It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re just over a week into the regular season and some teams have gotten off to great starts. Only a handful of games have been played, but there are some good signs for some surprising teams. One of those clubs is the Calgary Flames and they could be looking to add to their roster. This edition of NHL rumours looks at one particular position the club may be seeking reinforcements for.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Calgary Flames Looking for Help Down the Middle
Rumour: Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff appeared on Sports on Prime Canada to talk about the Flames. The insider said that the club is working the phones to add a center for their middle-six.
Early season trades are rare, but the #Flames – one of the best stories to start the year – are looking to add another center to the mix.
Details tonight on @SportsOnPrimeCA:pic.twitter.com/V4Zvm6eqPi
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 18, 2024
Analysis: Seravalli said that early-season trades are rare, but Calgary may be in the market to add a pivot. Flames General Manager Craig Conroy is said to be “working the phones” according to Seravalli.
It also seems that Conroy has a preference on what type of centre he wants to add to the roster. Seravalli mentioned that they want a player that will fit the team’s age group and prefer a right-handed shooting centre.
Calgary currently has around $18.85 in salary cap space according to Puckpedia. This allows them to go out and make a move if the franchise wants to do that.
Addition Instead of Subtraction
Some were fearing that Flames were trying to clear more players out. However, it seems that Calgary wants to make additions instead of subtractions to its roster. The franchise had cleared out some high-profile names in the last few seasons. It seemed like the Flames wanted to get younger and shed some of their larger contracts.
Many thought Calgary would be at the bottom of the standings and that still may yet happen. However, the Flames are off to a 4-0 start and lead the Pacific Division. It’s still early, but many are pleasantly surprise that Calgary is off to such a fast start.
Sustaining this good play could open the eyes of some players and make the place an attractive destination. Calgary has had trouble retaining players in the last few seasons, but winning makes any place desirable.
In it For the Long Haul
Despite some of the age of the roster, there are a few highly-touted veterans on the Flames. Some may think these longtime players make seek greener pastures on a contending team. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
In a recent edition of Insider Trading on TSN, Pierre LeBrun said a number of veterans would like to stay put. This means players like Nazem Kadri, Mackenzie Weegar, and Blake Coleman seem to be keen on being part of the roster transition.
Conroy thinks they want to be part of the shift in culture and the GM didn’t want to do a complete teardown of the roster. Maybe these veterans will be rewarded for their faith with playing some meaningful hockey deep into the 2024-25 campaign.
Main photo by: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
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