Flames trade deadline preview: Just how much selling will be done?

LOS ANGELES — The Calgary Flames are sellers.

Have been for months.

So when Craig Conroy and his team arrived in Anaheim for Sunday’s game to find Colorado GM Chris McFarland and his two right-hand men in attendance, the news resurrected age-old rumours suggesting Nazem Kadri might be on his way back to Denver.

Although the Avalanche missed Kadri for several years, the reality is that Kadri is no longer a fit with his old club. Brock Nelson has stepped seamlessly into the middle of the second line Kadri anchored when Colorado won the Cup. Nelson has 30 goals this season and is signed for two more years at $7.5 million, ending the Kadri connection.

Besides, the Avs’ brass were just in town a day ahead of back-to-back California games.   

However, that’s not to suggest Blake Coleman wouldn’t be a brilliant fit on McFarland’s third line.

Indeed, you can expect plenty more swap suggestions involving those two veterans to make the rounds over the next four days, as the Flames look to continue trying to find established youngsters.

Given how hard they are to identify and acquire, the Flames can continue to be patient at this deadline. In fact, if it is indeed a buyers’ market, Conroy could potentially remain relatively quiet, as only one of his trade chips — Ryan Lomberg — is on an expiring contract.

The rest have term, meaning that if Conroy continues to be unsatisfied with the returns being offered, he could continue shopping at the draft, through the summer and into next season.

Although that wouldn’t sit well with a fan base looking to shake things up, the ever-patient Conroy may have no choice.

Projected deadline-day cap space: $44.2 million
Contracts: 45/50
Retention slots open: 1/3
Draft picks (via PuckPedia):

Needs

With a solid goalie tandem in place, and a capable blue line with young and old, the search is for scorers — difference-makers who can help the league’s lowest-scoring team.

No, those players aren’t generally traded by contenders at the deadline. But young prospects and draft picks are.    

With the new arena opening in the fall of 2027, Conroy would prefer to acquire young players who are already in the league, on the cusp of blossoming with the team.

Whatever age they are, they need a nose for the net.

Assets to trade

Blake Coleman: Coleman continues to be the most sought-after Flame, as he’s a two-time Cup champion who is one of the league’s best shutdown wingers and penalty killers. His cap hit is just $4.9 million and whoever acquires him gets the leader for two playoff runs.

Nazem Kadri: The Flames’ best player is the type of add every contender would love to add up the middle, but the hurdle is the three years left on the 35-year-old’s contract.    

Brayden Pachal: A hard-hitting, right-shot defender who earned a Stanley Cup ring with Vegas, Pachal has the moxie to be an insurance policy for a team stocking up for a long run.   

Joel Hanley: The 34-year-old defenceman has been a steadying presence, filling in wherever he’s needed, making him a potential depth add for a contender.

Ryan Lomberg: Despite making an impassioned plea to remain with the club Lomberg hopes to re-sign with, the 31-year-old is a natural to be on this list because he’s the only pending UFA on the roster. 

Potential targets

Connor Geekie: Tampa’s Geekie is a perfect example of the type of player the Flames would love to add. The six-foot-four, 212-pound first-rounder is a 21-year-old sniper who has been shining in the AHL as he awaits his chance to break through on a deep Lightning roster.    

Plenty like to link Coleman with a return to Tampa, making Morgan Geekie’s younger brother an obvious target if the two sides were to work out a deal.

Other considerations

The Flames have one salary retention spot left, which could be key to trading either of their two biggest names, especially Kadri, whose AAV is $7 million. Two more retention spots open up this summer when Rasmus Andersson and Jacob Markstrom come off the books.