5 Trade Candidates Emerging From Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames made a couple of notable moves this offseason, making a big summer splash by acquiring Simon Nemec & Maxim Tsyplakov from the NJ Devils, then trading Blake Coleman to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Jake Middleton and picks.
That follows a season in which they also dealt away veterans Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, and Rasmus Andersson.
So as the team leans fully into its rebuild, what other trades are left to make?
According to Kent Wilson of the Calgary Sun, the team is still in sell mode:
"Absent a miracle, we can expect them to finish low in the standings and pick high at the draft for the next few years. Calgary will remain trade deadline sellers for now."
He lists five players who could be dealt this coming season by GM Craig Conroy:
Morgan Frost
The 22-goal man had a nice first full season in Calgary, but his name did float in and out of trade rumors at times. As a pending UFA after the coming season, and turning 28 at that time, he's no sure thing to stick around.
"If Frost has a strong season, he’ll become an attractive trade target at the deadline for teams looking for offensive depth down the middle," Wilson wrote.
Zach Whitecloud
The reliable, stay-at-home defenseman has plenty of value around the league, and still has two seasons left on an exceedingly team-friendly deal, at $2.75 AAV. The 29-year-old logs plenty of ice time, and would be an ideal pickup for teams looking to fortify their defense at the deadline.
Wilson figures he's better to hold on to to mentor the young blueline corps, but he could certainly be dealt after the season as he'd be going into the final year of his deal.
Ryan Strome
It was an extremely disappointing season in 2025-26 for the veteran pivot, with just 8 goals and 21 points. As a pending UFA this coming year, the Flames would love to move on from him, but with a $5M cap hit, he'll need to return to at least the 40-point barrier to give GM Conroy a reasonable chance of peddling him.
Joel Farabee
Like Frost, another former Flyers forward, Farabee could be on the trade block this season, though he has two years remaining on his deal ($5M AAV). He made his way back to the 20-goal mark for the third time in his career, and he's likely to take Coleman's place next to Flames icon Mikael Backlund this season.
And at age 26, he might be young enough for the Flames to want to hold onto, says Wilson.
"Of course, that depends on the player wanting to stick around. If Farabee decides to move on as a free agent, the team will be forced to trade him."
Hunter Brzustewicz
The young defenseman doesn't fit with the other veterans on this list, but he is entering the final year of his entry-level contract, and he's now 4th on the depth chart on the right side, notes Wilson, after the addition of Nemec.
"He could be a victim of the club’s prospect surplus on the back end."