Flames GM Brad Treliving fires a warning shot at Sam Bennett, his agent Darren Ferris

Much has been made of the Sam Bennett story in Calgary over the past handful of weeks, and there has been no shortage of speculation as to where he might wind up if he is, indeed, traded at some point in the near future. But Flames GM Brad Treliving has made one thing very clear on Friday regarding Bennett's handling; neither Sam, nor his representation will dictate how the Flames go about their business.

"Sam's agent decided to have a conversation with the media in talking about changes of scenery and all that," Treliving told Sportsnet 960's The FAN. "We'll determine - whether it be Sam Bennett or anybody else - what their scenery is and when it's going to change, and until such time, Sam is a member of the Calgary Flames and he's like every other member of the Calgary Flames.

"We think Sam's a hell of a player, and we expect him to be a real good player here, and we'll go from there."

Treliving could be posturing here in an effort to try and drive the price on Bennett up a bit, as a disgruntled player who everyone knows wants out can often be had for less than he might have otherwise yielded in a return.

My take, however, is that Treliving is trying to send a message to the Bennett camp here, and that message is simple. There's a right way and a wrong way to do business. The fact that Bennett's agent, Darren Ferris, chose to go public with his suggestion that it's time for the Flames to trade Bennett, rather than dealing with things behind closed doors in an attempt to pursue an "everyone wins" scenario has not sat well with the Flames' front office.

Treliving is nothing if not a man of his word, and when he says that the Flames will dictate how this all plays out, it's probably exactly how he and the rest of the upper-management team feel.

Bennett is in the final season of a two-year, $5.1M deal and is set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights when his current contract expires.

If he is not dealt this season, we could be looking at a potentially messy arbitration case ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, Calgary coach Geoff Ward kept Bennett glued to the bench for the entire third period of the Flames 2-1 loss to the Oilers Friday night. Ward would not tell reporters why, saying he preferred to keep that internal. He did say it was a one-time thing resulting from something that happened during that game, rather than a response to a broader pattern of play.

MUST READ

2 hours ago  |  By Aaron Itovitch Don Cherry Brutally Calls Out Darnell Nurse for Actions Leading to Ryan Reaves' Suspension

2 hours ago  |  By Tyler Ball Columbus Blue Jackets Linked in Trade to 75-Point Scorer by NHL Writer

15 hours ago  |  By Tom Banks Unforeseen Events Nearly Force Toronto Maple Leafs vs Utah Hockey Club Game to be Postponed

16 hours ago  |  By Tom Banks NHL Department of Player Safety Makes Official Ruling On Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes

17 hours ago  |  By Aaron Itovitch Canadian Team Unexpectedly Places 6-Foot-3 Enforcer on the NHL Waiver Wire

18 hours ago  |  By Aaron Itovitch Elliotte Friedman Hints at Trade of 30 Million Dollar Defenseman to Canadian Team

20 hours ago  |  By Aaron Itovitch 900-Game NHL Veteran Likely to Retire After Refusing to Sign With Canadian Team

21 hours ago  |  By Aaron Itovitch Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Addresses Struggling Player Nick Robertson in New Interview

MORE STORIES