According to NHL Insider Frank Seravalli and fellow analyst Elliotte Friedman, there is a ton of news coming out of Calgary where some key players are making some tough decisions and informing the organization of their future plans. In most cases, it’s not great news for the Flames and new GM Craig Conroy is going to have his hands full, potentially facing more challenging trades than his predecessor Brad Treliving from one summer ago.
Treliving was forced to make a massive deal when he moved Matthew Tkachuk. Now, Conroy might be faced with having to trade Noah Hanifin, Mikael Backlund, and Elias Lindholm, all while trying to get useful pieces back and reshape his roster without undertaking a rebuild.
When it comes to Lindholm, Seravalli reports that the Flames made an extensive effort to re-sign the center even going as far as offering him a favorable long-term deal. However, Lindholm has yet to provide a definitive answer, and speculation within the league suggests that he is leaning towards not re-signing with the Flames.
This contradicts earlier reports from Friedman, who stated that Lindholm would consider staying with Calgary if they demonstrated their commitment to being a competitive team. It was anticipated that Lindholm’s contract would be similar to Bo Horvat’s in terms of value, and the Flames were patiently waiting for his decision. If Seravalli’s report is accurate, the Flames now face a dilemma of whether to continue waiting or explore potential trade options during the NHL Entry Draft.
Seravalli also shared an update on the situation involving defenseman Noah Hanifin, indicating that the Flames have received a clearer response from the defenseman. Confirming earlier speculation, Hanifin has indeed expressed his intention not to sign a contract extension with Calgary. While this doesn’t guarantee an immediate trade, it does provide the Flames with a better understanding of Hanifin’s position.
Furthermore, Seravalli revealed that Mikael Backlund is also leaning towards not re-signing with Calgary. However, there is still hope that the situation may change, considering Backlund’s longstanding presence and contributions to the team over the past 15 years. Nevertheless, Flames’ executive Craig Conroy now faces crucial decisions regarding these developments.
There Is One Piece Of Good News
On a different note, Friedman mentioned in his podcast that goaltender Jacob Markstrom is not seeking a trade and will be returning to the Flames for the upcoming season. Consequently, it is likely that Daniel Vladar could be a player to keep an eye on as he may be involved in potential trade discussions.
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