Joel Hanley
Joel Hanley has long been seen as the odd man out on the Calgary Flames blue line, and if that wasn't guaranteed enough, the arrival of Jake Middleton certainly puts him on the outside looking in. Last year, Ryan Huska drew immense criticism for continuing to play Hanley over the young names, and while that should likely change in 2026/27, if he remains on the roster, there's a chance that the same thing happens again.
Clearly though, Hanley is the fourth best left-shot defenseman left on this roster behind Kevin Bahl, Yan Kuznetsov and Middleton, and with both Hanley and Brayden Pachal battling for the 7D spot, the latters versatility is what will save his role and mean Hanley is dealt. He likely won't net the Flames more than a fifth-round pick in the future, but given what we've seen from the Flames scouting department, that can mean a future NHLer, so expect Hanley to be dealt at some point this summer.
Connor Zary
Connor Zary and his future in Calgary have been talked about intently this off-season, and either side you stand on, you will have different fans and analysts agreeing or disagreeing with you. Simply put, Zary is a very talented young player, but the Flames have done him no favours in his development, and along with the injuries, he hasn't come along the way many had hoped.
This past season for Zary was once again full of promise, but with another injury derailing any momentum, many believe that it's time to move on and give his role in the lineup to one of the many young wingers the Flames are trying to develop. In the past two unfortunately injury riddled seasons, Zary has combined for 52 points across 128 games played, and while he may still have a bright future in the NHL, the belief is that the Flames would be better off parting ways now and getting an asset in return for the 24-year-old.
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