The Calgary Flames are 1-6-1 to start the 2025-26 season heading into a Friday night matchup with the Winnipeg Jets. They have gotten solid play from second-year goalie Dustin Wolf, but cannot get into the win column. Calgary has the fewest goals per game in the league so far. The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun says the Flames are already looking for a trade, and Yegor Chinakhov is one of the few names available.
“All of which has Flames general manager Craig Conroy concerned, to be sure, and my understanding is that he’s started to make calls and explore the market to see if there’s anything out there that would help his team offensively,” LeBrun reported. “That’s easier said than done this early in the season, when teams are generally not yet ready to engage fully in trade talks. If nothing else, though, the Flames want to get an early read on things around the league. Which is to say, Conroy isn’t sitting on his hands watching this unfold for his 1-6-1 team.”
LeBrun continued, “Several teams have recently kicked the tires on Yegor Chinakhov, 24, who still wants out of Columbus, including the Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings. I could see the Flames also inquiring if they haven’t already.”
The Flames did not have a great offense last year, but still finished ninth in the Western Conference. If this poor play continues, they could be the biggest sellers of the deadline. And a buying move early, like bringing in Chinakhov, does not necessarily mean they won't sell at the deadline.
The Flames are building for the future, and it is clear that their offense is not good enough to build around. Matt Coronato got a long-term extension, but has not taken a massive leap forward. Sending out picks for Chinakhov a few months before selling off Rasmus Andersson would be a decent way to build the offense.
