There are still some months to go before the 2025 Trade Deadline, but many players are already starting to be discussed as potential candidates to be moved. One of the many who have been discussed as of late is Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at season’s end.
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Vladar, who is back to full health after undergoing hip surgery late last season, has performed admirably in a tandem role with Dustin Wolf. As such, he’s gained some trade value after seemingly having none a season ago. With the Flames already having insurance in the American Hockey League (AHL) in Devin Cooley, moving Vladar seems like a no-brainer, and there are a number of teams who could really benefit from acquiring him. Here’s a look at four that serve as excellent fits.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a highly talented team that would be elite if they had a capable goaltender. Alexander Georgiev went from bad a season ago to downright horrendous through 13 appearances this season. He has a 3.49 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .871 save percentage (SV%), making him nearly unplayable.
The reason he isn’t entirely unplayable is that backup Justus Annunen hasn’t been any better. The 24-year-old, who entered this season with just 18 NHL games under his belt, has an equally bad 3.23 GAA and a .872 SV% through his 11 appearances. Somehow, the Avalanche still have a 12-9-0 record, indicating just how good the rest of their roster is.
Of all teams across the NHL, the Avalanche are the most desperate for a goalie. That said, they are viewed as Stanley Cup contenders, so they may seek to aim for a higher calibre goaltender than Vladar. If such an option doesn’t appear to be available, however, the Flames could capitalize on their desperation and need a higher return than most would think possible.
Carolina Hurricanes
Another team that could use some help in between the pipes is the Carolina Hurricanes. They have a solid starter in Frederik Andersen, but in the last few seasons, he seems to be on the injured reserve more often than not. That’s the case once again, as he’s appeared in just four games in 2024-25, and is expected to be out for a rather lengthy period.
With Andersen out, Pyotr Kochetkov is serving as their starter. While his 10-2-0 record is impressive, his .904 SV% is rather average at best. He’s also quite inexperienced. That inexperience, along with Andersen’s injury history, could result in the ‘Canes seeking out an insurance option, preferably one they don’t have to pay a ton to get. That would seemingly make Vladar a solid choice to take a flier on.
LA Kings
The LA Kings have gotten off to a solid 12-8-3 start to the season, which is good enough for third place in the Pacific Division. That said, they feel like a team that could wind up falling out of a playoff position due to their rather unreliable goaltending.
Darcy Kuemper, their number-one option, is currently on the injured reserve, though he wasn’t particularly great before getting hurt with a 2.65 GAA and a .903 SV%. In his absence, the Kings have turned to former Flame David Rittich, who has just a .885 SV% through 13 starts.
The Kings do have a fair bit of cap space at this time, but that will change dramatically once Drew Doughty is activated from long-term injured reserve. As a result, they, like the Avalanche, would need to address their goalie situation with a cheaper option, making Vladar a great fit.
Edmonton Oilers
As everyone knows, the Edmonton Oilers are a team that desperately needs help between the pipes. However, as everyone also knows, the Flames and Oilers have perhaps the biggest rivalry in the NHL. As a result, it’s not unheard of, but quite unlikely to see them make deals with one another.
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Should Oilers management decide to address their goaltending, Vladar would be an option that makes sense as they too have very limited cap space. That said, he may cost the Oilers more than any other team in the NHL given the history between the two organizations.
Flames Have Little Reason to Keep Vladar
As impressive as Vladar has been in a tandem role with Wolf this season, management would be better off capitalizing on his value sooner rather than later. After all, his history in the NHL isn’t great, so it remains to be seen whether this stretch of play is what he truly is, or if he’s simply just riding a bit of a hot streak. Should a decent offer come their way, fans should expect to see Vladar on the move.
