Friedman on the Calgary Flames’ trade deadline: ‘I think Calgary punted to the summer”

The 2023 trade deadline has come and gone, and the Calgary Flames made a pair of trades that we can classify as depth moves. Heck, Flames general manager Brad Treliving characterized his deadline as “work[ing] around the edges.”

In the post-deadline edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman assessed the Flames deadline succinctly: “I think Calgary punted to the summer.”

Co-host Jeff Marek pondered if the Flames were looking at their tough 2022-23 campaign – where they’ve out-played the opponents a lot but found ways to lose – as just “one of those years” where things just don’t go their way.

“I would say yes, in general they do think that, the team is trying to regain its identity,” said Friedman. “But the thing is is that sometimes you get to say we’re going to have a do-over and we’re going to try again, and sometimes the calendar or your cap situation doesn’t allow for that.”

In recent episodes, Marek and Friedman had discussed the possibility of the Flames making moves involving players that have contracts that expire after the 2023-24 season – a list that includes the likes of Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm, Tyler Toffoli, Dillon Dube, Nikita Zadorov, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev.

“I don’t know that they considered anything very seriously on Friday,” said Friedman. “I have no reason to believe that they did. I heard that they had no interest in moving Lindholm. Almost no interest in moving Backlund, basically no interest.”

Friedman teed up what he thinks the Flames’ approach to this coming summer could end up being.

“I’m sure they’re going to go to a bunch of those guys and say ‘look we’d like to extend you,'” said Friedman. “And if those players say yes then they get deals done. But if those players say no, then they’re going to kind to have of figure things out. And I think that’s where they’re going to be in the summer.”

Needless to say: the Flames still have some decisions to make going forward.