Did the Calgary Flames get enough in return ahead of the NHL trade deadline?
The Calgary Flames were one of the most active sellers ahead of the NHL trade deadline, but did they get enough in return to facilitate a true rebuild?
We knew the Calgary Flames were going to be active ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, and they didn’t disappoint us, selling players like Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom was also in the rumor mill.
Since they sold established talent elsewhere, did the Flames get enough in return to turn around what has been a mediocre organization since the 2004-05 NHL Lockout? This is a franchise that has fielded some talented teams, but they have just three division titles to show for it over the last two decades and zero appearances in the Conference Finals.
Even with talented players like Tanev and Hanifin, it was clear the Flames were going nowhere this season, just as they went nowhere last season in what has been a steady decline since they won the Pacific Division in 2021-22.
The Calgary Flames got solid compensation in the Hanifin and Tanev trades
While names like Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev will warrant some sound compensation, the burning question is: Did the Flames receive enough of it? Hanifin is one of the best defensemen in hockey, so there was no way the Flames could trade him elsewhere without receiving a solid haul.
Tanev is older, but still an effective player who could be the missing piece for the Dallas Stars defensive rotation. Even a player his age, one who can block shots and prevent opposing forwards from positioning themselves near the net, is worth more than just flipping a draft pick for.
It’s also worth asking whether the Flames will continue cleaning house following the season, and if they do, how long would it take this hockey team to return to relevancy? Let’s explore each trade individually, then break down whether Calgary will keep making moves after the season ends and work toward building a legitimate championship contender.
Noah Hanifin trade brought in an intriguing blueliner and a top pick
It’s always great when your team lands a conditional first-round pick AND an intriguing player to go along with them. And that’s what the Flames did here, snagging a potentially decent defenseman in Daniil Miromanov, plus conditional first and third-round picks.
Per Cap Friendly, the first-rounder will be for 2025, but it can fall to 2026. Whether the pick is for 2025 or 2026 is irrelevant, as the Flames currently have five first-round selections over the next three drafts, which is perfect for a potential rebuild. Their 2025 third-rounder will become a second-rounder if the Knights win just one playoff series should they make the postseason.
As for Miromanov, he’s got just 29 games of NHL experience and seven points, but he’s developed well with the Henderson Silver Knights, with 68 career points in 95 games. He’s one to watch, and there is a good chance he becomes a permanent part of the lineup following the two-year extension he signed.
Chris Tanev trade also brought in sound value for the Flames
The Flames took part in a trade with the Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils regarding Chris Tanev, and they snagged a second-rounder in 2024, a conditional third-rounder in 2026 if the Stars make the Stanley Cup Final this season, and Artyom Grushnikov, another solid defenseman who will finish the year for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.
As we have seen so often this season, even regarding the Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Tyler Toffoli trades, these moves have brought many future assets here for the Flames, including a first-rounder for 2024 that was part of the Lindholm trade.
So, did the Flames get enough in their most recent trades? It’s easy to say that they could never get enough for a pair of productive players like Hanifin and Tanev. But they still landed a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and potentially another second-rounder at the absolute least, along with one current asset they seem to value in Miromanov. Perhaps another in Grushnikov, should the former second-round pick live up to expectations.
Will the Flames keep ‘selling’ for 2024-25?
In a season that has seen an eye-popping five trades occur, it’s fair to ask whether the Flames will continue to trade off their most productive (and expensive) players this coming offseason. They will have seven players slated to become UFAs following the 2024-25 season, plus three defensemen who will hit the free agent market this coming offseason.
They also have players like Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, Blake Coleman, and MacKenzie Weegar inked to long-term deals, but they are all 30 and over, and there is no way they would be interested in playing for a rebuilding team. They are all on lucrative contracts, and while Kadri and Coleman have produced well enough to warrant interest elsewhere, Huberdeau has been a disappointment, and unfortunately, the latter has the largest cap hit of them all at $10.5 million.
This is a situation where the Flames would ideally keep ‘selling’ when the 2024-25 season begins, much like they did in 2023-24, but it won’t be easy to find willing trade partners, especially a perennial contender, to take on such large, long-term contracts. The good news, however, is that the Flames will have ample cap space come the 2024-25 season, so perhaps they will keep this aging core intact and put together pieces to win now while building for the future.
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