On Thursday night, Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy pulled the trigger on a trade, sending Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick to Philadelphia in exchange for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee.
But just because Conroy made that trade, you probably shouldn’t expect him to be selling off any of his club’s veterans. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Saturday’s edition of Hockey Night in Canada’s Headlines segment, Conroy has told teams that his team is keeping Rasmus Andersson, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar.
Here’s Friedman:
So one of the most interesting things about the Calgary Flames, and they made a big deal this week getting Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. But the Flames have told teams that Rasmus Andersson, Nazem Kadri, and MacKenzie Weegar are not available. And I know a lot of Calgary fans, like Weegar has a contract. Kadri has a contract. But a number of teams have asked about him. Andersson, as you know, is heading into the final year of his deal. And the Flames are getting more and more confident they’re going to be able to keep him. But they have told specifically the teams who have asked about those three players, we’re keeping them, we’re in the race, and they’re important to us.
It’s worth noting that Kadri, Weegar and Andersson are alternate captains and form half of the Flames’ six player leadership group, along with captain Mikael Backlund and fellow alternate captains Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau. The team’s leadership group drew praise from both head coach Ryan Huska and Conroy this season for how well things have been going with the group.
Kadri, 34, is in the third year of a seven year contract that carries a $7 million AAV. His contract expires after the 2028-29 season. His deal carries a full no-move clause this season.
Weegar, 31, is in the second year of a eight year deal that carries a $6.25 million AAV. His contract expires after the 2030-31 season. His deal carries a full no-trade clause this season.
Anderson, 28, is in the fifth year of a six year deal that carries a $4.55 million AAV. His contract expires after next season. His deal carries a six team no-trade list this season. He’s eligible to sign an extension with the Flames starting on July 1.
The Flames feel like they have a pretty good team this season, and they don’t seem in a hurry to move out big pieces of it – especially as they remain firmly nestled in the Western Conference playoff race.
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