Could the Vancouver Canucks Have a Calgary Flames Downfall?

In the summer of 2022, the Calgary Flames had some significant changes to the roster. These changes sent the Flames into complete disarray, which led to even more changes. The club is taking some steps in the right direction, but they honestly still haven’t recovered. The Vancouver Canucks are currently under similar pressures that the Flames faced that summer. Could the Canucks have a Flames-like downfall?

Changes to the Calgary Flames

In 2022, the Calgary Flames underwent two major changes: losing Johnny Gaudreau in free agency and trading Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. That trade, one of the biggest in franchise history, left the Flames scrambling to recover. It was believed they’d picked up two really solid players in Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar — and there were reasons to believe these were tremendous additions — but neither found success right away.

Losing two star players in a single offseason was a devastating blow, and General Manager Craig Conroy is still dealing with the aftermath.

Calgary immediately floundered, but to make that lack of success far more painful, the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2024. Matthew Tkachuk played a key role and turned that franchise into a perennial contender. He transformed the team’s mindset and proved to be the missing piece they needed.

Huberdeau has finally regained his form after two difficult seasons, while Weegar has been a reliable asset. It took years to get some of the value out of that deal and Calgary has continued to experience significant turnover. Darryl Sutter was fired, Brad Treliving left, and key players like Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin were all traded.

If the Vancouver Canucks trade J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, they could face a similar downfall.

Trade Rumours Rage on in Vancouver

The trade rumors surrounding the Canucks have not slowed down at all. A trade with the New York Rangers fell apart, leaving J.T. Miller on the trade board. The Carolina Hurricanes went after Mikko Rantanen, after reportedly kicking tires on an Elias Pettersson trade. The Canucks have since come out and confirmed a rift between the two, potentially damaging their trade leverage.

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With the trade deadline looming less than two months away, the Canucks need to act. Brock Boeser is also expected to be available, as he will be a UFA at the end of this season. Looking at their current situation, goaltender Thatcher Demko cannot be ignored. His performance has been rough this year, producing a .867 save percentage.

This team has a chance to complete one of the biggest roster deconstructions in Trade Deadline history. If all of these players are traded, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for captain Quinn Hughes. What do you think the Vancouver Canucks should do at the 2025 Trade Deadline?

The Vancouver Canucks are in action tonight against the Nashville Predators.

Up Next: Will the Hurricanes Offer Mikko Rantanen Fair Market Value?