Since taking over from the now-departed Brian Burke as the Calgary Flames’ general manager in 2014, Brad Treliving has been the target of criticism from fans for his frequent and often disastrous mishaps in the NHL’s unrestricted free agency period.
The Flames’ track record in trades, at the NHL Entry Draft, and in making the postseason has improved under Treliving’s watch in comparison to the tenures of his predecessors. But Treliving’s multi-year UFA signings of Mason Raymond, Troy Brouwer, and Michael Stone all ultimately resulted in buyouts, while his largest-ever open market signing, James Neal, skipped town as part of an anchor-for-anchor trade with the Oilers after a horrendous single…
