On Sunday, the Flames traded Rasmus Andersson, arguably the best player available ahead of Mar. 6’s trade deadline, to the Vegas Golden Knights. In return, they received Zach Whitecloud, prospect Abram Wiebe, a top-10 protected 2027 first, and a conditional 2028 second that will become a first if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup this spring.

It’s not a bad return for a rental, as it seems that Andersson is unwilling to sign an extension at this time, but it should only be a start. See, the league is currently a seller’s market ahead of the trade deadline. In the Eastern Conference, only one team (the New York Rangers) are more than six points out of a playoff spot.

There’s a bit more separation in Western Conference, as all but three teams are six or fewer points out of a playoff spot, the St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks. The Flames sit on the outside looking in, as they have six fewer points than the eighth-seeded Anaheim Ducks.

Last season’s playoff push was extremely fun, but that magic is gone. A rough start to the season and a tough end to their schedule will ensure that the Flames will likely miss the playoffs, and being in the midst of an easier schedule before the deadline may prove to place the Flames in the mushy middle again.

For the long-term health of the franchise, they need to sell off a few of their veterans that can get them a good trade package. Take Whitecloud, for example. On Monday, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported that teams have already checked in on the 29-year-old. A defensive defenceman on an affordable contract with term, the Flames shouldn’t hesitate to trade Whitecloud if they were to get an acceptable offer.

Not only would moving Whitecloud for a few more picks ease the discontent of the Andersson trade, but it would open up a spot for a young right-shot defenceman in the top four. That group includes Hunter Brzustewicz, Zayne Parekh, and even Daniil Mirmanov.

Of course, Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman’s names have come up in speculation quite a bit. Coleman in particular, needs to be moved as he has an affordable contract with a cap hit of $4.9 million, along with an additional year. With 50% retention, the Flames could get a significant haul for the winger, who also has a 10-team trade list.

Kadri’s situation is a little more difficult, as he earns $7 million annually until the end of the 2028-29 season. No doubt plenty of teams would have interest in a Stanley Cup-winning second-line centre, but that cap hit makes things complicated unless money is sent back, as only a handful of playoff teams can absorb that full cap hit this season. It may be a move for the off-season.

Joel Hanley is another defenceman who has had his name mentioned in trade speculation. The 34-year-old is a solid third-pairing option, and could be considered valuable depth for a Stanley Cup contender. He’s cheap ($1.75 million cap hit) and has an additional season of term.

Since Andersson was traded, the Flames only have two soon-to-be unrestricted free agents in the line. Ryan Lomberg earns $2 million and Justin Kirkland earns $900,000. Lomberg in particular is interesting, as he won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024.

Now, losing veterans like this could be a bit devastating for a young term, right? Honestly, probably not. Moving players like Kadri and Coleman will just give them a chance at a Stanley cup and get the Flames a haul, but at the same time, veterans like MacKenzie Weegar, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Mikael Backlund are here for the long haul.

Moving the veterans would make the Flames significantly younger, but they can always sign a veteran or two during free agency, much like the San Jose Sharks have done in recent times. For every rebuild like the Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers, there are plenty of teams who rebuilded the right way and have a bright future ahead of them, like the Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and others.

The Flames are “in the playoff race,” but everyone knows that rebuilding is the right move here, not just for the long-term outlook, but also because it’s a seller’s market.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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