The Calgary Flames remain the subject of trade speculation as they continue to rebuild their roster. Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate Montreal Canadiens' free agents Arber Xhekaj and Zachary Bolduc.
The Calgary Flames will have some heavy competition on the blueline heading into training camp.
Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun pointed out recently that the Flames have nine defensemen who will be jockeying for six regular roster spots this season. He speculated that one of them could be moved to free up space.
Austin’s colleague, Kent Wilson, noted that Zach Whitecloud surfaced in trade speculation last season. He acknowledged that the 29-year-old blueliner’s experience, reputation, and affordable contract ($2.75 million AAV through 2027-28) could fetch a solid return.
However, Wilson considered it unlikely that the Flames would trade Whitecloud. The veteran blueliner fit in well with the Flames since being acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in January. Moving him would leave them lacking experienced depth and leadership on the back end.
The Flames are also deep with wingers. Austin reminded us that Connor Zary was the subject of trade rumors last season. Perhaps he’ll come up again as a trade candidate.
Speaking of the Flames, The Hockey News’ Michael DeRosa thinks Morgan Frost could be an intriguing trade target for the Montreal Canadiens.
DeRosa observed that questions have been raised about Frost’s future with the rebuilding Flames. The 27-year-old center is in the final season of his two-year contract with an AAV of $4.375 million, with an eight-team no-trade list.
Frost had a decent 2025-26 campaign with 43 points in 82 games, including a career-high 22 goals. DeRosa thinks he could be a strong pickup for the Canadiens, who are seeking a top-six forward, preferably a second-line center.
So far, there’s no indication the Flames intend to move Frost. If he’s available, he might not adequately address the Canadiens’ needs, given their earlier links to Toronto Maple Leafs power forward Matthew Knies and Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko.
Speaking of the Canadiens, Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette raised the possibility last week of defenseman Arber Xhekaj and winger Zachary Bolduc becoming “sign-and-trade” candidates.
Xhekaj and Bolduc are restricted free agents coming off low-cost contracts. Cowan thinks there will be teams interested in both players if they become available.
The Canadiens could attempt to move them in a package deal for that elusive second-line center. However, they’ll likely have to add a sweetener in the form of a high draft pick or a top prospect to make that offer more palatable. Even then, they’re unlikely to find anything suitable before the start of the regular season.
Meanwhile, Brendan Kelly recently pleaded for the Canadiens not to bring back goaltender Sam Montembeault. He insisted that management trade the 30-year-old netminder and stick with their young tandem of Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.
Moving Montembeault is easier said than done. His struggles last season hurt his trade value.
The Canadiens could give Montembeault playing time to make him more enticing for clubs in need of goalie depth. Otherwise, they could start this season with three goalies or send Montembeault or Fowler to the minors.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
