'WE LIKE OUR TEAM'

Brad Treliving didn't have to make waves.
He prefers it that way.
With most of the work done in the weeks leading up, Monday's NHL Trade Deadline was less about getting nautical, as it was fortifying the walls.
"If we did nothing, we were comfortable with it," said the Flames GM, who announced a pair of deals prior to the 1 p.m. MT deadline. "You've got to be careful, too, of saying we've got to airlift a bunch of bodies in because it's trade deadline day. We've added a bunch of people over the last month and we're happy with it."

The club acquired right-shot centre/winger Ryan Carpenter from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 Draft, and sent goaltender Michael McNiven to the Ottawa Senators for future considerations.
"We were coming into today with some specific things we were looking at," Treliving said. "If we couldn't do it, we were OK with it. We didn't have to force anything ... You weigh the players that are out there, the prices, as well as the depth that you already have.
"To me, bringing somebody in, it supplants somebody (else)."

Earlier in the day, veteran centre Brad Richardson was claimed off waivers from the Canucks, perhaps increasing the need for additional depth down the middle.
In Carpenter, the Flames add a versatile depth forward, who big plays big minutes on the penalty-kill and is a beast in the dot, winning 52.25% of his faceoffs this year.
It was the order of the day for these Flames, who did the bulk of their heavy lifting with the Tyler Toffoli and Calle Jarnkrok trades - both of which, paying immediate dividends and offering a balance to the team's forward corps not seen in years.
"Ryan was a guy we liked a lot. I think he fits the style we play," Treliving said. "He's a north-south player, excellent penalty-killer, plays hard, has some sandpaper to his game and I think he'll fit in well with us."
Often, the best trade is the one you don't make. Tactically, you have to stay disciplined on this and the July 1 Free Agent Frenzy.
And with 31 other GMs frantically working the phones Monday, the cost - both now and the future - was predictably steep.
Hence, the Flames were happy with what they had.
And why shouldn't they be?
At 38-16-8, the Flames have firmly established themselves in the league's upper-echelon, thanks to a hard-working, sustainable system that's given them a Pacific-leading +66 goal differential.
The Flames are one of the NHL's top possession teams, and are now the best - league-wide - in their share of high-danger scoring opportunities (56.54%). It's a key underlying metric that weighs the quality of your chances, for and against.
With a pair of 30-goal scorers, including top-line pivot Elias Lindholm, a Hart Trophy-chasing Johnny Gaudreau, and Vezina-calibre goaltending from Jacob Markstrom, the Flames are poised to make a run.
"We like our team," Treliving said. "Today wasn't about doing anything because we felt we needed to, but it gives us a little more depth.
"I like the makeup of our team. It's a real business-like approach to the team. They're steady at the wheel. We've still got 20, 21 games to go, so there's lots of regular-season hockey left, and we've got to clinch a playoff spot. I like the chemistry of the group. They believe they're a good team. There's a good feel around it.
"I'm glad we could add to it."