'LOTS OF HOCKEY LEFT'

The human element is sometimes lost in the phone-call free-for-all that is trade deadline day.
You could hear the emotion, the pride in Brad Treliving's voice in the moments after, recapping the events of past 24 hours that led to a shrewd pair of business deals.
But, when good people are sent packing …
"It sucks," the GM said as he addressed the media over Zoom following Monday's 1 p.m. ceasefire.

"I wish I could be more politically correct with my language, but it sucks. But you have to do what's right for the organization. In both cases you hate seeing people leave, but I'm real happy with the return we received."
The annual spring shuffle started late Sunday, when the Flames traded goalie David Rittich to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a third-round selection in the 2022 draft.
They followed that up on Monday by dealing another expiring contract - this time, in the form of RFA Sam Bennett - along with a sixth-round pick in the 2022 draft, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for prospect Emil Heineman and a second-round choice.

While both moves are obviously about planning for the future, this - in no way, Treliving says - is an indication the Flames are "throwing in the towel" for the season.
However, with a flat cap, the upcoming Seattle Kraken expansion draft looming on the horizon, and roles being re-defined based on the construction of this roster, it made sense to cash in, while staying in the fight.
"From a media perspective, you want to define it easily as buying or selling," Treliving said. "Obviously, when you're in a real good playoff spot, you usually aren't taking anything off your roster. When you're not in a good playoff spot, you more than not looking to see the value of expiring contracts and whether there's interest, or what the market will bear.
"The other piece, is I think I was on both sides. We looked at acquiring players here today - certainly not necessarily from a rental basis or expiring-contract basis, but if there were things that could help us now, and if there were things with term moving forward, certainly we explored all avenues.
"I had a hand in both pools today.
"This is what transpired."
In Heineman, the Flames are getting a solid prospect who was taken in the second round - 43rd overall - in last year's draft.
The 6-foot-1, 185-lb. right-winger had seven goals and 13 points in 43 games with Leksand of the Swedish Hockey League this year, and was lauded by scouts for his dangerous combination of straight-line speed, competitiveness, and an elite shot.
The Panthers, meanwhile, are getting a perennial, playoff pugilist, who - in four trips to the dance - has 11 goals, 19 points, and a reputation as one of the most physical players around.
In 402 regular-season games with the Flames, Bennett had 67 goals and 140 points. He was the highest pick in franchise history, going fourth overall in the 2014 draft.
"Sam and I had a good chat up in my office," Treliving said. "We came here at the same time. I got hired, and the draft was a month later and Sam was our first pick. We go back ever since I got here. We arrived at the same time.
"There's been lots of ups and lots of downs. It hasn't gone perfect, but at the end of the day I try to separate that. He's good kid, he's a real good kid. But you also have to make business decisions and we made one here.
"We had a good chat and always told him if there's anything I can ever do for him moving forward … You like to have that relationship with your players, but at the end of the day you have to make business calls.
"That's the job when you're sitting in the seat and that's what we did today."

The Flames - who are six points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final playoff spot - are now off on a three-game road trip, beginning on Tuesday against the Leafs, and finishing up on Wednesday and Friday in La Belle Province.
It's crazy to think, but with the Leafs in a back-to-back situation, it's entirely possible that Rittich's first game as Bud could come against his old team.
That's just how wild this already unique season has been.
Whether that scenario transpires remains to be seen, but either way, the Flames have to put aside the sentiment and focus on the task in front of them.
They know they face an incredibly steep, uphill climb - but it's not over.
And if today's moves have told us anything - it's that it's possible to walk and chew gum at the same time.
"I'm not about to do autopsies on the corpse here," Treliving said. "We've got lots of hockey left to go.
"Today's a day on the calendar where there's a deadline for transactions up until the season's done. We did things we felt were prudent here today. We felt if we were going to make these moves, these moves weren't going to be available to us beyond today. We did do that and it doesn't signal anything other than we had some business to get done today and we got it done.
"We'll deal with the off-season in the off-season.
"I stress again, we've got 15 games to go here."