In a largely uneventful trade deadline day for the Calgary Flames, the team waited and waited and finally made a pea-sized splash as the deadline approached. As the 1 p.m. MST deadline passed, the Flames made two trades. First, they traded Radim Zohorna to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Dryden Hunt in a one-for-one AHL transaction, followed by acquiring Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie from the Arizona Coyotes.
A quiet trade deadline
By and large, this deadline was rather disappointing. Unfortunately, instead of being sellers like many had hoped the Flames would be, they simply made inconsequential moves as small stature buyers that show no signs of direction, plan, nor hope for the future. At this point, there is no clear message on what the Flames are planning to do with this season nor the ones to come.
Dryden Hunt
In Calgary’s first trade since August 18, 2022 where they bid farewell to Sean Monahan, the Flames finally brought in a new player after a completely stale season on the trade front.
Hunt started the season with the New York Rangers, playing out the second year of his two-year, $762.5K average annual salary contract. He was then claimed off of waivers by the Colorado Avalanche, then traded to the Maple Leafs in exchange for Denis Malgin (who coincidentally made the Flames look silly in their most recent game in Denver).
With the three teams Hunt’s dressed for this season, he posted three goals over 37 games. In the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, he posted four goals and five assists in 15 games played.
Troy Stecher
Then near the end of the deadline with minutes remaining, it was announced that the Flames traded for Stecher. The package involved trading Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie to acquire Stecher and Nick Ritchie.
In 61 games, Stecher posted zero goals and seven assists, whereas Nick Ritchie has nine goals and 12 assists in 58 games.
The deadline has come and gone
That’s all the Flames decided to do at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. Best of luck to the former Flames on their new teams, and for the newest Flames—welcome to some turbulent times ahead.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
