In this edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumors, speculation of a potential Josh Anderson acquisition has picked back up, with TSN’s Darren Dreger suggesting Jakob Pelletier could be of interest to the Montreal Canadiens. In other news, Jonathan Huberdeau’s agent Allan Walsh stirred up quite the drama this past week, as he sent out a tweet suggesting that Darryl Sutter is sucking the fun out of his players. Last but not least, Elias Lindholm and his partner, Annika, welcomed their first-born son on Saturday (Feb. 18).
Flames Remain Interested in Anderson
Dating back for quite some time now, the Flames have had an interest in Anderson. Brad Treliving has been a fan of the 28-year-old’s game for a number of seasons and attempted to acquire him from the Columbus Blue Jackets before he was shipped to the Canadiens. That interest picked back up earlier this year, as there was talk about the power forward heading to Calgary early in the season. Now, as the deadline approaches, that talk has picked back up once again.
Speaking on TSN 960 this past week, Dreger said that while the Habs don’t want to move Anderson, they could do so if the right offer comes along. Dreger said that while he doesn’t know if the Flames would be willing to do it, a player like Pelletier could be what gets the ball rolling in a potential deal between the two clubs.
“I know Calgary has interest, I know they do. As I’ve established, that interest has been consistent and long standing. So if I’m Kent Hughes, I’m looking at Jakob Pelletier, and then whatever else. Another first-round pick, does that need to be part of this process? So then you can get create, in what the plus-plus looks like. Maybe Montreal has to take a contract that the Calgary Flames need to push out just to make the finances work. I think Jakob Pelletier would get their attention. Not saying that he should be in play or could be in play.”
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While Anderson is certainly a unique talent, he has been hampered by injuries and inconsistent play in recent seasons, meaning that trading for him and his contract, which has four more seasons remaining with a cap hit of $5.5 million, is a major risk. There is no doubt that Sutter would love a player like Anderson in his lineup, but trading Pelletier and perhaps even more assets for him simply doesn’t make sense.
Though Pelletier hasn’t excelled at the NHL level just yet with only two points through 11 games, he has already put up 98 points in 99 career American Hockey League games, and is still just 21 years old. There is true star potential here, meaning that if the Flames were to move him, they would need a top-tier player coming in return. Anderson is simply not that. If the Habs aren’t willing to make a move that doesn’t involve Pelletier, Treliving needs to stay far, far away.
Huberdeau’s Agent Calls Out Sutter
To say Huberdeau’s first season in Calgary has been a disappointment would be an understatement. After a career-best 115-point season in 2021-22, the 29-year-old has managed just 38 points through 54 games during his first season as a Flame. Many have questioned whether he and Sutter are on the same page, and based on a tweet sent out from his agent Allan Walsh after a loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night, it is safe to assume they are not.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result,” Walsh wrote. “Also, negativity sucks the joy right out of players.”
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Walsh went on to tag the Flames in the tweet, making it clear exactly who he was referring to. Though Huberdeau came out the next day saying he had no idea the tweet was going to be sent, you can bet that Walsh wouldn’t have sent it out without at the very least knowing his client was unhappy. This isn’t a problem that will be fixed this season, but expect to hear some chatter about it during the summer months.
Lindholm Welcomes First Child
The Flames were able to pick up a massive two points against the New York Rangers on Saturday night, and what made it all the more impressive was that they were able to do so without Lindholm. The 28-year-old was held out of action as he and his partner, Annika, were expecting the birth of their first-born child. They got their wish that very same day, as they welcomed their son Levi to the world.
Speaking with the media a short time later, Lindholm was all smiles as he said that both mom and son were doing well. This is obviously fantastic news, and helps put things, like the team’s struggles this season, into perspective. Congratulations to both Elias and Annika for this fantastic news.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
After their loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday afternoon, the Flames find themselves two points shy of the Minnesota Wild for the final wild card position in the Western Conference. Their inconsistent play is putting Treliving in a difficult position as the deadline approaches, as there are many differing opinions as to whether he should buy, sell, or stand pat. While he hasn’t made a public decision just yet, we should have a good idea of his intentions in the very near future.
