Flames sign general manager Brad Treliving to multi-year contract extension

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames signed general manager Brad Treliving to a multi-year contract extension Monday, locking up a key architect of the team’s return to competitiveness.

Treliving has served as Flames GM since April 2014 and Calgary has reached the playoffs twice under his tenure, including this season when they were swept in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks.

Calgary failed to make the playoffs for five striaght seasons prior to Treliving’s arrival.

“We are striving to create a level of continuity and stability, as all successful teams do,” Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke said in a statement. “Today’s announcement is another step forward for our organization on that path. Under Brad’s leadership, we have seen progress over the past three seasons and look forward to building on that growth in the coming years.”

The Flames have gone 125-103-18 over the last three seasons and finished the 2016-17 campaign with a 45-33-4 record and the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

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Treliving had a busy off-season in 2016 starting with the firing of head coach Bob Hartley, whom he had inherited from previous GM Jay Feaster, after Calgary failed to reach the post-season. He hired Glen Gulutzan as Hartley’s replacement.

Calgary then used its sixth-overall selection at the NHL draft to select power forward Matthew Tkachuk from the Memorial Cup winning London Knights. The move paid immediate dividends as Tkachuk scored 13 goals and 25 assists in 76 games this season, finishing sixth in rookie scoring.

“Brad has done a good job in leading our club and has clearly earned this reward,” Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation president Ken King said. “We have great faith in our hockey operations structure and we look forward to continued and improved results.”

Treliving also acquired goaltender Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues for a second round draft pick and 2018 conditional third rounder at the draft. The Flames were hoping to solidify their goaltending situation with the move after spotty performances from three different goaltenders the previous, but Elliott was inconsistent in 2016-17.

The 32-year-old finished the regular season with a 26-18-3 record to go along with a 2.55 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

Chad Johnson, who was signed to a one-year deal on July 1 as a free agent, started 36 games for Calgary in the regular season. He also came on in relief of Elliott in Game 4 against Anaheim in the Western Conference quarter-final series after Elliott allowed a weak goal on the third shot he faced.

Both Elliott and Johnson are pending unrestricted free agents.

Treliving solidified his core last summer by signing restricted free agents Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau to lengthy contact extensions.

Monahan, 22, signed a seven-year extension worth a reported $44.6 million US while Gaudreau, 23, inked a six-year extension reportedly worth $40.5 million.

The two continued to provide offensively for the Flames in 2016-17 with the duo finishing 1-2 in team scoring — Gaudreau leading the way with 61 points and Monahan scoring 58 points.

Calgary has shored up its defence under Treliving, highlighted by the acquisition of Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins in June 2015. Captain Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie have also signed long-term contract extensions with the Flames over the course of the last three seasons.

The 47-year-old Treliving spent seven seasons with the Arizona Coyotes organization as vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager prior to joining Calgary.

The Canadian Press

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