Flames reportedly shopping defensemen

As the Calgary Flames transitioned behind the bench from Darryl Sutter to Ryan Huska over the summer, many of the players scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next offseason wanted to take the ’wait-and-see’ approach in regards to signing a contract extension in Alberta. Needless to say, the Flames have not gotten off to a solid start, starting off 3-7-1, quickly alienating any chances that certain players will want to re-up on a new deal.

Aside from the potential departure of Elias Lindholm, Calgary is also set to lose five defensemen to the open market next July, leading the team to some difficult choices moving forward. This past summer, many reports indicated that defenseman Noah Hanifin was unwilling to sign an extension with the Flames, leading to plenty of trade rumors surrounding him and the organization.

In an earlier report today, Rick Dhaliwal relayed a note from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, saying that the Flames are actively engaging the market on Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov. Furthermore, it was reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Edmonton Oilers are showing the most interest in these defensemen.

It is reasonable to assume, especially if Calgary continues its current trajectory on the season, that more and more teams will come calling as the season nears the trade deadline. Of the three teams listed as having interest, the Oilers seem the least plausible, given that the Flames and Oilers have only made three trades with each other, the last one being the James Neal – Milan Lucic swap in 2019.

Especially if all three players are seen as rentals, the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Rangers could all come calling at this year’s trade deadline. If any or all three are open to signing extensions with the respective acquiring clubs, teams such as the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes could certainly become interested, as well.

Given his ability to play a high amount of minutes each night, Hanifin will likely net Calgary the biggest return, although Tanev and Zadorov will also bring significant interest given their skill sets. If they are open to retooling or even a short-term rebuild, trading these three would be a logical way to start that process.

Nevertheless, there is a chance the Flames could turn their season around, leading them to hang onto their pending unrestricted free agents for a playoff run. However, if they are unable to straighten the ship, aside from a few trades over the years, there isn’t a precedent set for a trade of this magnitude being made so early in the season. If Calgary hangs on to all three as we get closer to the deadline, other playoff-bound teams’ desperation will increase their return overall.