If the Flames do not envision a legitimate Stanley Cup run, dealing away Markstrom will be another move with long-term benefits over short-term middling success
If the Flames do not envision a legitimate Stanley Cup run, dealing away Markstrom will be another move with long-term benefits over short-term middling success
The NHL’s annual holiday roster freeze has begun, but that will not stop the trade rumours surrounding the Calgary Flames.
The Flames look every bit like the team they were expected to be — good enough to be in the playoff mix, maybe in, maybe out — and not good enough to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
In turn, the trade winds most likely will see their trio of valuable pending unrestricted free agents Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev leave the Stampede City.
If the Flames plan to acquire as many early round draft picks as possible as opposed to bringing in a little less draft capital and acquiring young roster players — think of the swap that brought Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round draft pick for Tyler Toffoli — they should not stop with their big three.
And we’re not just talking about dealing away other pending UFAs, a list that also includes a depth forward in A.J. Greer and defenceman Dennis Gilbert.
Most likely the Flames will try the retool-on-the-fly model as opposed to the burn-it-to-the-ground trek of the Chicago Blackhawks. Even so, another big-name player, who legitimately could have trade value, should be considered: goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
(Yeah, yeah, everybody would love the Flames to trade away Jonathan Huberdeau and his $10.5 million per season ticket, but one bite of a reality pill should quash that possibility.)
Dealing Markstrom, however, makes sense if the Flames don’t expect a Stanley Cup victory in the next few seasons.
After this season, Markstrom has two years remaining on his contract, which comes with a $6 million salary cap hit and a no-movement clause.
Should the Flames make moves that result in a step back, a veteran goalie of Markstrom's ilk likely will not want to be part of that journey and have more of a willingness to go elsewhere for an opportunity to win.
With the salary cap finally set to increase next season, Markstrom’s deal will become more palatable for clubs to add, and rest assured there will be teams looking for a legitimate starter.
Think about the Carolina Hurricanes, a very good team that has been done in this season by poor netminding. Or the Los Angeles Kings should their very good squad fall short of repeating the route taken by the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights in their championship runs, a strong crop of skaters capable of winning with unproven goaltenders.
Options will present themselves, and if the Flames are legitimately rebuilding with top-prospect goalie Dustin Wolf taking his place in the NHL, it may make more sense than simply dealing away Dan Vladar for at best a middle-round draft pick.