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EspañolCALGARY — If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Craig Conroy in his tenure as Calgary Flames GM, it’s that he’s not afraid to make the uncomfortable move.
Trading players he’d rather keep has become old hat.
But he’s always done so with patience.
Given how poorly his team started out of the gate this season, he’s had lots of time to feel out the trade market ahead of next Friday’s swap deadline.
And once again, he’s faced with trading a popular player, or two, for futures.
Smart money says that by Friday, he’ll trade at least one core piece.
Two, if he’s able to pull a rabbit out of his hat.
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The rest of those who might be dealt would be considered minor moves.
So, who’s most likely to be packing his bags before next Friday? Let’s run through the names, starting with the one drawing the most attention league‑wide.
If Conroy wants to maximize value, Coleman is the play. He’s the perfect deadline add: a proven playoff performer, a two‑time Cup winner, a relentless forechecker and shut-down winger, a former 30-goal scorer, one of the league’s most dangerous penalty killers and a guy who can slide up and down any contender’s lineup.
He’s one of the most complete players available, and the lucky suitor that lands him gets the 34-year-old for two playoff runs, as he still has a year left on his deal paying him $4.9 million.
That combination makes him the easiest Flame to move, and the one generating the most calls.
He has a ten-team trade list, which isn’t an impediment, as Coleman and Conroy have discussed his future openly and there’s a feeling the veteran would work with the team if necessary.
To sweeten the return, the Flames would likely be asked to retain some of his salary. Calgary has only one of its three salary‑retention slots left. If the Flames use it on Coleman, they can’t use it on Nazem Kadri. That alone complicates things.
Still, if you’re handicapping the odds, Coleman sits atop the board. He’s the cleanest fit for almost every contender, and the return would be significant, likely headlined by a first-round pick.
Odds he’s traded: Extremely high.
2. Nazem Kadri
Kadri’s name is out there, Conroy is listening, but Kadri’s $7 million cap hit for the next three years complicates the inevitable transaction.
As a starter, salary retention is a must, which is why this is a trade that will more than likely happen in the summer, or next season.
Again, the Flames can only retain on one more deal. If Kadri is the one who gets the retention slot, Coleman almost certainly stays.
That’s a big opportunity cost.
Contenders are all aware of the important role Kadri played as a No. 2 centre for Colorado’s Cup win in 2022, and would love to add him for a year or two. But at age 35, there needs to be convincing he’s worth spending major assets on, given his contract.
He is still a difference-maker, playing a position every team would love to shore up.
Kadri’s leadership and compete level are unquestioned, but what price are contenders able to pay? And if the payoff isn’t significant, why make the move?
Odd’s he’s traded: Medium.
When the Flames acquired Whitecloud in the Rasmus Andersson deal, the assumption many made was that he’d be flipped at the deadline.
But that theory evaporated the moment he walked into the room.
Whitecloud has been poised, steady, and surprisingly vocal. Coaches love him. Teammates love him, and on a team built around veterans teaching youngsters, he’s considered a valuable piece. With two more years on a bargain‑priced deal, there is plenty of time to deal him down the road.
In the meantime, the 29-year-old will likely remain as a stabilizing presence on a retooling team that has been giving him first-line minutes with Kevin Bahl since he arrived.
Unless someone blows Conroy away, Whitecloud isn’t going anywhere.
Odds he’s traded: Medium-Low.
4. Ryan Lomberg
Lomberg is the only unrestricted free agent on the current roster, and that alone puts him in play. As a Stanley Cup winner in Florida, he’s a known quantity: energy, speed, forechecking, and a willingness to fight above his weight class.
“Good in the room” doesn’t even begin to describe the vibe he brings to the rink every day.
That matters.
Lomberg won’t fetch a massive return, but depth forwards with bite and a championship under their belt always have a market this time of year.
Odds he’s traded: Medium.
Right‑shot, physical defencemen are deadline currency. Pachal checks those boxes, and the Flames have a surplus of lads on the right side, where they are trying to clear out space for the development of Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz.
He’s not a headline piece, but he’s the kind of under‑the‑radar add contenders love as they prepare for the post-season war of attrition: cheap, tough, and reliable in a third‑pair role.
If a team needs insurance on the back end, Pachal is an easy fit.
Odds he’s traded: Medium-high.
6. Joel Hanley
Last year, when the Flames were making an unlikely charge for a playoff spot, Hanley surprised many as one of their key players. After spending the first two months as a healthy scratch, he stepped in to play more than 18 minutes a night on the second pairing, earning him a two-year extension last summer.
The 34-year-old has played a steady role on the third pairing this year, and would be expendable for a team looking to audition more youngsters down the stretch.
Again, the return wouldn’t be high, but he’d be a perfect candidate to help the team continue to stockpile draft picks.
Odd’s he’s traded: Medium.
Weegar’s name keeps popping up, but he’s unlikely to move.
He’s signed long‑term. His cap hit is significant. And trading him during a down season would mean selling low — something Conroy has been adamant about avoiding.
Weegar is part of the leadership group, likely a future captain. Despite a tough year, he’s considered a stabilizing force amongst a young group of defencemen he’ll help mentor.
Odds he’s traded: Extremely low.
The Bottom Line:
Coleman is the most likely domino. Kadri is the most complicated. Lomberg, Pachal and Hanley are the depth pieces who could quietly move. Whitecloud and Weegar are staying put unless someone loses their mind.
In other words, expect action, but not a fire sale.
