The Calgary Flames hold a lot of cards ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Rumors began in the summer when a number of players reportedly did not want to stick around long-term. Things escalated early in the year when Nikita Zadorov publicly requested a trade from the team. That began the team's fire sale ahead of the March 8 deadline.
Calgary traded both Zadorov and Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks. They certainly aren't done with their trade deadline activity. But it is important to take stock of where they are at in the standings. The Flames are somewhat in the mix for the wild card in the West. However, they are five points back of the Nashville Predators for the final spot.
Calgary could certainly blow up the NHL Trade Deadline by remaining a bit conservative in their selling. It seems unlikely some of their premier trade chips are going to re-sign. That said, the Flames could go on a run, sneak in, and then who knows what happens in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
The Flames will have the eyes of the hockey world on them from now until March 8. But what exactly is the ideal outcome for Calgary here? Let's take a look at the dream NHL Trade Deadline scenario for the Calgary Flames this year.
Flames trade chips
First, it's important to look at the players Calgary could trade. There are three main players to focus on. First, veteran defenseman Chris Tanev. The 34-year-old is one of the best shot blockers in the entire league. Furthermore, he has carved out a reputation as a shutdown defender who can chip in offense here and there.
Next up is 26-year-old Noah Hanifin. The Boston native is a reliable rearguard who can be deployed in any situation. He can contribute offensively, in his own zone, or on special teams. Hanifin will certainly be in line for a massive contract in NHL Free Agency this summer.
Finally, goaltender Jacob Markstrom is a prime trade candidate. The veteran puck-stopper has rebounded from a bit of a down year in 2022-23. The main thing with Markstrom is that he is not a rental, unlike Hanifin and Tanev. Calgary's starting goaltender is signed through 2025-26 and carries a $6 million cap hit.
All three players are likely to be in demand at the NHL Trade Deadline. And all of them could bring an impressive haul to Calgary. However, the question remains whether the team should look to trade all three players. Or would a potential playoff run this year justify keeping them?
Calgary's ideal outcome
The answer to that question, at least in my mind, is no. Keeping all three is not beneficial to the Flames at this point in time. So, Calgary ideally should look to trade them. However, their dream scenario for this year's NHL Trade Deadline is acquiring young NHL players who can contribute immediately.
Calgary already made a trade like this in the summer. They dealt veteran winger Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils around the 2023 NHL Draft. Part of the return was forward Yegor Sharangovich, who has played well. In fact, the 25-year-old has 20 goals and 38 points so far this season.
Making that sort of trade will provide more benefit for the Flames than simply acquiring draft picks. And they have a few options to consider this year. The most prominent is former second-overall pick Kaapo Kakko. Kakko hasn't truly hit his stride on Broadway, but a change of scenery could help him find his game.
Next, there is the interesting case of Detroit Red Wings forward Jonatan Berggren. Berggren, 23, should be an NHL player by all rights. However, with Detroit contending for the playoffs, he doesn't have a clear path to the league. Berggren reportedly rejected a contract extension and could find himself on the move.
Finally, Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev is one to keep in mind. The 22-year-old has been in and out of the lineup since Jim Hiller took over as interim head coach. He is a restricted free agent this summer, but Los Angeles has a few others to sign as well. As a result, Kaliyev could be available.
Any one of these players could benefit Calgary in the near and distant future. Any of these players could hit their stride and break out. Or, they could take advantage of opportunities they may not have had on their current teams. In any event, the Flames are in an interesting position at the NHL Trade Deadline. And fans should keep their eyes on Calgary as March 8 draws near.
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