Flames Could Still Make Two Big Trades Ahead of the Olympic Break

Rasmus Andersson‘s final few seasons with the Calgary Flames were an interesting time. It was a back-and-forth affair full of continued uncertainty that the right-shot defenseman would re-sign with the organization. Finally, the organization and the player decided to go their separate ways, culminating in a trade to the Vegas Golden Knights.

With the Flames near the bottom of the Western Conference, everyone moved on, and now trade rumors have shifted toward veterans Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman.

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Kadri is the Flames’ piece attracting the most attention, according to Darren Dreger on the Barn Burner podcast. He wouldn’t just be a rental, as he is still under contract for $7 million annually through the 2028-29 season. While past his prime, the two-way center is still on pace for a 58-point season on an offensively depleted Calgary team. He also has a Stanley Cup from his days with the Colorado Avalanche.

Flames Trade Rumors: Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman

Colorado is one of the teams that could make an interesting reunion for Kadri, as they are in the market for some added center depth. Another possible option for Kadri is a return to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are still looking to add ahead of the playoffs despite their struggles and injury concerns.

Coleman is an option that costs much less. He makes $4.9 million annually, while being on the books for just one more season after this one. He is on pace for 22 goals, which would be the second-best season of his career. However, he is currently on injured reserve.

Both players will be popular if made available. Their respective salaries could play a big role in the bidding war that ensues, as not every team will have the space to add someone like Kadri.

The Flames Won’t Be Keen to Retain Salary

The issue the Flames have with two of these more expensive contracts is that they’ve already used two of their retention spots on Andersson and Jacob Markstrom. If they are looking to trade both contracts, they’ll need to find a team willing to pay the full price for one of them. The obvious choice to retain on is Coleman, but as the cheaper of the two players, the Flames may not have to.

When it comes to Kadri, with most teams in a cap crunch, making the math work will be an interesting storyline.

Next: Red Wings Are Quietly Poised to Add Defense at the Deadline