Hypothetical Avalanche trade proposal for Markstrom
The rumours have fired up surrounding Calgary Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom.
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports - Hypothetical Avalanche trade proposal for MarkstromCalgary Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom's name has been heard on the trade market lately. With the Colorado Avalanche in need of a goalie to help the struggling and overworked Alexandar Georgiev, he is a bid they could make.
The price tag for Markstrom is high, with a $6-million cap hit. But the Avs are in desperate need of a backup goalie, and with a once strong team in the Flames that is now in the middle of drastic change, they may jump at the opportunity for him.
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It is no secret the Flames are rebuilding as evidenced by them trading star centreman Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks. Sportsnet's Eric Francis is also reporting rumours of top-tier blueliners Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev being on the trade market.
New roster add-ons include former Canuck Andrei Kuzmenko, and the youthful 24-year old blueliner Brayden Pacha, a promising young defenseman with 23 blocks this season.
Since Markstrom is the 13th best goalie in the NHL by goals against average, the Flames won't give him up easily and have great bargaining power. Here's how the Avalanche could wager for Markstrom by offering the Flames what they need.
Jacob Markstrom in, 2024 first-round draft pick, 2025 first-round draft pick, Ryan Johansen, Logan O'Connor & Calum Ritchie out
If the Flames want to rebuild by investing in new, younger players, and remain out of the playoffs, they could wager on strong first draft picks and nurture them into key parts of a playoff-contending team for next year.
The Flames are a mid-range team for goal-scoring, with 3.10 scored per game in average.
O'Connor, a UFA this year, is a 27-yearold forward with good offensive numbers this season, and has been great lately, with six goals in his past 10 games. He would bring the Flames more forward depth. His $1.05-million cap hit would be manageable depending on how much of that the Avalanche would retain.
Ryan Johansen is another chip the Avs could put on the table. With no goals in his past 10 games, and relatively weak offensive numbers (11 goals, seven assists) for his $8-million cap hit, perhaps the 31-year old is better suited to improving himself on a rebuilding team rather than a contending team. He will become a UFA in 2025, but may be traded before that if they can retain enough of his cap hit to satisfy another team.
Johansen is hot and cold, with a 63 point season in 2021-22 with the Nashville Predators, surrounded by 22 points in 2020-21 and 28 and 2022-23, so it's anybody's guess what could happen with him.
The very young, 19-year old prospect Calum Ritchie has been on fire for the Oshawa Generals, at a whopping 18 goals and 38 assists this season. If traded to the Flames, he would be the face of their youth movement. He is not even close to his prime yet and his stats could only improve.