3 Calgary Flames rank in the top 5 in Daily Faceoff’s latest top trade targets list
6 months ago
It’s the New Year, so that means the trade deadline is approaching!
As it stands, the Calgary Flames currently have 41 points for the season, just two games back of the Edmonton Oilers for the final wild card spot, but with four more games played. Moreover, there are three additional teams all with between 43-41 points ahead of the Flames, with the Minnesota Wild hot on their tail with 38 points and two games in hand.
This is that it’s not set what the Flames are going to do at the trade deadline. However, if they do decide to sell, they could get some serious assets back. On Tuesday, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff released his first Trade Target list for 2024, and to say that the Flames are prominent in the top 10 portion of the list would be an understatement. Let’s take a look at the list.
Elias Lindholm is the top trade target
Elias Lindholm is the Flames representative for the 2024 All-Star game, but is off to a poor start for the first time in two seasons. So far in 2023-24, the centre has eight goals and 26 points in 41 games, far below his pace of 22 goals and 64 points set in 80 games in 2022-23. Moreover, it doesn’t look like he’ll come anywhere close to his 42 goals and 82 points he had in 82 games during the Flames fantastic 2021-22 season.
Still, the 29-year-old remains Daily Faceoff’s top trade target, partially due to the track record, but also because he’s a pending unrestricted free agent making just $4.85 million. Getting a top six, defensively responsible centre for the contract he has is unheard of, and the Flames could easily get a first-round pick, probably more, for Lindholm.
Chris Tanev could command a first-round pick
Another rental, Chris Tanev is the best shut-down defenceman on the market and listed in third spot on the trade target list.
So far in 2023-24, the 34-year-old has a single goal and seven points in 38 games. However, defence and blocked shots are the name of the game for Tanev. In early December, JFreshHockey on Twitter released his card, which showed he was in the 100th percentile for even strength defence. A contender would love to have Tanev for a postseason push and run.
The right-shot defenceman is in the final year of his deal and is making $4.5 million this season. What’s more is that the Flames could retain up to three players’ salaries, and all three players we’ll look at today are perfect candidates for a 50% retention for a better haul.
Noah Hanifin may or may not be moved
Noah Hanifin is only 26 years old and would fit the Flames core. However, his bio on Daily Faceoff notes that the United States-born player would prefer to play in his home country long-term. That doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in an extension, as the two camps were near an extension back in mid-November, and have even engaged in contract talks again recently, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Freidman.
Even though Hanfiin would be a rental for any team trading for him, the left-shot defenceman is a game changer. So far this season, he has seven goals and 22 points in 41 games, slightly below his career-high of 10 goals and 48 points set in 81 games during the 2023-24 season. If the Flames do elect to trade Hanifin over re-signing him, it wouldn’t be all too surprising if they get a first-round pick for him. Hanifin is listed at fifth on the trade target list.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what the Flames do at the deadline. Before acting, they’ll need some clarity on where they stand in terms of the standings, but if they do decide to sell, the Flames will be in a good place in the future.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Twitter @Brennan_L_D.
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