In a trade that came out of absolutely nowhere, the Flames made their first deal of trade deadline day, acquiring veteran centre Ryan Strome from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2027 7th-round pick.
A veteran replacement
At first glance, this trade made absolutely no sense. That is, however, until it was confirmed that Nazem Kadri was being shipped to Colorado in a corresponding move. With an already weak centre group, moving Kadri left the Flames with a massive gap down the middle. Ryan Strome helps the Flames shore up their centre group for the rest of this season and next.
The details on Strome
Strome isn’t going to light it up, but he’ll bring a veteran presence to their centre group behind Mikael Backlund. The 34-year-old is in the midst of a very tough season with only nine points in 33 games, but did post over 40 points in each of the previous six seasons, dating all the way back to 2020.
The veteran centre has one year left on his current deal at $5 million AAV, and could potentially be a useful trade chip for the Flames at next year’s deadline. Considering the cost, this was a smart low-cost move for a Flames team that needed some veteran help down the middle. It’s also a worthwhile gamble if Strome can find his game again, as the team will almost certainly be able to recoup something better than a seventh-round pick next March.
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