Will Kadri, Andersson be trade casualties if Flames don’t turn season around?
An impressive sophomore season for Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy came out of left field last year. Narrowly missing the playoffs via a tie-breaker in the Western Conference wildcard race, the Flames turned the page on a tumultuous two-year stretch of several core pieces walking in free agency and demanding exits via trade.
There was a healthy amount of levelheadedness heading into this season for the Flames despite the pleasant surprise of last year. According to TSN’s Chris Johnston during an appearance on TSN 1050 earlier in the week, the Flames’ front office was going into this season with tempered expectations.
Tempered expectations are one thing, but after just one win in their first eight games along with only 13 goals scored (fewest in the NHL), I can’t imagine the Flames’ management group is content with what has gone on.
Since the regime change in Calgary more than 24 months ago – Don Maloney being promoted to president of hockey operations and Conroy to GM in light of Brad Treliving’s departure to the Toronto Maple Leafs – the Flames have been in a rebuild of sorts. It was never meant to be scorched earth, but Conroy was forced to embrace relatively significant turnover with so many of his players not wanting to ink extensions.
As was the case with several Canadian markets, the Flames do not have the luxury of being a desired destination for NHL players – especially when the team isn’t winning, as has been the case for the last two seasons. Speaking with a Flames source on Thursday, the team is going to keep its options open with some veterans as far as trades go; the same source went on to say the numerous trade protection clauses need to be factored in, as well, with their veteran players.
According to Johnston during an appearance on TSN 1050”s Overdrive yesterday, Rasmus Andersson’s camp is open to an eight-year deal with the Flames, while the team wanted to see how this season plays out before making a commitment. Andersson, 28, has been rumored to be on the block going back to last summer; speaking with an Eastern Conference GM, he is viewed as a No. 2 or 3 defenseman. Andersson has two goals through eight games this season.
The Vegas Golden Knights have been a rumored landing spot for Andersson should the player ultimately become actively available. This should not come as a surprise, mostly because every significant player who becomes available is tied to the desert, it seems. Beyond that, the Knights could benefit from adding a right shot rearguard due to the injury of Alex Pietrangelo. Furthermore, Noah Hanifin, Andersson’s former partner with the Flames, is committed long term with Vegas – a reunion could be appealing for the latter.
As a right-shot defenseman who can play in all situations, Andersson would have no shortage of suitors should he become available. Even if just as a rental, Andersson’s AAV of $4.55 million (which could be lowered if the Flames retain salary) is very digestible for a contending team given his style and ability to play up the lineup. Andersson does have a six-team no-trade list in his contract, which will play a factor..
Additionally, center Nazem Kadri is an obvious name to track should the Flames look to start selling off pieces.
Unlike Andersson, Kadri is not a rental, as he has three years remaining on his contract beyond this season at a $7-million AAV. His contract contained a full no-movement clause until this season, now lowered to a 13-team no trade list.
Speaking with several league executives, Kadri would have value across the league – even at the age of 35 and a decent ticket left on his contract. I had pinpointed the Montreal Canadiens as a potential landing spot to fill their second-line center role, but two executives indicated the Vancouver Canucks as an ideal fit for Kadri, who has four assists so far this season. They are in need of a reliable No. 2 center, particularly as Filip Chytil deals with another scary upper-body injury.
One of the sources I spoke with suggested 20-year-old defenseman Tom Willander – the Canucks drafted him 11th overall in 2023 – as a piece Calgary would presumably be interested in as part of a package for Kadri. I reported last week that the Flames are in the market for a (preferably young) left-shot defenseman, and touching base with a Flames source, a package centered around Willander for Kadri is a deal that would “make sense,” even though the former is right shooting.
Willander would be a nice addition to the Flames’ defensive future, which is currently highlighted by 2024 first-round pick Zayne Parekh. Parekh, 19, is the crown jewel on Calgary’s defense who has played in six games this season with no points to show for it. According to one league source, Parekh is viewed as a top power play quarterback who can play big minutes but shouldn’t be relied on for the penalty kill and defending leads late in games with heavy defensive-zone situations. Though both right-shooting, Parekh and Willander could make for a nice duo for the Flames in the long term.
The Flames have nice pieces to sell, but given that this is year three of the Conroy era, what can the team do to improve?
Speaking with an Eastern Conference executive, the Flames are a well-coached, hard-working team that lacks high-end talent. There are some promising forwards in their pipeline whom they’ve drafted the past two years, most notably Jacob Battaglia, Matvei Gridin, Cullen Potter and Cole Reschny. According to an amateur scout I spoke with, Reschny has the best shot at being a top-six center (the Flames’ weakest position organizationally) at the NHL level. While Potter was drafted as a center, this particular scout believes he is a winger “at the next level.”
In goal, 24-year-old Dustin Wolf is one of the faces of the franchise and locked in until 2033 at a $7.5-million AAV. Despite speculation, I’ve heard from a team source that the Flames are content with Devin Cooley as the backup goaltender, to this point.
The Flames are not in an ideal situation (especially following an unexpected, impressive season), but they do have valuable trade pieces that could net them solid returns on the trade front that could further expedite their rebuilding process.
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