General Manager Craig Conroy and the Calgary Flames have already been busy since he took control of the team. The Flames traded Tyler Toffoli, Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Jacob Markstrom over the last 14 months. They've added three first-round draft picks, nine young players, and six later-round picks. As much as they don't want to admit it after the Jonathan Huberdeau trade, the Flames are rebuilding. The Flames will be better off finding trade candidates in the rest of their veteran core and going into a complete rebuild. They finished ninth-last in the NHL last season, which isn't ideal for a rebuilding team.
The Flames, or any team, don't want to finish ninth-last next season. The problem with teams finishing in the 17th-23rd range is that they aren't good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to get a top draft prospect. The Flames were lucky to get Zayne Parekh in this year's draft, but he could also be a boom-or-bust prospect that doesn't work out. For the Flames' rebuild to be successful, they'll want to bottom out and grab a top pick in next year's draft. Top prospect James Hagens would look good in a Flames uniform, while Gavin McKenna may also be on the Flames' radar for the 2026 Draft.
It's a tough pill for the Flames to swallow after adding Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and MacKenzie Weegar, but the Flames will be sellers for the foreseeable future.
Rasmus Andersson should land the best value
Rasmus Andersson is a player that the Flames can't afford to keep around through a rebuild. He has two years remaining on a contract with a $4.55 million cap hit. He will look for a big raise when his contract expires for a longer term, which wouldn't make sense for Calgary. Andersson will turn 30 in the first year of his extension and will be in his mid-30s before the Flames are ready to contend.
After drafting Parekh, paying both Andersson and Weegar into their late 30s doesn't make much sense. They would be blocking the path for Parekh to get top-four minutes. There is also a good chance that Andersson isn't interested in living in Calgary for the next ten years while going through a rebuild. If he's walking in free agency, the Flames should let him go sooner rather than later to maximize their return.
The Flames also acquired Hunter Brzustewicz, a young right-handed shooting defenseman. He doesn't have the same name power as Parekh, but he wouldn't have much chance if Andersson, Weegar, and Parekh were on the right side.
Andersson is an affordable asset for whichever team makes the trade and will fetch a good return if the Flames have the stomach to get rid of him.
Do the Flames break up with Jonathan Huberdeau?
After acquiring him from the Florida Panthers, the Flames signed Huberdeau to an eight-year, $84 million contract. They thought he was worth the contract since he tallied 115 points the previous season. However, they underestimated the drop-off from playing with unlimited talent in Florida. Huberdeau missed just three games over the last two seasons but hasn't been able to replicate his success in Florida. He hasn't scored 115 points yet for the Flames, recording just 107 over 160 games.
It was a disappointing trade for the Flames, not just because of Huberdeau's lack of production. They've had to watch Matthew Tkachuk go to Florida and make the Stanley Cup Finals in his first two seasons. Tkachuk made it even worse this past season when he lifted the Stanley Cup over his head, cementing it as one of the worst trades in franchise history. The Flames thought they could replace Tkachuk's production with Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, but it's been a complete disaster.
The question is whether the Flames can find a suitable trade candidate for Huberdeau. There aren't many teams able to absorb a $10.5 million cap hit, especially one attached to a struggling player.
Nazem Kadri, a better trade candidate
The Flames gave Kadri a seven-year, $49 million contract after he helped lead the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in 2022. The two-way center maintained his production in his first two seasons with Calgary, but he remains a player who won't be able to put you over the hump by himself. Kadri's value is also in his playing style, which is better suited for a playoff atmosphere.
If the Flames are in a rebuild for the rest of Kadri's contract, there isn't much reason to keep him around. The Flames may not trade Kadri this offseason, but if the regular season goes south and a contending team has room for a playoff-proven center on their roster, you may see him dealt close to the trade deadline.
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