Welcome back to The Sunday Census. Throughout the week, The Win Column will be posing topical and intriguing polls on Twitter (@wincolumnblog) to gauge the fan-base’s stance on pressing issues. Want to make sure your opinion is taken into effect? Vote in the polls, start a debate, and propose alternative suggestions on the polls!
The trade deadline is just one day away. So far, Brad Treliving and the Flames have not made any moves, but that’s not to say they haven’t been trying. According to multiple reports, the Flames were in on several players who have already been traded, and there is a consensus that they will try and make a least a couple moves before the deadline tomorrow.
This week, we polled Flames fans asking one simple question:
While the buyers option did receive the most votes, it was an incredibly close race. All three options got at least 30% of the vote, and there really isn’t a defining strategy that Flames fans want to see the team do this year.
There are arguments for all three. Because the Pacific Division is so tight and the Flames have a real shot of getting into the playoffs, why not go out and get a couple players, perhaps a winger and a depth defender to fill the holes left by injuries to Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic? This is the time to be aggressive and go for it. Windows to win aren’t very long and you have to take advantage of them when they come.
On the other hand, the Pacific is the league’s weakest division. Even if the Flames make it in, is there a real chance they can make it through the Central Division teams that will come up in later rounds? With prices for rentals being so high right now, why not sell off a few players, recoup some assets, and go big in the offseason instead?
If neither of these are ideal, maybe it’s best to just stand pat. Stick with what you’ve got and see exactly what your team is made of before making any moves.
It’s intriguing, and Treliving has probably pondered all three of these options for months. He’s always been a player at the deadline, so let’s see what he ends up doing.
If the Flames do end up making a trade, it’s been said that they would prefer a “hockey trade”. If that’s the case, someone on the current roster is likely heading out of town. We asked who that might be.
Johnny Gaudreau’s inclusion on this list was really a litmus test to see how fans felt about him after his torrid pace of late. With only 7% of the vote, this is much more in line with what the Flames should do with him. Trading Gaudreau is almost definitely going to result in a lost trade, especially one at the deadline.
After that, it was once again a pretty even split between Noah Hanifin, Sam Bennett, and T.J. Brodie.
All three players still have their fans, but all three have good reasons behind them for a trade. Hanifin has struggled to achieve the heights he was projected to at the draft, and has been a liability in the defensive zone for weeks now. Bennett is a far cry form the fourth overall pick he once was, and is now just a depth forward. If other teams covet that, why not capitalize on that value. Brodie is a pending UFA and there is skepticism he will sign here in the offseason due to price. If you can get assets for him now, it could be a better option than losing him for nothing in the summer.
Make no mistake, these are just a few players who might be on the block. With the way the season has gone for the Flames, don’t be surprised if a different name is traded in the next 24 hours.
This could be an interesting trade deadline. The Flames could look a lot different in their rematch against Boston later this week.
Want to be a part of the conversation next time around? Follow us on Twitter @wincolumnblog and be sure to keep a look out for our polls throughout the week.
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