Treliving on Calgary’s search for consistency, trade deadline approach

After a summer where they brought in the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri (and lost 100-point stars Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk), the Calgary Flames entered the 2022-23 season with lofty expectations.

Six months later, and about two-thirds of the way through the season, the Flames have 61 points (25-18-11), and find themselves in a battle for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

With the NHL trade deadline on March 3, Flames general manager Brad Treliving spoke with TSN’s Salim Valji about Calgary’s season so and his approach in the coming weeks.

TSN: Your team is in that battle for the second wild-card slot. How would you characterize the season so far?

Treliving: Well, it’s been a little uneven. I would characterize as we’ve been up and down. I think we’ve played some good hockey and I think there are some areas where we’ve shot ourselves in the foot. We’re looking, I think, to be a lot more consistent on a regular basis. Having said all that, we’re in a battle. We are where we are, and we’ve got 30 some-odd games here to try and earn ourselves a playoff spot. The good news for me is I think there’s still lots left in the tank collectively and individually. We need to pull that out here in the last part of the season.

TSN: You’ve said often that you take your cues from your team. Building off that, what cues have this group given you to date?

Treliving: “Well, like I said, I think there’s some really good things that we’ve done. I think, especially in the last six to eight weeks, we’ve gotten more consistently back to the identity of our team. We haven’t given up a lot. I think we’ve outchanced our opponents. On most nights, our chances against have come down. We’re needing to keep one out of our net on a more regular basis and find one going in the other end. I think our team is one that if we can get in the dance, we’ve got a team that’s built to compete in the tournament. But you’ve got to get there first. As I said, the good news for me is I think you can go through our lineup [of players needing to give more], it’d be different if we were hitting on all cylinders. We’re right there in the battle and I think there’s more to give throughout our lineup and collectively as a group. That’s the goal down the stretch.”

TSN: Obviously, there was a remodel of the team in the summer. It looks like Nazem has come as advertised and it’s taken a little longer for MacKenzie and Jonathan to find their legs. Is it surprising you how it maybe hasn’t come as quick for those two in Calgary so far?

Treliving: “Well, I thought there was going to be a period to adapt. In Naz’s case, he’s been in different places. This isn’t his first change. When you look at Jonathan and MacKenzie, they were really in one spot your whole career, especially Jonathan. He’s been there [in Florida] the whole time. Now, it’s been, we’re at the 50-game mark. I do see and most recently have seen some really good signs from Jonathan. I think there’s a lot more plays being made. I think there’s been a real big change in style of play that he’s come from in Florida to here. To me, there’s a lot of things that are trending up. I’m not just looking at the production but obviously that’s the end result. There’s a lot more plays being made. I think he’s on the puck more. I think you’re seeing more chemistry between him and Naz. Jakob [Pelletier] has come in there and done a real good job for a young guy. The same thing with MacKenzie. [If you] break it down into segments and I think the last part here, even before the break, I thought there were a lot of things that we are seeing that we were expecting his game to bring. A lot more positive than negative and we’re going to need both those players down the stretch.”

TSN: There is a human element, but is there anything the organization or players can do to expedite that adaptation process given we’re about two-thirds of the way through the season?

Treliving: “We’re beyond the adaptation process. It’s just now about going out and being productive. That’s the expectation. This isn’t new surroundings now. We’re past the All-Star break and so now it’s about each and every night. We don’t need those players to come out and save us, but we need them to be real good players. Like I said, I think there’s been lots of positive steps taken and I like how both players are trending.”

TSN: You’ve said you’ve wanted a scoring forward for the past few months. Is that simply, there not being the right fit or the asking prices have been too high? Where are you in that search for that scoring forward?

Treliving: “Well, they’re not available. It’s great to say. You don’t just click your heels here and end up with different players. I don’t know if I’ve said ‘scoring’ forward. I’ve said looking at [how] we’d like to add to our forward group if possible, but also looking internally. We’ve seen that the past little bit here with Jakob coming in and we’ve had Walker Duehr come in to add to our group. Again, we continue to look outside and inside to see if we can bolster the team and improve the team. We’ll continue to do that. It’s not as easy as saying we want to go pick from the player tree and add to it. We’ll continue to talk to my counterparts out there and see if there’s anything that makes sense. We’ll continue to monitor the market.”

TSN: On the back end, can you share anything about Oliver [Kylington]’s status or is that still a little bit unknown to you?

Treliving: “Nothing new to report here. Obviously we’re sitting here on February whatever it is and he’s still not here. Nothing new to report. Until there’s a change there, it’ll be status quo.”

TSN: Are you looking to add someone on the back end that has that ability he had of moving the puck and helping in transition?

Treliving: “Again, we’ve got eight defencemen here right now. We’ll continue to monitor the market and see if there’s things that will help us. We’re in a situation right now where we have to be careful of how much we chase things. The focus for us is on the games in front of us right now. We’ll continue to monitor the market if there’s ways to help us at a price that makes sense and a contract that makes sense. What I mean by that is now, moving forward, how it fits in with our group and what the acquisition cost is. Then we’ll look at it. There’s lots of moving pieces to it. We’ve got work in front of us with the games we’re playing here this week. That’s where our focus is, and we’ll continue to monitor to see what’s out there.”

TSN: Goaltending is a hot topic for any team and this season it’s been talked about a lot. How would you characterize the play of Jacob Markstrom and Dan Vladar to date?

Treliving: “I think it’s been a little bit up and down. I think Jacob would tell you that as well. He’s had some good stretches. He’s had stretches where he probably wants them back. The job here for us is to help support him, not only Jacob but all of our players and make them better. He’s a really good goaltender. We’ve got to take care of things around him, support him as best we can and play in front of him and then help him get back to the level that he’s capable of. So, I’ve got full confidence in Jacob as well as Danny. Danny’s come in here and played some good hockey for us. Between the two of them, obviously you need good goaltending to get yourself into the playoffs. We know what these goaltenders are capable of and we’re expecting that they’re going to give it to us.”

TSN: And off the ice, is it a little different of a dynamic when the coach is the only one guaranteed beyond this season? Does that change how a front office works or is it still status quo or a normal work environment in that regard?

Treliving: “I don’t know what you’re referring to. You’ll have to clarify.”

TSN: Darryl Sutter’s contract being beyond this season and other people in the organization not necessarily. Does that change the dynamic at all?

Treliving: “No, that doesn’t change the dynamic. It’s maybe gossip for outside, but inside, for anyone that knows me, if the question is do I change because my contract’s up, no. I don’t change because my contract’s up. Anybody that knows me and knows how I operate. We’re going to do the best that we can for the short and long- term of the organization.”

TSN: Finally, it seems like it’s been a little bit slower of a trade season across the league overall. Do you anticipate March 3 to be a hectic day for managers? What do you think will unfold that day league-wide?

Treliving: “I don’t know if it’s been slower. There seems to be transactions that have happened. Again, with all the moving pieces, you just look at the teams that are clumped in. There are a lot of teams that are in the races, and you’ve got contracts that need to fit in to the cap and the whole financial piece. I anticipate it’ll be like every other trade deadline. There’s going to be transactions, whether the transactions that happen prior to and on the deadline. I don’t anticipate it’ll be any different than any other trade deadline.”