The Calgary Flames find themselves at another midseason crossroad. Will they be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Their current position puts them just outside a wild card spot, but an upcoming road trip could likely set them back even further. With the scale at a somewhat even balance, it may come down to the wire on March 7.
A familiar position
The Flames are no strangers to being right on the cusp of a playoff spot. They’ve snuck in year after year and the outcome is always the same. There has been very little success outside of the first round since the early 2000s. Rinse and repeat every year.
Craig Conroy’s first trade deadline was quite the feat. He cashed in on all his pending free agents and brought in some great assets like Hunter Brzustewicz.
This year is a lot more tame. He doesn’t have to worry about selling off expiring contracts at the risk of losing the players for nothing. They’re also not at a point where they need to be adding rentals in hopes of a strong playoff push. They should be building for the future, not the now.
Assessing the situation
While the Flames are on the cusp of a wild card spot, they’re also on the verge of a very competitive six-game road trip. They head east and take on the red-hot Washington Capitals. The Capitals just scored 15 goals in their last two games. The Flames have scored the same amount of goals in seven games.
After their stop in DC, they will head south to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Then, they’ll play the Carolina Hurricanes on the second half of a back-to-back. The Flames will reunite with Jakob Pelletier and Andrei Kuzmenko in Philidelphia before wrapping it up against the Dallas Stars, who are currently in second place in the ?Central Division.
It all comes down to these six games. The results of this road trip could very possibly make or break their season. The road trip does happen to wrap up a day before the deadline, so there’s a very strong chance the Flames’ decision comes down to the wire.
Is it too soon?
The reality is that the Flames should continue to rebuild their roster. This isn’t something that happens in an offseason or just a year and a half. Conroy has his work cut out for him. He trimmed the fat last spring and proceeded with the plan of sustainable success.
Conroy hasn’t just shipped players out; he has brought in two young forwards in Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. Both players fit the vision of the 22 to 25-year-old forwards that have upside and term. Both players address a current concern. They check boxes that help move the rebuild along.
It could be too early to get your deadline guy. The Flames’ play before the 4 Nations break was uninspiring. They had lost five out of their last seven and were making far too many fundamental mistakes to “reward” them. They might just have to become familiar with and accept the current state of the roster.
A trade at this point in the season is going to cost you more than it would in the offseason. Is it necessary to overpay with the coveted draft capital you need?
What if they are buyers?
It feels like the Flames are constantly living in a world of “what ifs.” What if Jonathan Huberdeau has a 30-goal season? What if Dustin Wolf’s talent speeds the rebuild up? What if they extend Rasmus Andersson?
What if the Flames are ultimately successful on this road trip?
The Flames are consistently inconsistent, so the first taste of three wins in a row has people questioning if they are ready for the postseason. Having consistent success against contenders may be enough for the Flames front office to strike a deal.
Tyler Toffoli was a great addition for the 2021–22 Calgary Flames. Brad Treliving acquired Toffoli from Montreal in exchange for a 2022 first-round draft pick, a 2024 fifth-round pick, forward Tyler Pitlic, and prospect Emil Heineman.
The calibre of those rosters is vastly different, but sometimes all you need is a little booster.
If the Flames are looking to be involved in the trade market, they should look to be a third team or a broker. It is the perfect opportunity for them to stock up on the draft capital they need to move their rebuild along.
