After missing the playoffs in 2017-18 and falling well short of Stanley Cup aspirations, Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving looked for some big change this summer to go into next year with a new look — while maintaining lofty expectations.
With the entire core locked in place, Treliving made a huge splash on the trade market sending Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and prospect Adam Fox to Carolina for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Both of the players Calgary acquired were RFAs this summer and while Hanifin is still without a contract Lindholm signed on for six years and a $4.85 million cap hit on Monday.
Hanifin is a stud defenceman on the rise, coming off a 10-goal, 32-point season and the closest to a sure thing coming to Calgary. Lindholm has great pedigree as well, having been drafted fifth overall in 2015, but hasn’t yet hit on that potential. Still just 23, his career high in goals is 17 and points is 45.
Still, Treliving bought into Lindholm hitting that potential and thinks this contract could even turn into a value deal before long.
“We think he’s a real good player,” Treliving said Sportsnet 960 the FAN’s Big Show. “Elias will probably be the first to tell you he hasn’t reached yet the offensive production that either he or maybe others thought he would by this time. We think he can be a player that’s gonna pop. Conversely on Elias’ side they’re thinking the same thing so you’re trying to manage expectations on both sides and both sides are trying to protect their downside and limit any exposure on the upside.”
Lindholm was chosen one pick ahead of Sean Monahan in that draft and though Monahan has already blossomed into a strong playmaker and perfect complement to Johnny Gaudreau, earning a seven-year, $44.625 million contract in 2016, Lindholm’s development has been less pronounced. The Hurricanes never made the playoffs in his five years with the team and he didn’t turn into the offensive generator they so sorely need.
But Treliving did note that Lindholm’s game has a good defensive base and with the ability to play both centre and wing, provides lineup flexibility for new coach (and former Carolina boss) Bill Peters. Calgary’s top three centres, Monahan, Mikael Backlund and Mark Jankowski are all left shots so the right-shot Lindholm can take strong side faceoffs. Last year he won 54.5 per cent of the 793 draws he took.
Even though Treliving later signed sniper James Neal to a long-term contract off the UFA market, early indications are that Lindholm will play on the top line. But the beauty about the player from Treliving’s perspective is that he can move just about anywhere in the lineup.
The GM feels good about his prediction that Lindholm will “pop” because he’s followed the player and been a fan of his game for many years. And with Peters coming in from Carolina and his more recent experience dealing with Lindholm, the GM has a coach who backed up his conclusions.
“Our interest in Elias goes back a long time,” Treliving said. “Prior to me even coming to Calgary, I remember watching him at length and real deep spending a lot of time in Sweden watching him in his draft year. Obviously with Bill here now we felt there was a lot of internal intelligence on him.”
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