NHL Rumors: Flames' Zach Whitecloud Drawing a Lot of Trade Interest
He arrives at 29 with a Stanley Cup ring from 2023, a reputation as a trusted penalty killer, and a contract that contenders love, as he's in year four of a six-year deal at a $2.75 million cap hit through 2027-28.
That is exactly the kind of player teams call about the minute he lands on a roster that is slowly entering/in the midst of a bit of a rebuild.
Flames trade interest in Zach Whitecloud is real
Whitecloud is not a throw-in, even if cap math helped make the deal work.
He's been a fixture on the Golden Knights' blue line after earning his way up as an undrafted signing out of Bemidji State, and he is built for playoff hockey at 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds.
Over his eight-year career, spent entirely with Vegas, Whitecloud has recorded 23 goals, 79 total points, a solid +42 plus/minus rating, 583 blocked shots, and 610 hits across 372 games played.
🔥 At the 19th Annual Flames Poker Tournament, Zach Whitecloud joined @Fan960Steinberg & @Fan960Logan to chat about settling into Calgary, playing in a Canadian market, and why being an ambassador for the organization is so important to him.
— Sportsnet 960 (@Sportsnet960) January 28, 2026
🎧: https://t.co/w0i0MQO8ub pic.twitter.com/wmLtK7LBDf
He's a defender who can handle heavy defensive minutes, block shots, and survive tough matchups, plus the underlying profile has been strong this season with his Corsi sitting around the low 50s and his expected goals against among his better years.
That mix, plus term and price, is why Elliotte Friedman has already framed it as a “calls will be coming” situation, and David Pagnotta reported clubs started reaching out quickly once Calgary acquired him. Frank Seravalli also reported that teams are calling the Flames to ask if they're willing to move Whitecloud.
Why the Flames could flip Whitecloud before the deadline
The reason this feels like a possible quick turn is pretty simple: Calgary has a right-side logjam and a youth movement looming.
MacKenzie Weegar can play the right side, and the organization has young defenders pushing for NHL runway, which makes a 29-year-old with real market value a clean lever to pull for more futures.
Zach Whitecloud, acquired by CGY, is a defensive defenceman. pic.twitter.com/7wESQRADB0
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 18, 2026
The calendar matters too, as the Olympic roster freeze hits February 4, and the trade deadline is March 6, so Craig Conroy has a window to let Whitecloud play, keep his value hot, and then cash it in if the offer lands in that second-round pick range.
Friedman even floated the Boston Bruins as a logical check-in, given they were deep on Andersson talks, while teams hunting a steady right shot, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, in other reporting, can talk themselves into Whitecloud as a plug-and-play option who does not wreck the cap sheet.
Photo Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
