4. Flames Establish Their top Defensive Pairing of the Future
The most shocking moves of the Flames 2026 summer was the deal to acquire Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils, and while he hasn't been too productive in the NHL yet, he's still got the talent of a former No. 2 overall draft pick.
While their pairings have not yet been confirmed, the expectation is that Kevin Bahl and Nemec will be the Flames top pairing, and given the defensive responsibility of Bahl and the offensive upside of Nemec, this could be one of the most intriguing duos the Flames have had in recent times.
They may never become a top tier pairing in the National Hockey League, but this is a duo that could blend together perfectly, and with Carson Carels expected to arrive later in the year to form a second pairing with Zayne Parekh, the top-four may be set after 2026/27 for years to come.
3. Calgary Flames Trade at Least Three Players at the Deadline
Coming into the last few seasons, the Flames have had obvious trade candidates, and over the past three seasons, they've traded the likes of Chris Tanev, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov and during the 2025/26 season, they moved the last few pieces of that core, dealing Mackenzie Weegar, Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson. This summer, the Flames moved Blake Coleman, and while there's no obvious players to move this season, the team need to continue dealing veterans as they look to add to the future of the organization.
As a result, there are several major candidates to trade, and by the time the trade deadline is over, we predict that Morgan Frost, Zach Whitecloud and Devin Cooley will all be dealt, with the Flames capitalizing on their value, while also considering moves for the likes of Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich among others.
At some point, the team need to keep around valuable players as the organization look to start contending for the Stanley Cup Playoffs again, but for now, with several key pieces of the future expected to arrive across the next 18 months, the Flames should still be sellers at the trade deadline.
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