The Flames won't stop at simply trading away Elias Lindholm, and don't be surprised if the moves may go beyond their other pending unrestricted free agents

One big domino has fallen.

How many more will follow?

The Calgary Flames kicked off the NHL’s trade season with Wednesday’s deal that sent Elias Lindholm to the going-all-in Vancouver Canucks and brought back Andrei Kuzmenko, a couple of prospect defencemen and two draft picks, including a 2024 first-rounder.

How many more will become “former” Flames?

The Flames do not want a Chicago Blackhawks-calibre teardown, but they may not have much of a choice.

Barring a surprise — or, touch wood, an injury — defenceman Chris Tanev will be dealt before the March 8 trade deadline, with a quality return of a high draft pick or more.

Of their remaining pending unrestricted free-agents, the one who will bring back the loftiest return is defenceman Noah Hanifin. Both sides have been close to agreeing on a new contract — an idea makes sense even in a rebuild — but time is ticking for a decision. Hanifin may very well ink a new contract, but the Flames can not afford to let the deadline pass without his name on a new deal and might be forced to make a trade.

Now when you consider what the return via trade could be, especially if the Flames were willing to retain some salary or take on a contract, it could bring another first-rounder or top-end prospect.

What follows will be just as interesting. The Flames have a handful of other pending UFAs, such as defencemen Oliver Kylington, Dennis Gilbert and Jordan Oesterle, as well as gritty but currently injured forward A.J. Greer.

Dealing away Lindholm, Hanifin and Tanev without adding an impact player, certainly would create a scenario in which others would prefer to also leave.

Goalie Jacob Markstrom, for example, has two years remaining on his deal. Yes, he has a no-movement clause, but at age 34, would he want to be on a bottoming out team instead of going somewhere with a chance to win? For sure, teams that flame-out come playoffs because of ineffective goaltending will be sniffing around.

Looking to the future, Kuzmenako, Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich are all due to be UFAs after next season. So is current backup goalie Dan Vladar.

Let’s be real. Veterans who signed extensions or came to Calgary via free agency, were sold on this team pushing for a title. Those aspirations have changed dramatically, and even being a competitive team when the Flames moves into a new building (likely in the 2027-28 season) may mean some extensive roster renovations.

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