Flames Forward Is Prime Trade Candidate to Watch

The Calgary Flames are retooling their roster, and they could once again be a busy team in trade talks this season. One specific Flames player who should be watched incredibly closely during this campaign is forward Andrei Kuzmenko.

Kuzmenko, 28, is currently in the final season of his contract and carries a $5.5 million cap hit. If the Flames do not view him as a long-term part of their plans, the prospect of him getting trade before the trade deadline would undoubtedly be there. This is especially so if the Flames find themselves out of a playoff spot later this season.

If made available, Kuzmenko could be a popular player around the NHL. When performing at his best, he is a solid top-six winger who produces well offensively. He certainly demonstrated this after being dealt to the Flames last season, as he had 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games. In addition, he had 39 goals and 74 points in 81 games with the Vancouver Canucks as a rookie in 2022-23.

Kuzmenko's start to the season has been a bit iffy with the Flames in 2024-25, however. In 15 games thus far, the 5-foot-11 winger has one goal, eight points, and a minus-1 rating. While his start is a bit below expectations for his standards, he certainly has the potential to heat back up. If he does, it would make him a more valuable potential trade candidate for the Flames.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Kuzmenko this season. If the Flames end up dropping lower in the standings and are not in a playoff spot by the time the trade deadline is here, it would not too shocking if Kuzmenko is made available. If he is, interest in his services around the league would likely be high.