Should the Calgary Flames extend Forward Andrei Kuzmenko?

Coming into last season, we knew that the Calgary Flames needed to move off the group of Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm, and throughout the season leading into the trade deadline, GM Craig Conroy did just that. While the 2024/25 season still sees the Flames have several intriguing trade chips, it's less certain whether or not the team will be aggressive in trading them, with names such as Blake Coleman, Nazem Kadri, Andrei Kuzmenko, Dan Vladar and Rasmus Andersson all named as potential trade pieces.

However, one player that the C of Red overwhelmingly believes should be traded is forward Andrei Kuzmenko, who stepped in for this team following the Elias Lindholm trade and immediately found success, tallying 14 goals and 25 points in just 29 games played. This off-season, many hoped he would start the season red-hot and increase that trade value, but according to Frank Seravalli, the team may indeed be looking at a surprise extension.

Given the source, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but it's highly surprising, as the Flames should be looking to stock up on as many draft picks as they possibly can, especially after the standout class that Conroy put together in 2024. This pre-season, Kuzmenko has built solid chemistry with Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich, and with that, there is confidence they can start 2024/25 hot, giving the Flames a huge decision to make.

On one hand, giving Kuzmenko a quick 1-2 year extension could make him more desirable on the trade market, as a team would not just be getting a rental but indeed a signficiant asset, while handing the 28-year old anything over three years would be an absolute mistake for this team, one that is meant to still be in the rebuilding phase.

Verdict; The Calgary Flames are so close to the long awaited rebuild that needs to happen for this team, and after such an elite 2024 draft class, they need to try and land as many first-round picks as possible, and if there's one or even several other draft picks on the table for Kuzmenko, Conroy and the front office need to jump at the opportunity.