The Calgary Flames have been on an excellent run as of late, going 9–6–5 in their last 20 games. Very much a needed turnaround, as the team continues to chase the second wild card spot in the playoffs. Whether they can catch up to the St. Louis Blues or Minnesota Wild in the remaining 10 games of the season is yet to be seen, but it would seem at least one man’s plan is finally coming to fruition.
If the Flames can finally grace the playoffs again for the first time since 2021–22, it may be thanks to the rather controversial actions of one man who may have seen it all coming. The “Summer of Brad” has finally paid off. It’s time to talk about Brad Treliving.
The “Summer of Brad”
Alright now, hear me out. It almost goes without saying that former Calgary Flames general manager and current Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is a rather controversial figure here in Calgary. He made many questionable decisions during his reign that many fans still talk about to this day. Maybe most controversial of those decisions was his choice not to lock down Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau when given the chance and losing both stars in the same summer. When you just look at it like that, it looks pretty bad, but his response to this major squandering would be quickly praised by Flames fans.
Instead of doing what many general managers would’ve done and admitted defeat, potentially moving towards a rebuild. He decided to reload, choosing to trade Matthew Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar and then signing Nazem Kadri in free agency as well. In only about two weeks, the Calgary Flames went from a gutted contender to a super team. The “Summer of Brad” had gone off without a hitch; Brad Treliving had saved the franchise and his job.
Treliving’s moves did not pan out
It did not take long for things to look bad. In their first season together, both Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau saw massive drops in offensive production. MacKenzie Weegar’s drop off was much less noticeable but still was there.
| Player | PTS in 2021–22 (Pre-Flames) | PTS in 2022–23 (Flames) | PTS Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Huberdeau | 115 | 55 | -60 |
| Nazem Kadri | 87 | 56 | -31 |
| MacKenzie Weegar | 44 | 31 | -13 |
While all involved had come from much more offensive teams in the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers, respectively, it was still very surprising. Brad Treliving would be let go following the season and replaced by current Flames GM Craig Conroy. The “Summer of Brad” has since been meme’d by Flames fans for being a rather massive flop.
Summer of Brad (Vol. 2) https://t.co/nJseRxPO5d
— James 🔥 (@JamesJohnsonYYC) July 1, 2023
Looking back two years later
Some time has now passed since the infamous “Summer of Brad”. Craig Conroy has settled into his role as general manager and made plenty of moves to improve the team both through the draft and trade market. His style is very much different than his predecessor’s, preferring younger players over veterans.
The Calgary Flames have finally dragged themselves back into the playoff hunt. Most fans have been quick to thank Dustin Wolf for that. The rookie goaltender has often been the first player to put the team on his back and has done more than enough to steal multiple games for the Flames. If you look at the numbers down the stretch, though, a few familiar names seem to be carrying a lot of the weight as well.
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nazem Kadri | 20 | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| Jonathan Huberdeau | 20 | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| MacKenzie Weegar | 20 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
Both Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau are near a point per game in the last 20 games, with MacKenzie Weegar not far behind, putting up impressive offensive numbers as well. It would seem that Brad Treliving’s chosen bunch have finally begun to prosper in Calgary.
Both Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau are approaching career highs in goals this season, and MacKenzie Weegar has continued to blossom into a true number-one defenceman. Is it finally time to give some grace to Brad Treliving? Has his gambit finally paid off?
Does Brad Treliving deserve some credit?
Maybe, but definitely not all of it. According to Money Puck, the Calgary Flames’ current playoff odds sit at just 12%. Not exactly the dominant contender that seemed inevitable back in the summer of 2022. As the trio continues to improve and become a bigger part of Calgary’s success, more credit can definitely be given to Brad Treliving, but there may be a few people ahead of him in line.
As I mentioned, Dustin Wolf is currently having a historic season in between the pipes for Calgary and probably deserves the majority of the credit. Craig Conroy has both traded and drafted excellently in his tenure here so far. Players like Kevin Bahl, Yegor Sharangovich, Morgan Frost, and Joel Farabee are all huge parts of this current team and appear to be here for the long haul. To not give him credit for the team he has largely built would not be fair.
There are quite a few names in front of Brad Treliving’s, but he certainly was a part of creating the team that the Calgary Flames are today. He was the man steering the ship when the Flames took a risk with a seventh-round pick on Dustin Wolf, after all.
