Barring what would be nothing short of a miraculous run in the last 20 games of the 2025-26 NHL regular season, combined with an epic collapse by all of the teams ahead of them in the standings, the Calgary Flames will once again be spectators for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Flames have not played beyond the 82nd game of the regular season since 2022, when the late Johnny Gaudreau scored a dramatic Game 7 goal in the 2022 Western Conference Quarterfinal against the Dallas Stars, sending them to the second round against the Edmonton Oilers, which resulted in a five-game series win for Edmonton.
Months after that series, the Flames underwent significant changes. Gaudreau departed in free agency, signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Not long afterward, the Flames completed a blockbuster trade, sending Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Schwindt, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, and a 2025 first-round pick.
Nazem Kadri was also signed to a seven-year, $49 million contract with a considerable $7 million salary cap hit. Kadri happens to be one of the most talked-about players in the NHL as the 2026 Trade Deadline creeps closer and closer.
The Flames have already moved on from Weegar earlier this week, recouping multiple draft picks and allowing the effective blue liner to chase postseason hockey with the Utah Mammoth. That was a great start.
Now, what would be the ideal and worst-case scenario for the Flames for the NHL Trade Deadline, now just hours away?
Flames could get considerable assets for Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman
The most ideal situation in the first place would be for the Flames to part ways with Kadri, and receive multiple assets in return for him, as they did with Weegar, Kadri has been linked to multiple teams, including the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he helped win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun believes that the Avalanche could represent an ideal fit for Kadri as they attempt to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final following three disappointing exits since then.
“[Kadri] is a playoff warrior who would upgrade any contender. A reunion in Colorado would make some sense after the Avalanche cleared up cap space this week,” LeBrun wrote.
However, there's a considerable hold-up that could potentially scare away suitors.
“The 35-year-old has three more years on his deal after this season at a $7 million cap hit,” LeBrun continued. “That might give some teams some hesitation. Some Cup contenders wish that the contract were at least one year shorter. I know of at least one team that would want the Flames to retain some salary on that deal, which I’m not sure would be a sell in Calgary.”
It would be a win for Flames general manager Craig Conroy to acquire a first-round draft pick along with one or two valued prospects in exchange for Kadri. While the Flames may need to retain a portion of his $7 million cap hit, the move would still create additional flexibility under the cap with which to work. Additionally, with the retention spots of former Flames Rasmus Andersson and Jacob Markstrom coming off the books this summer, further space will be opened up.
While Coleman may not fetch the same kind of value in return, the Flames could also acquire more cap flexibility and a later round draft selection(s) if they were to move on from him. He has one more season left on his contract with a $4.9 million cap hit. Like Kadri, Coleman has Stanley Cup-winning experience, having achieved hockey's ultimate glory twice while a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
If the Flames can't get a deal for Kadri, they may be stuck
However, if Conroy is unable to execute a trade for one of Kadri or Coleman, it will represent a considerable letdown in terms of building for Calgary's future. The chance to acquire younger assets who have a chance to be part of the long-term solution for the Flames, especially with a brand new arena set to open for the start of the 2027-28 season, is paramount to their success.
The experiment with Kadri in Calgary appears to have run its course. Although he scored a career-high 35 goals last season, his production has dipped this year, with just 12 goals so far. Kadri, who will be 36 at the start of next season, isn’t getting any younger.
The same goes for Coleman, who turns 35 this November. Both players would be better served pursuing a Stanley Cup win with a contending team, something that won't be happening with the Flames this season.
With less than 30 hours to go until the official Trade Deadline (Friday, 3:00 p.m. ET), it will be up to Conroy to demonstrate to the fans that his eye is on the future of the club, not the here and now.
