Though they have recovered from an awful start, the feeling is that the Calgary Flames will be sellers at this year’s trade deadline. How many players they wind up moving on from remains to be seen, but you can get that general manager Craig Conroy will be working the phone lines as the trade deadline approaches.
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the Flames are still in the relatively early stages of what they are deeming a retooling stage. The hope now from the fans is that Conroy is able to maximize the returns on players he may wind up moving, as it could greatly help speed up the Flames’ timeline in regards to being a contender. With that said, here are eight Flames that could wind up being traded, from most likely to least.
Rasmus Andersson
While there aren’t a ton of players on the Flames who are guaranteed to be moved this season, one that is all but certain is Rasmus Andersson. The 29-year-old is in the final year of his contract, and is reportedly far apart on extension talks with the Flames.
Andersson is having one of the finest seasons of his NHL career, having scored seven goals and 22 points through 32 games. He is playing some heavy minutes for the Flames, as he has done plenty throughout his career. There should be plenty of interest for the right-shot defenceman in the coming months, meaning the Flames should be able to bring in quite the return.
Blake Coleman
After Andersson, there is a bit of uncertainty surrounding everyone else’s future. That said, one player we could wind up seeing head out is Blake Coleman. The 34-year-old is under contract through the 2026-27 season on a deal that carries a reasonable $4.9 million cap hit.
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Coleman would be a solid top-nine winger on every Stanley Cup contender, as he can do a bit of everything. He’s been one of the Flames’ bigger offensive producers this season with eight goals through 32 games. He also has two Stanley Cup championships, which makes him all the more intriguing for many teams.
Ryan Lomberg
He hasn’t been mentioned much in trade speculation yet, but Ryan Lomberg is a player to keep an eye on as the deadline nears. The 31-year-old, who has a $2 million cap hit, is in the final year of his contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this coming summer.
Lomberg’s cap hit may make him difficult to move, though the energy he provides a locker room can’t be forgotten. His teammates absolutely love him, and he’s willing to drop the gloves at any time to give his team a spark. He’ll bring next to nothing offensively, but can provide some physicality in a fourth-line role.
Nazem Kadri
Despite being under contract through the 2028-29 season, Nazem Kadri’s name has been involved in trade speculation dating all the way back to the 2024-25 campaign. Part of the reason is that he would land a king’s ransom for the Flames. The other is that eh may want another opportunity to try and win a Stanley Cup, which isn’t likely to come in Calgary over the next few years.
The issue with moving Kadri is that he commands a significant $7 million per year. That is a tough contract for contenders to fit in at the deadline, and the Flames aren’t going to be interested in retaining on a deal that still has so much term. The odds of him being moved before the summer don’t seem very high, though if a team blows them away with an offer it’s certainly not an impossibility.
Jake Bean
Another pending UFA that hasn’t been discussed in trade speculation much, if at all, is Jake Bean. The 27-year-old defenceman hasn’t ever lived up to his status of being selected 13th overall in the 2016 draft, and has been rather disappointing since signing with the Flames ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Bean is a marginal NHL defenceman, and one that isn’t going to generate a ton of trade interest. That said, if the Flames get offered a late-round pick from a team looking to add depth on the blue line, it’s a deal that Conroy would almost certainly accept.
Joel Hanley
After a very impressive 2024-25 season, the Flames rewarded Joel Hanley with a two-year deal. The 34-year-old defenceman has regressed somewhat in 2025-26, but by no means has been horrible. He commands just $1.75 million, which is a very reasonable cap hit for what he provides.
The Flames are by no means shopping Hanley. That said, they have plenty of young defencemen in the pipeline who could step in and fill his role if moved. If a team comes calling in hopes of acquiring him, it likely wouldn’t take much of an offer for Conroy to strongly consider trading him.
Brayden Pachal
Like Hanley, Brayden Pachal has one additional season remaining on his contract. That said, he holds an even smaller cap hit of just $1.18 million. The 26-year-old is never going to blow anybody away, but has done a good job at knowing his role and bringing a ton of consistency to the Flames since being claimed off of waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights late in the 2023-24 season.
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Where Pachal could hold slightly more value over Hanley is the fact that he’s a right-handed shot. Teams always value that, which could be enough for a team looking for a cheap, depth defenceman that they can acquire for nothing more than a late-round draft pick.
Devin Cooley
Last, but not least, is back-up goalie Devin Cooley. The 28-year-old wasn’t a shoe-in to crack the Flames roster to begin the season, but has impressed when called upon behind starting netminder Dustin Wolf. Through 12 games this season, he owns a respectable 2.35 goals against average along with a .914 save percentage.
Cooley is in the final year of a two-year contract that carries a cap hit of just $775,000. That number could make him intriguing for teams looking to bolster their crease, though the fact that he’s only made 18 NHL appearances to date will make front offices leery. Should he be able to put together several strong starts between now and the deadline, a team may pull the trigger on a deal.
Flames Could Be Busy
While the Flames certainly aren’t going to trade all eight players mentioned above, it’s not unreasonable to think that at least three could be headed out. It will be an exciting time for Flames fans, who are wanting to see younger pieces come in to help ensure this team will morph into a Stanley Cup contender years down the road.
