Four reasons the Calgary Flames need to trade Jacob Markstrom this summer

A trade opens up critical cap space for the Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames could go several ways on the free agent/trade market this summer, and while they may need to retain some of Markstrom's salary for the remaining two years of his career, they will still open up a solid amount of cap space. This would give Calgary flexibility to do one of two things; push for a star free agent such as Sam Reinhart or Jake DeBrusk, or they could look to take on a bad contract or two to get extra assets.

There have been suggestions that the Flames may need to retain up to $3 million in a potential Markstrom trade, but even if that is the case, the team will have an extra $3 million to work with over the next two seasons that could allow them plenty of flexibility. Unfortunately the Flames aren't in a position where that money can take them from a playoff team to a contender, but if they use it wisely, a Markstrom trade could be something we look back on in the years to come as a major facilitator in the Flames rebuild.