The Calgary Flames traded Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights before the Olympic break. It was a long-awaited trade for GM Craig Conroy. With Andersson entering the season as a pending UFA, trade rumors and an impending trade have been commonplace since the 2025 deadline. The Flames have a reputation for being notoriously resistant to sales. But it appears the 2026 deadline could bring a bigger trading bloc in Calgary.
With rumors swirling among veterans and the Flames being the bottom 5 team in the league, all signs point to Calgary selling this trade deadline. We wanted to know how many trades you think Craig Conroy will make before the March 6 deadline. We asked, you answered.
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Will the Flames make additional trades?
We presented this survey to our readers.
Zero
Only 10% of respondents in this week’s survey think Craig Conroy will be on guard until Friday afternoon. So he’s not answering the phone, get your head out of the gutter. It’s Sunday.
While I hope this isn’t the case, I don’t think the Flames staying quiet is out of the question. Calgary has never been keen on selling at the trade deadline, barring pending UFA status. The Flames’ biggest fish on the market are Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri. Neither is a pending free agent.
It makes sense for Coleman to move if you’re the Flames. He is most likely to be handed out, especially if he shows a desire to challenge for another cup. The offers the Flames will make for Coleman and his Cup-winning experience will certainly be worth considering.
However, Pickles is a big part of the locker room and leadership group. If he wants to stay in Calgary, the Flames will make that a priority.
A
About 20% of respondents believe the Flames will make one trade before the deadline. As previously discussed, Coleman seems the most likely in this scenario. His playoff pedigree and low-cap hit make him a no-brainer for any contender’s bottom six. You would assume the demand would be for at least a first-round pick in 2026, and with the number of buyers at the table, Conroy could earn a very nice return.
Looking elsewhere, Nazem Kadri has reportedly requested a trade, and Sportsnet’s Eric Francis has labeled a trade as ‘Unavoidable’ at this point. Francis later made clear that inevitability did not mean the deadline had already passed. The trickiest part of Kadri’s situation is salary maintenance. Not that the Flames can’t keep up to 50% of Kadri’s $7 million salary, just that closing the deal would involve a lot more moving parts. Something that would be better suited for the off season.
Two
About 50% of fans who responded to this week’s survey believe the Flames will make two trades before Friday’s deadline. Despite Coleman’s playoff value being mentioned, Kadri’s value certainly exceeds his. Kadri played a crucial role in Colorado’s 2022 Cup-winning run and was still able to compete as a 2/3C with special teams duties.
Calgary could find a way to get a Kadri deal done within the season, and it wouldn’t be a crushing blow to the books either, with both Markstrom and Andersson’s retentions ending at the end of this season.
Other players to consider include the recently acquired Zach Whitecloud or his defensive teammates Brayden Pachal and Joel Hanley. Hanley, a left-handed player, could be on the radar for a defensive depth role and would be an easy pick for the Flames, who claimed him off waivers two seasons ago. However, Whitecloud and Pachal are right-handed shots, a priority position when considering the Flames’ prospects.
Hunter Brzstewics and Zayne Parekh both need full-time NHL spots, and with Mackenzie Weegar coming off a disappointing season, Pachal, 26, and Whitecloud, 29, are clear trade chips.
That said, Craig Conroy has options and Flames fans think he’ll listen to offers for all of them.
Three
About 20% of fans think Conroy will go all out and make more than 3 trades before the deadline. This situation is probably the most unlikely of the four. But wow, would that make for a wild week in the Calgary hockey world?
We’ve discussed the most likely trade targets for the Flames, and it’s not out of the question that Conroy will complete more than two trades before Friday. Things can move forward quickly, and with such a short post-Olympic break before the deadline, I could see front offices running with a higher level of stress and urgency than in normal seasons.
The Flames are by far one of the most sought after teams when it comes to chip trading. Furthermore, with such a short and difficult schedule for many teams, much of the standings has yet to be determined. Not to mention the injuries and fatigue that come with the Olympics add to the need for reinforcements and depth.
The clock is ticking
There’s no doubt that Craig Conroy will be popular this week, with a plethora of trade targets on his roster. If he wanted to, Conroy could probably make four or five trades this deadline. However, Murray Edwards doesn’t like the word ‘sell’ as fans associate it with rebuilding propaganda and will definitely turn them off.
As long as the price is right and Murray Edwards isn’t sleeping in Switzerland, I think a few deals will be made. Don’t get your hopes up, Flames fans, this is still the same front office that passed up better offers to prioritize player and ownership preferences.
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