The Calgary Flames are one of the big surprises early on in the 2024-25 National Hockey League campaign. After missing back-to-back postseasons and trading a ton of talent away over the past year, there weren't any expectations that this roster would be competing for a playoff spot next spring. But through seven games, the Flames are 5-1-1 and first place in the Pacific Division.
It's quite an encouraging start for Craig Conroy and the front office, especially considering Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Jacob Markstrom and Andrew Mangiapane are all no longer part of the equation. Although it's still very early on in the season, Calgary does look like a team that could be hanging around the postseason picture all the way until next April.
That will be especially true if Conroy ends up making the team even better on the trade market. And according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, that's exactly what the executive is trying to do.
Flames are reportedly looking to add a top-6 player
Seravalli reported last week that Conroy has been inquiring about a middle-six center with a couple of teams.
“A lot of people were expecting at some point this year, with all the names that have been out the door last year, they might be moving on from guys. It’s actually quite the opposite,” Seravalli said on Prime Video’s Coast to Coast.
The hockey insider continued: “There’s not usually much trade activity to start a season, but I’m told Flames general manager Craig Conroy has been working the phones in recent days to try and find a center to add to the Calgary Flames in their middle-six, preferably someone that fits their age scheme, preferably if at all possible in a perfect world, a right-shooting center at that.”
Currently, the Flames have four left-handed centers in Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund, Martin Pospisil, and Justin Kirkland; all of them are left-handed. Although Conroy hasn't been able to swing a trade over the last week, it's certainly encouraging for Flames fans to see that the GM is trying to make his club better in real time. Calgary has changed the narrative early on in the 2024-25 season, and the squad is looking to get even better.
A team that cannot be called good is the winless San Jose Sharks, who for the second consecutive season have failed to win a game in their first eight tries. It took the 2023-24 Sharks until game No. 12 to get that elusive first victory. And this year's iteration is an abysmal 0-6-2.
It's clear that the rebuild is going to take a couple more years in California, and the Sharks have one key pending unrestricted free agent who San Jose GM Mike Grier could look to move for draft capital: Mikael Granlund.
Sharks' Mikael Granlund could be an excellent add
Granlund has been the undisputed best player on the Sharks' roster since being traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of the 2023-24 season. He was exceptional last year, amassing 12 goals and 60 points in 69 regular-season games for the league's worst team. That was 15 points higher than the next best scorer.
The 32-year-old is a proven performer, having eclipsed the 60-point mark four times in his career. Granlund began with the Minnesota Wild and spent some time with the Nashville Predators before being traded from the Preds to the Pens in 2023.
There's a good chance that Granlund will be on the move again, as he's one of the oldest forwards on the roster and has an expiring contract. The Finnish forward is playing out the final season of a contract that will pay him $5 million in 2024-25; he'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
In 2024-25, Granlund has again been the best player on San Jose. He's playing at a point-per-game pace while centering the top line and being the focal point of the top powerplay unit; he's up to three goals and nine points in eight contests.
Although there's a chance that Grier will try to re-sign Granlund, it doesn't make a lot of sense considering the rebuild is going to take a few more years at least. At 32, you have to wonder how much offence he'll be able to produce in a couple of years, though Granlund has turned into one of the more underrated forwards in the league over the last few seasons.
He isn't a right shot, but if the price is right, the Flames could certainly consider adding Granlund as they look to make a push for the playoffs. And Conroy is reportedly willing to part with a first round pick.
Flames willing to trade 1st round pick?
Conroy told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that he would consider trading a first-round pick if the circumstances were right.
“Sending a first-round pick for a guy who would be here for a year doesn’t make much sense,” Conroy said. “But if it was a first-round pick for a guy who would be here long term, we would be open to that.”
If the Flames were able to lock up Granlund as part of the deal, it could make sense. Whether or not the veteran is worth a first-round pick is a different story, especially with how early it still is in the season. But Granlund has proven he can produce over multiple campaigns, and he could be a great injection into the Flames' lineup.
If Granlund isn't locked up by the Sharks, there's a great chance that Grier will trade him ahead of the 2025 deadline. And Conroy should be inquiring, especially as the he can line up at center and on the wing, and has been playing terrific hockey over the last few years.
The Flames also could use another defenseman to play behind Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson, and there's a chance that Conroy will be busy over the next couple of months as he looks to upgrade multiple areas of the roster.
It'll be intriguing to see if he pulls the trigger to bring a player of Granlund's caliber to Calgary.