Should the Calgary Flames Trade Dougie Hamilton?

With the disappointing season coming to an end for the Calgary Flames and the prospect of big moves coming looming large over the team, is trading Dougie Hamilton the right decision?

No. Just… no. That would be about the worst thing the Calgary Flames could do.

But really though

In all seriousness, trading Dougie Hamilton would almost certainly be an enormous mistake for the Calgary Flames. Players that possess Hamilton’s mix of hockey skill and size don’t come around every day, and especially not for the price the Calgary Flames paid in 2015. Getting a young, elite defenseman for 3 draft picks was an enormous coup that they should not throw away.

This would be an especially large mistake when you consider just how old Mark Giordano is. At 34 years old, there’s a very real chance that he starts to decline soon. With that decline coming, having Hamilton in place in imperative in making sure the quality of the defence doesn’t fall too drastically. Having an already elite defenceman who isn’t even 25 years old yet is a great way to ensure that doesn’t happen.

All that isn’t to say a potential trade involving Hamilton isn’t something the Flames could do well with. If Brad Treliving and co. could pry good value from another team involving assets like a 1st round picks, other drafts picks, and younger players with potential, it could be a win for the team. The issue with that, however, is finding a team willing to give up those assets. As good as Hamilton is, he’s still just one player with a short track record. The more likely outcome would be a trade similar to the infamous “one-for-one” trades the Edmonton Oilers have been notorious for the past few seasons. Obviously, there are players that you could trade one for one for Hamilton, but there aren’t many and the teams that have those players almost certainly aren’t looking to move them.

Next: Flames Officially Eliminated From the Playoffs

While it’s not impossible for the Calgary Flames to win a Dougie trade, it would certainly be a difficult feat.