The Calgary Flames are on the hunt for a new general manager after it was announced on Monday that Brad Treliving had left the team after nine seasons.
B次元官网网址淭he Calgary Flames and Brad Treliving have mutually agreed to part ways. BradB次元官网网址檚 contract expires on June 30 and he will not return as the Flames general manager for next season,B次元官网网址� said John Bean, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation president and CEO, at MondayB次元官网网址檚 press conference.
B次元官网网址淥n behalf of the Flames ownership, management, and fans, we want to sincerely thank Brad for his nine years of dedication to our organization and our city,B次元官网网址� added Bean. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檇 be hard-pressed to find a harder worker, and a harder manager than Brad. He brought the best to the rink each and every day and for that, weB次元官网网址檙e very grateful.B次元官网网址�
Leading that search will be Don Maloney, who has been promoted to president of hockey operations and will also act as interim GM.
B次元官网网址淭odayB次元官网网址檚 not a good day for me, itB次元官网网址檚 not. Stanley Cup playoffs start tonight and weB次元官网网址檙e not playing,B次元官网网址� said Maloney.
Maloney, 64, has worked closely with Treliving since he joined the Flames as a pro scout in 2015 and later was promoted to vice president of hockey operations, a title he held the past five seasons. The two also worked together previously with the Arizona Coyotes.
B次元官网网址淏rad Treliving is a good friend and I think a very good hockey man,B次元官网网址� said an emotional Maloney, his voice cracking. B次元官网网址淗e left us for his reasons. But we move on.B次元官网网址�
The organization had offered Treliving an extension back in training camp, which he turned down, preferred to delay his decision. It was last Wednesday that he made his decision final.
B次元官网网址淚 thought for sure that Brad would re-sign,B次元官网网址� said Maloney. B次元官网网址淎nd I was as close to him as with anybody. When he told me Wednesday that he couldnB次元官网网址檛 do it, that was the first time that the reality was that he just needs to take some time.B次元官网网址�
Bean did not elaborate on the reasons Treliving gave for leaving the organization.
B次元官网网址淒ecisions like this are really difficult and thereB次元官网网址檚 lots of layers to the onion,B次元官网网址� said Bean. B次元官网网址淲e had good conversations with Brad, Brad and I will remain friends. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no door slamming. But we agreed that weB次元官网网址檙e going to part ways.B次元官网网址�
Maloney says no timeline has been set for the hiring of a new GM.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 still in the evaluation process of the team,B次元官网网址� said Maloney. B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 a deep dive for me to get to the players, get to the staff, and find out from them firsthand what they think the issues are. Why weB次元官网网址檙e sitting here today and not suiting up for a game that weB次元官网网址檙e playing tonight.B次元官网网址�
Calgary made the playoffs five times during TrelivingB次元官网网址檚 tenure, and reached the second round in 2015 and 2022. The Flames fell short of the playoffs this season, however, with a 38-27-17 record.
Assistant general managers Craig Conroy, Brad Pascall, and Chris Snow B次元官网网址� who continues to battle ALS B次元官网网址� remain under contract.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e certainly candidates and strong candidates for the position,B次元官网网址� Maloney said. B次元官网网址淏ut we also realize it would be short-sighted to not go out there and find the best candidate, and maybe one of them is, but we havenB次元官网网址檛 even started that process yet.B次元官网网址�
The Flames went 324-238-58 under Treliving and twice topped the Pacific Division with 50-win seasons (2019, 2022).
Treliving inherited Bob Hartley as a head coach and hired four: Glen Gulutzan, Bill Peters, Geoff Ward and Darryl Sutter.
Sutter previously coached the Flames from 2002 to 2006 and was GM from 2003 to 2010. The Flames hired him again in March of 2021 when Ward was fired.
Asked about SutterB次元官网网址檚 status and whether he would be back behind the bench next season, Maloney remained tight-lipped, saying only that he would be meeting with Sutter on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
B次元官网网址淚 am reviewing everything in the organization B次元官网网址� management, coaching, players, scouting,B次元官网网址� said Maloney.
Treliving wasnB次元官网网址檛 afraid of chasing big fish with large cheques, or making blockbuster trades.
His most recent headliner was dealing Matthew Tkachuk, who wanted out, to Florida for Jonathan Huberdeau and signing free agent Nazem Kadri last summer to help fill the void left behind by the departure of Johnny Gaudreau in free agency.
The Flames invested a combined $133 million and 15 contract years in Huberdeau and Kadri and looked like a contending team on paper this season.
But both forwards were well off their career-high points of last season. Sutter demoted Kadri to his bottom-six forwards late in the season.
B次元官网网址淵ou think back to last summer and the difficult challenges that we had with the players that were leaving us and the job that Brad did,B次元官网网址� said Maloney. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 him. The work he put in, and the agents, and the players, and the teams, and the trades.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 on the sidelines trying to help, but heB次元官网网址檚 the one thatB次元官网网址檚 making all the calls till midnight. And I really do think that it took its toll and after eight, nine years, he just needs a break from what he was doing.B次元官网网址�
Among his other notable moves was signing Gaudreau out of college in 2014, and trading CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 first-round pick in the 2022 NHL entry draft to Montreal to get Tyler Toffoli.
Treliving also got goaltender Jacob Markstrom under contract in 2020 for six years and $36 million.
Despite the disappointing season, MondayB次元官网网址檚 changes do not necessarily represent a change in direction.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a great lineup that underperformed,B次元官网网址� said Bean. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not allowed to ever use the word B次元官网网址榬ebuild,B次元官网网址� but no, weB次元官网网址檙e not going to overreact here. Take our time, do the analysis, and come up with the next step.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擠arren Haynes, The Canadian Press
