9. 2017 third round pick (TBD) & conditional 2018 fifth round pick (TBD) to Arizona for Michael Stone
The Flames got: a short-term upgrade on their defensive depth.
The Coyotes got: two draft picks, depending on if Stone re-signs with the Flames.
Jyrki Jokipakka and Dennis Wideman were not working out on the back end as the Flames were pushing for a playoff spot. Stone provided a short-term upgrade and stabilized things, but a pick (or two) for a guy with limited offensive upside and who’s already a bit long in the tooth is a bit too much to spend.
8. Patrick Sieloff to Ottawa for Alex Chiasson
The Flames got: inexpensive forward depth on their wings.
The Senators got: an AHL defenseman.
A really good value swap for Calgary, as Chiasson has played everywhere and with everybody and produced surprisingly well. The Senators got a guy that seemed to have limited NHL upside when he arrived, and then he injured Clarke MacArthur in training camp.
7. Markus Granlund to Vancouver for Hunter Shinkaruk
The Flames got: a skilled young wing prospect.
The Canucks got: a skilled young center prospect.
This is a higher stakes version of the prior Knight-for-Shore swap. Neither guy seemed to have a spot in their respective organization and both benefited from a fresh start (especially Granlund). So far, Shinkaruk’s been “just” a productive AHLer.
6. Sven Baertschi to Vancouver for 2015 second round pick (53rd overall)
The Flames got: a draft pick, which they used on Rasmus Andersson.
The Canucks got: a skilled forward who didn’t find a place in Calgary (and who wasn’t going to sign in the summer).
Baertschi had been alienated from the organization by Bob Hartley and/or Brian Burke over time. He wasn’t going to be back. In the spirit of Jay Feaster sending Tim Erixon to the Rangers for a bunch of assets, Treliving nabbed a useful asset for an asset that would soon have zero value.
5. 2016 second round pick (35th overall) & conditional 2017 third round pick (TBD) to St. Louis for Brian Elliott
The Flames got: a starting goalie who was an obvious upgrade on either of the guys they had used the prior season.
The Blues got: Jordan Kyrou.
Would you rather have a starting goalie or the mystery box?
4. Jiri Hudler to Florida for 2016 second round pick (54th overall) & 2018 fourth round pick (TBD)
The Flames got: Tyler Parsons.
The Panthers got: forward depth for playoffs.
Hudler was in the midst of a really rough season, yet Treliving managed to flip him for a couple draft picks.
3. Curtis Glencross to Washington for 2015 second round pick (52nd overall) & 2015 third round pick (83rd overall)
The Flames got: assets for a player that retired after the season, which allowed them to make future trades.
The Capitals got: forward depth for the playoffs.
This is basically the Hudler trade again, with better picks involved for the Flames, and in this case Treliving flipped a guy that wasn’t playing professional hockey the following season for a couple assets that allowed them to trade for Dougie Hamilton and trade up for Oliver Kylington.
2. Kris Russell to Dallas for Jyrki Jokipakka, Brett Pollock & 2016 second round pick (56th overall)
The Flames got: a depth defenseman, a depth prospect and a reasonably high draft pick in a reasonably good draft. They used the pick on Dillon Dube.
The Stars got: a rental defenseman for their playoff run.
Treliving flipped a pending UFA defender for three assets. I like this trade because it spread out the risk that one of the assets wouldn’t pan out.
1. 2015 first round pick (15th overall), 2015 second round pick (45th overall) & 2015 second round pick (52nd overall) to Boston for Dougie Hamilton
The Flames got: a young, high-end defenseman.
The Bruins got: three draft picks in a “good, but not great” draft class. They chose Zach Senyshyn at 15th, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson at 45th and Jeremy Lauzon at 52nd.
This is the Brian Elliott trade all over again, except for a player who was at the time an RFA under team control for awhile and had proven to be a strong NHLer already. Would you rather have a high-end defenseman, or three mystery boxes? This was the culmination of months of Treliving’s wheeling and dealing dating back to the previous trade deadline, and leveraged assets in an intelligent manner to help the team in a big way.
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