One week before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the Florida Panthers traded Spencer Knight in a deal for Seth Jones. This has opened up a spot for a backup goalie in Florida. Sergei Bobrovsky will need some support, especially during the playoffs. A great option for the Florida Panthers is to reach out to the Calgary Flames for a Dan Vladar trade.
Chris Driedger was recalled from the Charlotte Checkers to be the backup, but is this the best option? Driedger has a 0.878 save percentage through twenty games and has only played in two NHL games since the 2021–22 season. This is where the Flames can come into the picture.
Dan Vladar has a low cost to acquire
One of the main reasons the Florida Panthers should push for Dan Vladar is that his value is not that high. He has certainly had his ups and downs this season, but his past performances against the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers were phenomenal. He was the best player for the Calgary Flames in both games. Vladar stopped 65 of 69 shots throughout these games, keeping the Flames competitive.
The Florida Panthers are still one of the best teams in the league. Trading away assets should not be a worry as they will try to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Looking at the Panthers trade assets, one of their fourth-round picks in the next two years could be involved. It most likely would be a one-for-one trade assuming it is only Dan Vladar going to Florida. Other picks that could be involved are a fifth- or sixth-rounder. Dan Vladar is an unrestricted free agent after this season, so the Calgary Flames would appreciate any kind of asset in return.
Contract retention will not be a problem in this deal. Matthew Tkachuk was placed on injury reserve, freeing up $9.5M from the cap hit. The Florida Panthers will have $8.7M of cap space to work with at the Trade Deadline, per Puck Pedia. Will the Florida Panthers look to add a backup goalie? Or will they look for a more significant addition?
A Dan Vladar trade is good for Calgary as well
Dustin Wolf has proven that he is the number one goalie in Calgary. He has outperformed Dan Vladar, putting Vladar in a position to be traded. Backup goalies hold great value for a playoff run. Injuries are unpredictable and can happen at the worst times. This is not a worry for the Calgary Flames.
Devin Cooley has been outstanding in the AHL, receiving an AHL All-Star spot for his stellar performance. He can easily serve as the backup for the remainder of the season. Whether it is for a playoff push or a fall in the standings, Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley can be the tandem in Calgary. The Flames must look to add draft picks to their name and can do so by moving on from Dan Vladar.
The Calgary Flames are in a tough spot going into the Trade Deadline. They sit in the wild card race and risk losing their 2025 first-round pick. This dates back to the Sean Monahan trade, which included a conditional first-round pick. In simple terms, the Flames must finish in the bottom ten of the standings if they want to keep their first-round pick. With this condition in mind, Craig Conroy needs to focus on acquiring as many other assets as possible.
Looking at the Calgary Flames draft stock, there is room to add more. In 2025, the Flames currently have two first-rounders and one pick in each round other than the fourth. As previously mentioned, the Flames should push to acquire a fourth- or fifth-round selection to up the draft stock. It will not have high value, but every draft pick matters in a rebuild.
Looking at the big picture, a Dan Vladar trade makes sense for the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers.
Previous trades that replicate the Flames situation
Looking at past trades can give a general idea of what to expect in return for Dan Vladar. There have been a few backup goalies dealt in previous years that are on a similar level as him. Here are some examples.
Jake Allen to New Jersey – March 8, 2024
Jake Allen is traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the New Jersey Devils. The return that Montreal received was indeed one conditional draft pick in the third round this year. This is an ideal trade return for Dan Vladar who is an unrestricted free agent after this season. His save percentage and goals against average are slightly better than Jake Allen’s were at the time of the trade. Maybe the Flames can push for a third-rounder.
David Rittich to Toronto – April 11, 2021
April of 2021 marks the time when the Calgary Flames dealt goaltender David Rittich to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Once again, the return was a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (Aiden Thompson). It seems as though a third-round pick should be the average asking price for a goalie of Dan Vladar’s standards. The Flames ended up trading this draft pick later on to acquire Nikita Zadorov from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Scott Wedgewood to Colorado – November 30, 2024
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood was traded to the Colorado Avalanche for goaltender Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. This trade is a good example of what the Calgary Flames could get for Dan Vladar if they want a roster player in return.
Scott Wedgewood had a rough go in five games with the Nashville Predators. He was traded to get a fresh start in Colorado where Justus Annunen had also struggled. The Flames could potentially push for a defenceman and a lower pick in the upcoming draft, but I think they would rather stick with a draft pick. That makes the most sense in a Dan Vladar trade.
A reasonable trade to make
The Panthers make a lot of sense as a top candidate for the Flames to trade for Vladar. The two teams have a trade history and there are familiar faces on both rosters. It’s a perfect match in many ways. We’ll see soon enough if this is a deal that becomes reality.
