Flames trade for Brian Elliott

Brad Treliving stated that he would not leave the first round without a goalie. He fulfilled that promise. Mere minutes after drafting Matthew Tkachuk, the Flames have solved their biggest offseason need by acquiring St. Louis Blues goaltender Brian Elliott. In return, the Flames give up the 35th overall pick and a conditional 2018 third round pick.

The 31 year old Elliott is entering the final year of a $2.5M contract, and will need re-signing. This past season, he played 42 games recording a 23-8-6 record with a .930 SV% and four shutouts. In the playoffs, he backstopped the Blues to the Western Conference Finals, going 9-9 with a .921 SV% and a shutout. He’s pretty good.

The Flames gave up their own 35th overall pick and a conditional 2018 third rounder. The conditions per Pierre LeBrun are based on whether or not the Flames can re-sign him.

Earlier in the day, it was heavily speculated that Ben Bishop would be the new Flames goaltender by the end of the first. That deal was reportedly contingent on the Flames reaching a verbal extension agreement with Bishop, which apparently started at $7M for seven years. No reports yet on why the trade failed.

Here’s Treliving with John Shannon from Sportsnet discussing the Elliott trade and future plans. Interesting to note that Treliving did not say they were done with the goalie position.

More details as they come.