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Flames have 1 logical trade candidate this offseason
TL;DR
The Calgary Flames have identified Blake Coleman as their only logical trade candidate this offseason. The team is not in a rush to make significant changes as they assess their roster.
Key points
- Calgary Flames have work to do this offseason
- Blake Coleman is the only identified trade candidate
- Team is not rushing to make significant changes
Calgary FlamesBlake Coleman
Flames have 1 logical trade candidate this offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Calgary Flames still have plenty of work to do.
This is a franchise that might be further from contention than it would like to be. And really, there isn't a ton of rushing they can do right now.
Daily Faceoff's Anthony Trudeau broke it all down in a new article on Thursday, and his point was that there's only so much Calgary can change right now.
From their remaining roster contingent, Trudeau identifies just Blake Coleman as a trade candidate.
Coleman was a popular name at the trade deadline but didn't move. It certainly would be logical for it to happen now.
Trudeau just doesn't think it makes sense to trade anyone else at the moment.
"You canât fault the Flamesâ commitment to starting over; elder statesmen Mikael Backlund, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Blake Coleman are the only players left from the Darryl Sutter 2.0 era. To the studs, indeed. It could be another few seasons before Calgary reaps the rewards of its rebuild, and more selloffs will take place in the meantime. As it stands, Coleman is the only real asset theyâd want to sell, though," Trudeau writes.
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Coleman should have legitimate trade value as a proven veteran winner. The rest of the guys have varying reasons to be kept around.
"Craig Conroy wonât take calls on Flames lifer Backlund or top defenseman Kevin Bahl; no one would take Huberdeauâs contract; and experienced players with term like Zach Whitecloud and Ryan Strome will need to stick around a little while if coach Ryan Huska is going to ice a lineup," Trudeau writes. "Conroy should build out the margins of his roster with expendable vets who can benefit from special teams usage on a bad team and buy him more picks at the deadline. The executive had bad luck with that approach two seasons ago, when Anthony Mantha tore his ACL after only 13 games, but re-upping Victor Olofsson on a one-year pact would be a similar upside play."
This assessment, if it plays out in reality, won't make for a particularly compelling offseason in Calgary.
At this point, they're playing the long game. Patience is a virtue that Flames fans will need to have.
More NHL news:
Q&A
Who is the Calgary Flames' only trade candidate this offseason?
Blake Coleman is identified as the only logical trade candidate for the Calgary Flames this offseason.
Why are the Calgary Flames not rushing to make trades?
The Flames are further from contention than they would like to be and have limited options for significant changes at this time.
What challenges are the Calgary Flames facing this offseason?
The Flames are facing challenges in assessing their roster and determining the best path forward, as they are not in a strong position for immediate contention.
