The Calgary Flames traded Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights before the Olympic break. It was a long-overdue trade for GM Craig Conroy. With Andersson entering the season as a pending UFA, trade rumours and an impending trade had been commonplace since before the 2025 deadline. The Flames have a reputation for being notoriously resistant to selling. But it appears the 2026 deadline could tender a larger trade block in Calgary.
With rumours swirling around veterans and the Flames being a bottom-5 team in the league, all signs are pointing towards Calgary selling this trade deadline. We wanted to know how many trades you think Craig Conroy will make before the March 6th deadline. We asked, you answered.
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Will the Flames make additional trades?
We presented this poll to our readers.
Zero
Only 10% of respondents in this week’s poll think Craig Conroy will be sitting on his hands until noon on Friday. So he doesn’t answer the phone, get your head out of the gutter. It’s Sunday.
Although I hope it isn’t the case, I don’t think the Flames staying quiet is out of the question. Calgary has never been eager to sell at the trade deadline, barring pending UFA status. The Flames’ biggest fish on the market will be Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri. Neither is a pending free agent.
Coleman makes a lot of sense to move if you are the Flames. He seems the most likely to be dealt, especially if he shows a desire to compete for another cup. The offers the Flames will tender for Coleman and his cup-winning experience will certainly be worth consideration.
However, Pickles is a large part of the locker room and leadership group. If he wants to stay in Calgary, the Flames will prioritize it.
One
Roughly 20% of respondents think the Flames will make one trade before the deadline. As previously discussed, Coleman seems the most likely in this scenario. His playoff pedigree and low cap hit make him a no-brainer for any contender’s bottom-six. One would assume the ask would be for at least a first-round pick in 2026 plus, and with the amount of buyers at the table, Conroy could fetch a very handsome return.
Looking elsewhere, Nazem Kadri has allegedly asked for a trade, and Sportsnet’s Eric Francis has labelled a trade “Inevitable” at this point. Francis did later clarify that inevitability didn’t mean before the deadline. The stickiest part of Kadri’s situation is the salary retention. Not that the Flames can’t retain up to 50% of Kadri’s $7M salary, it’s that making the deal would entail a lot more moving parts. Something that would be better suited for the offseason.
Two
Roughly 50% of fans who responded to this week’s poll think the Flames will make two trades before Friday’s deadline. Despite mentioning Coleman’s playoff value, Kadri’s value surely exceeds his. Kadri was pivotal in Colorado’s cup-winning run in 2022 and could still slot in as a 2/3C with special teams duties.
Calgary could find a way to make a Kadri deal happen in-season, and it wouldn’t be a crushing blow for the books either, with both Markstrom and Andersson’s retention ending at the conclusion of this season.
Other players to consider could be recently acquired Zach Whitecloud or his defensive teammates Brayden Pachal and Joel Hanley. Hanley, a left-handed shot, could be on the radar for a depth-defending role and would be an easy flip for the Flames, who claimed him off waivers two seasons ago. Whitecloud and Pachal, however, are right-handed shots, a position of priority when considering Flames prospects.
Hunter Brzstewics and Zayne Parekh both need full-time NHL spots, and with Mackenzie Weegar having a disappointing season, Pachal, 26 years old, and Whitecloud, 29 years old, are obvious trade chips.
All that to say, Craig Conroy has options and Flames fans think he’s going to be listening to offers on all of them.
Three
Roughly 20% of fans think Conroy will pull out all the stops and make 3+ trades before the deadline. This situation is probably the most unlikely of the four. But wow, would that make for a wild week in the Calgary hockey world.
We’ve discussed the most likely trade targets for the Flames, and it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to see more than two trades completed by Conroy before Friday. Things can progress quickly, and with such a short runway post-Olympic break to the deadline, I could see front offices running with a higher level of stress and urgency than in typical seasons.
The Flames are by far one of the most desirable teams when it comes to trade chips. Also, with such a condensed and difficult schedule for many teams, many of the standings are still to be determined. Not to mention the injuries and fatigue associated with the Olympics, adding to the need for reinforcements and depth.
Clock is ticking
There is no question that Craig Conroy will be popular this week, with a plethora of trade targets on his roster. If he wanted to, Conroy could likely make four or five trades this deadline. However, Murray Edwards doesn’t like the word “selling” as fans associated it with rebuilding propaganda and will certainly scare them away.
As long as the price is right and Murray Edwards isn’t sleeping in Switzerland, I’d think a couple of deals get done. Don’t get too hopeful, Flames fans, this is still the same front office that’s passed up better offers to prioritize player and ownership preferences.
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