When Brad Treliving first came on as the Flames' GM, there was immediate speculation that he would ultimately be a puppet for President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke. It made perfect sense to the conspiracy theorist, after all: Burke is a very well-known name in hockey, and he has a reputation for being rather vocal, headstrong, and getting his way.
So despite claims from Burke that he just wanted to step away and let Treliving do his job, there was a questioning air around the rookie GM every time a move was made. It was especially strong at the start of his tenure, but as the season went on and not a lot happened, it gradually began to fade.