The Calgary Flames made an AHL-level deal ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. They sent Emilio Pettersen to the Dallas Stars in a one-for-one trade, taking back Riley Damiani. Having already made a trade with the Stars this year in sending them Chris Tanev, it looks like the two teams had more follow-up discussions that led to an AHL swap.
Damiani has since been assigned to the Calgary Wranglers as well.
So long, Pettersen
Pettersen was Calgary’s 2018 sixth-round pick, taken #167 overall. Since being drafted, he went on to play in the NCAA with the University of Denver, followed by joining the Flames’ AHL team—two seasons with the Stockton Heat and two seasons with the Wranglers.
A reliable depth prospect, he’s still looking for his chance to crack an NHL roster, and unfortunately for him it won’t be with the team that drafted him.
Welcome to Calgary, Damiani
Coincidentally, Damiani was drafted by the Stars in the same draft. Taken #137 overall in the fifth round, Damiani closed out his OHL career with two more seasons with the Kitchener Rangers. He was the alternate captain in 2018–19 and then named captain in 2019–20. After that, he made the jump to the AHL.
He’s been in the AHL for the past for seasons with the Texas Stars, but he did have a seven-game stint in the NHL with Dallas back in 2021–22, where he scored one goal and one assist.
Flames still actively trading
The Flames still have a to-do list prior to the trade deadline. While tending to an AHL trade wasn’t on that list, it’s good to see that they’re not closed for business yet. It’s no one-for-one blockbuster trade, but it’s a tidy piece of business nevertheless.
We’ll see which final dominoes, if any will fall for Calgary in just a few short hours.
