In upgrading the roster, Brad Treliving failed to hedge his bets

Photo Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY SportsIn cards, as in life, sometimes it’s smart to make a big gamble and sometimes it’s smart to hedge your bets.

Since becoming the general manager of the Calgary Flames in the spring of 2014, Brad Treliving has made a few big swings in the trade market. At the 2015 NHL Draft, he made a savvy move by flipping three draft picks (including the Flames’ first rounder that year) to Boston for Dougie Hamilton. At the 2017 NHL Draft, he made a similar move that may come back to haunt the Flames because he failed to hedge his bets.

It’s a bit of a myth that general managers don’t trade first round picks. If you look at the actual draft orders from the last few…