WA-CGY-DeadlinePlans It was supposed to be a rebuild, with the excitement for Calgary Flames fans more likely to come at the NHL trade deadline than the final weeks of the playoff race. Instead, they're back in the mushy middle [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/latest-news/calgary-flames-could-be-more-competitive-than-we-think]. lingering in the mid where the draft pick is to low to be a lock and the post-season is a lottery ticket — a standard they've set for the better part of four decades. There is one big difference, though, and that difference makes the ride more enjoyable for a body of watchers who were hoping for another top-10 draft pick and the dispersal of a bunch more of the Calgary Flames veterans as well as the pending unrestricted free agents. This time, they're exceeding expectations. Flames GM Craig Conroy has spent the better part of the last 18 months making his franchise younger and more skilled. The defensive corps was dismantled last season with half of the top six d-men dealt by the deadline. The forwards now feature sophomores Connor Zary and Matt Coronato in starring roles, with a handful of other prospects finding their way to the NHL roster this season as well. And, of course, there's Dustin Wolf — a rookie goaltender [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/latest-news/flames-goalie-named-to-nhl-midseason-rookie-all-star-team] doing unthinkable things in his first full NHL season. Wolf is by far the greatest reason [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/latest-news/dustin-wolf-calder-trophy-calgary-flames-starter] the Flames remain in the playoff hunt and continues to earn consideration for the Calder Trophy and maybe now the Vezina, too. Finding a way last week to make moves he believes will help his cause both this season and into the future, Conroy made what is likely to be his most memorable move [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/flyers-flames-complete-big-trade] ahead of the upcoming trade deadline with a bit of a blockbuster [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/latest-news/nhl-insider-speculates-flames-flyers-working-on-late-night-trade], bringing Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost to the team. Both of these players are under team control and in their mid 20s. They've both also got skillsets that could make the somewhat stagnant Flames offense more potent as they push for a playoff spot against astounding opening odds this year. Now, the Flames have about a 64% chance of qualifying, according to MoneyPuck [https://moneypuck.com/predictions.htm]. So it will likely come as no surprise that this weekend's chatter among hockey's most trusted insiders suggested the Calgary Flames won't be selling off any of their key veterans [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/latest-news/why-the-calgary-flames-are-unlikely-to-trade-top-defenseman]. Rasmus Andersson, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar aren't expected to go anywhere. It's hard to argue that approach at this point of this surprising season. Some will contest this is bad asset management for the long-term goal, but Conroy also has to consider the human element and the experienced gained from an unexpectedly competitive campaign. The wheels may fall off on Wolf [https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/what-needs-to-happen-for-calgary-flames-dustin-wolf-to-win-calder-trophy]. The lack of scoring may come back to bite them. Alternatively, maybe their superstar rookie will take them to new heights. Perhaps their big trade will lead to more scoring, and their ability to win despite those struggles bodes well for the sudden switch to playoff urgency. No one can argue it hasn't been fun to watch — and isn't that what the fan experience is all about? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEyMTg1MzcxNTIwMjgwMTky/thncgynews.png]
