The Flames meeting the Toronto Maple Leafs, and former GM Brad Treliving, provides an opportunity to investigate the fallout from what has become a turning-point time for the organization, and not necessarily in a good way
As the Calgary Flames ready to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, the game is not just about the skaters on the ice.
The showdown is also a meeting with former Calgary general manager Brad Treliving, now GM in Toronto whose fingerprints are all over the Flames roster.
A huge impact of Treliving’s work comes down to what transpired in the summer of 2022, when the Flames watched star winger Johnny Gaudreau bolt to the Columbus Blue Jackets via free agency and opted to trade rising star Matthew Tkachuk with one year remaining on his contract before becoming a free agency, at which he intended to leave.
Treliving’s moves universally applauded at the time, have not had the positive impact the Flames had hoped and expected, with Calgary (4-7-1) on pace to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
At the end of the 2022-23 season, he left Calgary at the conclusion of his contract, and was hired by the Maple Leafs, who boast a 6-5-2 record.
Here is a look at all the players involved in a turning point summer for the franchise, not just that trade but corresponding moves:
The Tkachuk swap
Calgary traded Tkachuk, who came off a career-best 42-goal, 104-point season, along with a conditional 2025 fourth-round draft choice to the Florida Panthers, for forward Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect forward Cole Schwindt and a conditional 2025 first-round draft pick.
Huberdeau, who collected 115 points that season, was signed to an eight-year, $84 million extension that kicked in this season. Weegar signed an eight-year, $50 million extension that also started in the 2023-24 campaign.
To say Huberdeau has struggled in Calgary would be a gross under-statement. The player inked to the biggest contract in franchise history — both in terms of total dollars and annual salary — managed only 55 points last season, is on pace for 41 this season and was benched for all of the third period of Tuesday’s 4-2 comeback win over the Nashville Predators.
Weegar, after struggling to find his footing through the first half of last season, has become an integral part of the club’s defense corps, and has collected five points in 12 games this season.
Schwindt, 22, who played three games for the Panthers two seasons ago, has three points in eight AHL games this season, but is down the depth chart as far as prospects likely to be recalled.
As for Tkachuk: Well, he was MVP at last year’s all-star game, posted a 40-goal, 109-point regular season and then was a huge part in the Panthers reaching the Stanley Cup Final, in which they fell to the Vegas Golden Knights. He was outstanding in the playoffs before an injury impacted him in the Final. This season, he has managed two goals and 11 points in 12 games.
Jettisoning Sean Monahan
A third player who had been a key Flames forward for many seasons was also dealt away, and for a high price that could be worse than imagined at the time.
Sean Monahan, a cornerstone for Calgary since he was drafted sixth overall in 2013, was beset by injuries for three consecutive seasons, and Treliving made a bold decision to trade him along with a conditional 2025 first-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens. By getting rid of Monahan and his $6.375 million salary cap hit, the Flames had salary cap space to sign Nazem Kadri (more on his impact shortly).
Monahan collected six goals and 17 points in 25 games for the Canadiens last season before injuries derailed another campaign. He re-signed with Montreal, a one-year deal worth $2 million (which includes bonuses), and has already notched six goals and 11 points in 12 games this season — more goals and points than any Flames player. It’s a distinct possibility the rebuilding Canadiens will also trade Monahan this season for a high pick, if he can remain healthy.
The kicker could be the draft choice for a Flames team that is staring at being a lottery club for a few seasons if they don’t change their fortunes. The Flames will not surrender it if they have the first overall pick, but it could be a top-10 selection that goes to Montreal.
Nazem Kadri’s impact
After he was a key component en route to the Colorado Avalanche claiming the 2021 Stanley Cup, Kadri signed a seven-year, $49 million pact with the Flames.
Kadri deservedly went to last season’s All-Star Game, but his performance fell off a cliff immediately after. He finished with 24 goals and 56 points (a 31-point drop from the season before), because he netted only five goals and 19 points in the final 32 games while the Flames desperately attempted an ill-fated playoff push.
This season, after a brutal start — one assist and a minus-10 rating in the first eight games — Kadri has bounced back with two goals and six points in a four-game stretch.
Gaudreau’s woes
As for Johnny Hockey, going to Columbus may be better for his family but has not worked out for his career on the ice.
With the woeful Blue Jackets, with whom he signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract, Gaudreau went from a 115-point final season in Calgary to 21 goals and 74 points last season.
Things have not turned this year, either. He has just one goal and five points 12 games and was benched for the bulk of a third period in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday. His response next game, no points, four shots and a minus-2 rating in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Panthers.