Despite going on a recent two-game winning streak, the Calgary Flames still sit last place in the NHL and well out of a playoff spot. Despite this, the teams owner Murray Edwards is reportedly unwilling to trade veteran Nazem Kadri, and likely other veterans as well. Once again, the Calgary Flames seem unwilling to tank.
Here’s why that decision lacks any inkling of common sense, and why now is the perfect time for the Calgary Flames to tank.
The playoffs are already a distant dream
Although it’s only November seventh and the season just started a month ago, the Flames catastrophic start has already left them in a huge hole. While it’s still early, the playoffs already seem like a stretch. Below are the teams playoff odds across some major models.
| Model | Calgary Flames Playoff Odds |
|---|---|
| The Athletic | 6% |
| Moneypuck.com | 12.9% |
| Hockeyreference.com | 11.4% |
Those aren’t exactly the type of numbers you look at and think “this team is a playoff team”. The Flames sit at under 15% in all three models, stooping as low as 6% in The Athletic’s model. A 6% chance means the Flames make the playoffs about 1 in 17 times in that model. That’s what a 4-9-2 start can do. As hard as it may be to admit, this team would be incredibly lucky to make the playoffs this season.
You’d have to go all the way back to the 1998-99 season to find the last time a team sat in last place on November 1st but ended up making the playoffs. That season the San Jose Sharks went from last on November 1st to the playoffs, finishing seventh place in the Western conference. They ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs in six games.
Essentially the Flames will have to achieve a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in 26 years. The last time a team went from last on November 1st to the playoffs, Mikael Backlund was 10 years old.
The 2026 draft is loaded at the top
So we’ve established that the Flames are in tough to make the playoffs. However the draft class looked weak this year, you could perhaps make an argument it’s not worth tanking the rest of the season for. That’s not the case though. The 2026 draft looks to be one of the strongest classes in years, especially at the top.
Despite his slow start in the NCAA, Gavin McKenna is very much a superstar in the making, and one of the best prospects we’ve seen in years. McKenna being available in the draft is a huge bonus to any team looking to bottom out this year.
It’s not just McKenna though, there are a number of other elite prospects at the top of the draft too. Defenceman Keaton Verhoeff looks like an absolute stud and future number one in the NHL. You’ve then got the likes of Ivar Stenberg, Tynan Lawrence, Ryan Lin, and Ethan Belchetz. All four of the aforementioned names have serious top of the lineup potential in the NHL, and could all be franchise altering talents. In other words, even if you don’t land the top pick in 2026, you’re still likely getting a star, top line talent anywhere in the top six of the draft.
The market favours sellers
If the Flames were to decide to bottom out and sell some veterans, there’s no better time than now. The market for centre’s in the NHL is always a hot one, but it seems like this season is more competitive than ever. With many of the 2026 free agent class already re-signing, it’s left a weak centre group for the summer of 2026. That means teams will be looking to the trade market to upgrade their centre depth this season, rather than waiting for the off-season. Enter Nazem Kadri.
The best market in years. That’s all the Flames should need to read to know trading Nazem Kadri is the right decision. At 35 years old and staring down his late 30’s and certain regression, Kadri needs to be moved now before it’s too late. It’s only a matter of time before his play starts to fall off, and interested teams shy away from acquiring a centre on the wrong side of his 30’s.
For now though, Kadri is still viewed as one of the NHL’s top second line centre’s, and the Flames could no doubt get an absolute haul for him. Holding onto him into the off-season and next season would be a huge mistake, as the market will likely dry up as Kadri gets older. For a player that was once seen as untradeable due to his contract, Kadri would now be one of if not the hottest name on the trade market. Any organization who is serious about winning would trade Kadri.
It’s now or never
We all know the Calgary Flames hate to tank. In fact they’ve flat said they aren’t allowed to use the word rebuild. However with their tough start this season combined with a loaded 2026 draft class and a market that favours their top trade asset, it’s clearer than ever that tanking is the right choice for this organization. Even if it’s only for one year, you’ll never have a better chance to add elite talent to this roster than right now.
This is a team that doesn’t possess a single top line forward on their entire roster right now and holds the title of the NHL’s worst offence. The best way to get that type of player in a small market like Calgary is through the draft. Your move Craig.
