The Olympic trade freeze has officially taken effect. The Calgary Flames weren’t expected to be busy near this time, as they already got one major aspect of business done with the Rasmus Andersson trade.
It’s clear at this point that the franchise is moving more towards the idea of a full-on rebuild. With that comes the action of acquiring picks and prospects, as well as established NHLers who fit your timeline. Recently, young centre Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken has been involved in various trade rumors, as the impression around the league is that he may be available on the trade market.
If Wright is indeed available, would it make sense for the Flames to pursue him? In this article, we’ll break down this concept.
The Kraken have Wright on the block
According to various insider sources, the Kraken have apparently let it be known that Wright could be a trade chip the team would use in order to improve their top-six. Wright was drafted by the Kraken in 2022 with the 4th overall pick. It was certainly a rough transition into the NHL for him at first, but Wright is now considered to be a prominent player for the Kraken’s core and has top-six centre potential written all over him.
However, if the Kraken are looking to improve their roster significantly, Wright may be a casualty of that decision. In 56 games this season, Wright has 11 goals and 22 points and is on pace for 32 points, a rather disappointing total for the former top-five pick.
Would the Flames swoop in?
Every time a notable young centre hits the trade market, you have to include the Flames in that discussion. The organization’s biggest need right now is down the middle, and notable young centres rarely become available.
So, as Wright’s name continues to pop up in trade rumours, the Flames would continue to be mentioned as a team that would express some level of interest. With that being said, would it make sense for the team to do so?
Seattle is not going to trade Wright for nothing
The Kraken aren’t rebuilding, but they aren’t exactly a contender either. The team right now is third in the Pacific Division, but nobody sees them as a legit threat in the postseason.
It’s why the team is interested in acquiring a big-name forward to add to the group. Reports suggest that the team was actively in on Artemi Panarin and even offered him a monster of a contract extension. If that trade were to have happened, Wright very likely would’ve been heading to the Big Apple.
The point is that Seattle likely won’t trade Wright for picks and prospects. Instead, it’ll be a hockey trade, or he’ll be packaged into a bigger deal to acquire a notable big-name forward, something the Flames currently don’t have.
What would it take for the Flames to acquire Wright?
When it comes to what the Kraken are initially asking for, right off the bat, it’s unlikely the Flames would be in the mix. The team doesn’t have any big-name impact forwards that would intrigue Seattle, and it’s very unlikely the Flames would trade one of their big-name young players for Wright.
The only way I could see a potential trade between these two teams going down is if the Flames were to offer a Matt Coronato-type player in exchange for Wright. Even then, it’s unlikely both teams would agree to that, and the Flames aren’t trading Coronato anytime soon, obviously.
If somehow the Kraken accepted picks and prospects for Wright, then the Flames would be a likely suitor for sure. They have many assets in their pipeline that they could easily trade for a player like Wright, who would fit the team’s timeline and address a major organizational need.
However, this is a trade that I think Flames fans need to keep dreaming about. While anything is possible, the Kraken’s preference is to trade Wright for a prominent impact forward, someone the Flames just don’t have right now.
