The Edmonton Oilers Should Help The Nashville Predators Start Their Rebuild

Shots fired! Jonathan Huberdeau’s agent tweeted out a scathing tweet in a state of the union of the Flames. I knew the Flames would be terrible months ago, and they’ve underachieved even my own expectations of them.

Unlike a lot of other people, I was unimpressed by the trade of Matthew Tkachuk to Florida, as I didn’t feel either player the Flames got in return would move the needle for the team by themselves. Astonishingly, Weegar is already being considered as trade bait at the deadline prior to when his $6.25 million extension kicks in next season. Probably Huberdeau would be as well, but in this cap climate, it’s going to be hard for any team to justify taking on a player with a $10.5 million AAV price tag who’s clearly struggling after scoring 30 goals and 115 points on a stacked Florida Panthers team last year. Weegar is struggling too, even worse in fact. He’s behind on the points he put up last year on the same stacked Florida team, and projects out to a mere one goal and 24 points after putting up eight and 44 points last season.

Looks like I’ve been proven right this year as I’ve been saying for years the Flames need to do a housecleaning of their scouting staff and start a rebuild just like the Oilers have done – and look at where they are now. Many are calling the Edmonton Oilers Cup contenders and yeah the Oilers are struggling a bit now, but nothing like the Flames.

I find it more than a little telling that Flames GM Brad Treliving’s contract is up after this season and there’s no word out of Calgary on an extension for him. There are also malcontent rumours on head coach Darryl Sutter as well, who has supposedly joined the land of guys like Mike Keenan and Mike Babcock who haven’t adapted their gruff and strict coaching styles to being player’s coaches. If Treliving gets replaced as expected then stay tuned for the announcement from Treliving’s replacement that Sutter will be relieved of his duties. He probably would’ve been already if not for the fact that it looks like a new GM is inevitable and they don’t want to hire someone else only to have that guy fired by the new GM too.

Treliving had a great opportunity with the Tkachuk trade to grab a package of high picks and prospects from Florida or another team in exchange for Tkachuk to kick off a rebuild, and instead of that he chose to delude himself that simply replacing Tkachuk and Gaudreau with two other name players would move the needle for the franchise. That misstep has blown up in his face in spectacular fashion, and once the regular season is done expect that he’ll be paying the price for it with his job.

Expect an offseason shakeup in cowtown, and don’t be surprised if the Flames don’t make the playoffs this season or bow out in the first round like they do most of the time.

If this season isn’t a call to start a housecleaning of the scouting staff and a rebuild for the Flames, then I don’t know what is. Until they stop being satisfied with being consistently inconsistent and subpar, then the Flames are not winning the cup anytime soon.

You heard it here first.