As the Calgary Flames continue their rebuild, player movement is going to be a topic that’s quite prevalent within the fanbase. Following that topic, there’s also a split on which players Flames fans would be willing to give up in a trade scenario.
In this article, I wanted to give my opinion on how safe certain Flames players would be from the trade block and whether they would be “untouchable” or not. Feel free to agree or disagree, as these are just my opinions. There are three main categories I’m going to group players in:
Untouchable: Players the team shouldn’t entertain offers on.
Blockbuster: These players should only be included if the player the Flames are acquiring in return is of elite or substantial talent.
Actively shopping/listening to offers: These are players the Flames should be shopping or entertaining offers on.
The untouchables
Zayne Parekh
This is a pretty easy one, as Zayne Parekh is the team’s best prospect. He fits the mold of elite talent and is projected to be an offensive specialist in the NHL. He’s often compared to players like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, who are both some of the top defensemen in this league. In short, Flames fans should be very excited about what’s in store for the 2024 ninth-overall pick.
Dustin Wolf
Another easy player to rule out of any trade the Flames make, as Dustin Wolf is the future in the net. He’s been the main reason why the Flames are even in the playoff conversation and has made quite the impression in his first full NHL season. For a seventh-round pick that’s dominated in every level he’s played in, it really seems like the sky’s the limit for Wolf being an NHL starter.
Mikael Backlund
I’m including Mikael Backlund in this category not because of his trade value, but rather due to his status with the team. I don’t see the Flames trading their captain, as Backlund likely retires a Flame unless he explicitly wants out.
Players to only include in a blockbuster deal
Connor Zary/Matt Coronato
I’m ready to get a lot of backlash on this one. It might seem crazy to many that the team might be willing to move on from one of these players but hear me out…
While both Connor Zary and Matt Coronato are projected to be great players in this league, they aren’t elite talent. I mean, Flames fans would love it if one or both players became elite, but their projections see these players becoming more top-six, complementary pieces instead.
What I’m saying is that Zary and Coronato are players you use to complement star players, and since the Flames don’t have any at the moment, they’re seen as being the best talent we have. Since this franchise has lacked elite talent for a bit now, it may result in fans overvaluing the true capability of certain players.
Zary and Coronato are both expected to be part of the Flames’ future, but if an opportunity ever came up where an elite star player was available on the trade market, parting with one of these players may be what it takes to acquire game-breaking talent. The Flames have missed chances to acquire talents such as Mark Stone and Jack Eichel in the past because of their unwillingness to part with certain young players at the time, such as Juuso Valimaki, Dillon Dube and Andrew Mangiapane.
Using a more relevant example, if a player like Elias Pettersson ever becomes available, the Flames should jump on that chance to acquire an elite number-one center, a position they badly need to fulfill. While he has experienced injury issues and his contract is large, no one can deny that Pettersson at his best is a game-breaker who can help you win games. Elite players don’t hit the trade market often, so when they do, teams often have to make a sacrifice in order to acquire them.
Other prospects
Similar to the point above, the Flames should only dip into their prospect pool if the player they’re acquiring fits the team’s timeline and is of substantial talent. Some prospects may be easier to move on from than others, but if the Flames do include a prospect or two in trades, it’ll be for a deal they feel makes sense for the present and future
MacKenzie Weegar
While there have been discussions of whether MacKenzie Weegar would be available for trade or not, my personal opinion is that he’s likely staying for the long haul. His contract is great and he’s been the best part of the return from the Matthew Tkachuk trade. While he’s not completely safe from the trade block, I doubt the team will trade him unless the get an offer they can’t refuse. I see him as even being the next captain of the team, taking the torch from Backlund.
Players the Flames should be shopping/listening to offers for
All veteran forwards/depth defence
Offers from other teams that include names such as Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman, Andrei Kuzmenko and even Jonathan Huberdeau should be entertained by the Flames. Out of those four players, Kadri has the highest value and would bring the most back in a trade. The only issue would be his contract which would be a lot for a contender to take on, same with Huberdeau too of course.
If Kuzmenko can drastically improve his production, there might be teams that’ll be interested in his services around the deadline. The fall-off of Kuzmenko this season has truly been bizarre, and he was a substantial trade chip the Flames could’ve used to get assets in return.
Coleman in my opinion could also garner interest. He’s won cups and is a productive player during the postseason, something contenders love to have.
If there are teams that would give up assets for players such as Tyson Barrie, Daniil Miromanov and Jake Bean than I think that’s also something the Flames should consider if it makes sense.
Rasmus Andersson
It’s been one of the hottest topics within the Flames fanbase right now regarding Andersson’s future in Calgary. My opinion is that the Flames should be entertaining all offers on the 28-year-old as his value is the highest it’s ever been right now.
Contending teams would salivate over the possibility of acquiring a right-shot, top-four defender like Andersson. He’s also on a cheap contract with a cap hit of just $4.5 million for this season and the next one. If the Flames retain 50% of his contract and trade him at this year’s deadline, the return could be a big one, as the team acquiring him would get him for this season and the next one too.
It seems like a no-brainer in my opinion. If the Flames are truly committed to the rebuilding path, trading Andersson would be a heavy consideration.
Dan Vladar
Dan Vladar should be on the trade block as he’s a pending UFA. With the emergence of Wolf this season and Devin Cooley being signed to a two-year contract, the likelihood of Vladar extending in Calgary is small.
While I doubt he gets much in return due to his play this season, teams can get desperate around the deadline. Who knows? If a team is willing to look past Vladar’s stats and see him as an upgrade for them in net then by all means the Flames should entertain offers.
