Coyotes GM Don Maloney: Brad Treliving ready to shine for Flames

Source : faceoff.com

This fit, says Don Maloney, made the most sense.

His trusty sidekick Brad Treliving had already interviewed for the vacant Buffalo Sabres managerial post and recently Maloney had received a request from another NHL team to talk to his assistant GM.
But only when Brian Burke’s voice boomed over the long-distance telephone line, did he feel he might actually wind up losing his second-in-command.

“When I look at Calgary with Brian Burke,” said the Phoenix Coyotes’ general manager on Tuesday, “I look at that as a good thing for a young manager coming into the league. Brian is very loyal to his people. My first job as a manager was with the Islanders a hundred years ago and Bill Torrey was placed in an advisory role for a year. That was excellent. He left after a year, which I thought was a real loss.

“So for somebody like Brad, who’s certainly enthusiastic, the idea is to have somebody who’s seen it all, done it all, to go to. It’s invaluable as far as I’m concerned. For Brad’s sake in Calgary, I thought it was a great opportunity to get himself established.”

After seven seasons prepping, Brad Treliving struck out on his own, hired by the Flames to run their front office. The man who groomed him more than anyone understands what this franchise is getting, and what his is losing.

“I’ve probably spent as much time with him as with my wife the last seven years.”
Maloney paused.

“I mean, I’m not sure that’s such a good thing.

“But he’s bright, articulate, as I’m sure you saw at (Monday)’s press conference. Now it’s his turn in the driver’s seat. Success creates opportunities and for us to have survived our ownership saga and have some relative success on the ice, certainly people start looking at the organization and say ‘OK, who’s there, who’s doing what and can they help us.’ In Brad’s case, he’s done the work and been an important part in us surviving in the desert here which certainly makes him attractive to other teams.
“I give Brian credit. He got ahead of it early.

“It’s an interesting time in the league for managers now. Obviously there’s been changes, and Brad is one of those up-and-coming, hungry guys. Now what he does with the role is up to him. But he’s more than ready for his chance.”

From a Coyotes’ standpoint moving forward it was important that a decision from Burke and Treliving on such a valuable organizational asset be made in acceptable time. Hence the 10-day window Burke spoke at Monday’s media conference to get a deal done.

“When Brian approached me that Monday, he mentioned he was prepared to wait until after the draft, but I just felt that at that stage with us, if Brad was going to leave us let’s get on with us, let’s do it sooner than later.

“Brad was involved in all aspects of the organization. It wasn’t a situation where we’d talk on a daily basis, we talked probably on an hourly basis. Losing a confidant, a guy that’s exposed to everything, doesn’t exactly make my day but on the other hand we’re very proud and happy for him and his family.

“To work as hard as he did, he deserves an opportunity to run an NHL club.

“It’s good for the Flames, good for Brad and it creates new possibilities for us.”