It’s been clear for quite some time that the Calgary Flames would be sellers heading into this year’s trade deadline. Many felt that would be the case before the season even began, and after an ugly start it became all the more obvious. Even with wins in three of their last four, the Flames sit 27th in league standings with a 24-27-6 record.
Understanding the position his team is in, general manager (GM) Craig Conroy already got things started prior to the Olympic break, trading Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. The question that remains now is how many more deals the Flames will be making before the March 6 trade deadline has passed.
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There has been speculation surrounding a number of Flames players, though some feel much more likely to be moved than others. Either way, it’s going to be fascinating to track in the coming days as speculation continues to run rampant. With that said, here is a ranking of Flames players being discussed in trade chatter from most to least likely to be moved.
1. Blake Coleman
If you had to bet on one player to be moved, Blake Coleman is the one to put money on. The 34-year-old is in the fifth year of a six-year deal, and though he provides many great intangibles including his leadership, he does not fit into the Flames’ long-term plans.
Coleman, who has 13 goals and 21 points on the season, is a player many teams would love to add. He can provide solid secondary offence, is a very good penalty killer, and brings winning experience having captured two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. There’s a ton of interest in him which is why, when paired with his contract, he feels the most likely to be moved.
2. Ryan Lomberg
Ryan Lomberg isn’t the type of player who is going to bring in much of a return at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean teams won’t be calling. There isn’t much of any offence to Lomberg’s game, but he is a fantastic locker room presence, which is always valuable to teams looking to go on a deep playoff run.
Lomberg also brings some winning pedigree, having won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024. He’s the only pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) on the Flames’ roster, and though he wants to remain in Calgary, it’s likely that Conroy tries to get some value for him given that they’re unlikely to re-sign him in the offseason.
3. Brayden Pachal
The 2025-26 season has been a frustrating one for many Flames players. Most fans would point to names such as Jonathan Huberdeau and Yegor Sharangovich in that regard, though another who has had a rough go of things is Brayden Pachal.
After serving as a solid bottom-pairing option for the Flames in 2024-25, Pachal has struggled to even get in the lineup this season, appearing in just 26 of 57 games. Despite his struggles, he’s a decent depth option for a team looking to shore up their blue line. He’s also under contract through 2026-27 on a cap hit of just $1.187 million.
4. Nazem Kadri
The most talked about name in Calgary right now is Nazem Kadri. There have been several reports in recent days that the 35-year-old would like to be traded, and it seems likely that a deal is inevitable. That said, that deal may not come this season.
The issue when it comes to moving Kadri is that he is under contract for three additional seasons. With his age, you can understand why other GM’s would be hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal. That said, he’s currently still a very valuable player who would fit as a great second-line centre on most Stanley Cup contenders. If a team gets desperate enough, they may be willing to overlook his contract for the time being and pull the trigger.
5. Joel Hanley
If offers don’t come in for Brayden Pachal, the Flames could instead opt to move Joel Hanley. Like Pachal, Hanley has just one additional season remaining on his contract with a very reasonable $1.75 million cap hit. He’s appeared in 54 games to date, registering seven assists while averaging 14:23 in ice time.
Though Hanley is far from a household name, he’s turned into a solid everyday player over the past two seasons for the Flames. He wouldn’t bring in a massive return, but with the number of blue line prospects the Flames have, he could be moved just to open up a spot on the back end.
6. Zach Whitecloud
Zach Whitecloud just arrived from the Flames in the Andersson trade, but his time with the organization could be short lived. When the deal with the Golden Knights, the assumption from most was that the 29-year-old would quickly be flipped at or ahead of the deadline. That thought process has changed, however.
Whitecloud has quickly fit in great with the Flames both on and off the ice. There’s no need to trade him just for the sake of it given that he has two more seasons on his contract with a team-friendly $2.75 million cap hit. Based on what’s been said lately, it doesn’t seem likely Conroy deals him unless he’s blown away by an offer.
7. MacKenzie Weegar
The final Flame who has had his name involved in trade speculation is MacKenzie Weegar. The usually reliable right-shot defenceman is having a season he’ll want to forget about. Through 57 games he has just three goals and 21 points. Even worse, he owns a league-worst plus/minus of -31. Despite the rough season, however, there is still interest given the player he’s capable of being.
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The team that continues to be linked to Weegar is the Ottawa Senators, which happens to be the 32-year-olds hometown squad. Considering he is under contract through 2030-31, there’s no real reason for the Flames to move him, especially given that his $6.25 million cap hit is very reasonable. Seeing him moved ahead of the trade deadline would be quite shocking, but given the speculation, it doesn’t seem to be entirely impossible.
Flames Aren’t Done
Let’s first state the obvious; not all of these players will be getting traded. That said, it wouldn’t be surprising to anybody to see the Flames pull off at least one, if not two more trades on or ahead of March 6. Though this fan base would prefer to see their team gearing up for a long playoff run, this next week promises to be an exciting one as Conroy attempts to improve the organization for the years to come.
