The Calgary Flames’ season is starting to slip, but they are still in the playoff race. So the question is, should the team add at the 2023 Trade Deadline or stand pat? One thing is for sure they aren’t sellers, so for this article, let’s assume the Flames are still looking to buy big to get themselves back in the playoff picture and make a deep run, which is plausible when they’re playing their best. The problem is we’ve seen very little great play from them this season.
If the Flames are going to land one or two of the big fish at the deadline, they need to offer a good return, including draft picks, and could very well include a prospect like Matthew Phillips. He is our focus here, as his time in Calgary should be coming to an end as an underappreciated and underused talent. Here are three teams that the Flames could trade Phillips to and address their deadline needs.
Arizona Coyotes
Now that the Boston Bruins have acquired Dmitry Orlov, they are no longer in the Jakob Chychrun race. That means there’s one less team competing with the Flames at the deadline, and Chychrun is such an attractive target for Calgary because of the term left on his deal. The Flames still have 23 games left on their schedule, which is a lot of time to gain ground, especially if they can make an acquisition early. If they can’t squeeze into the postseason, Chychrun has a low cap hit for two more seasons.
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Chychrun won’t come cheap, and the Flames will probably have to hand over a good prospect to complete the deal. This is where Phillips comes in. The rebuilding Coyotes have more than enough space and opportunity for young players, so the 24-year-old might finally be able to prove what he can do in the NHL, considering he has 93 goals and 217 points in 245 games in the American Hockey League (AHL). Phillips still projects to be a middle-six forward, but it remains to be seen if he can transfer his AHL success to the NHL, but the Coyotes are the perfect place to test that out and would be a solid trading chip for Chychrun.
Vancouver Canucks
Since the Flames are looking for a top-six winger and defensive help, the Vancouver Canucks could be a one-stop-shop for them. Their interest would likely be in Brock Boeser and Luke Schenn. Boeser may not be exactly what the Flames need, which is a rental, but they can get him at a reduced price for two more seasons. That would be worth it to improve their offence. Schenn won’t be so easy to acquire as many teams have shown interest in the cheap, tough defenceman.
The Canucks will likely eat some salary on Boeser to be able to facilitate a deal and get more assets in return. But it will cost the Flames more to acquire the pair, and with seemingly no room or opportunity in Calgary, there might be room for Philips in Vancouver, who are altering their lineup and trying to bring in new faces. He is enjoying the second straight point-per-game campaign in the AHL, and Phillips could be given a chance this season on a non-playoff team.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are trying to dismantle as best they can while bringing in young talent to see who they can build around. Though they should be interested in draft picks and prospects, Phillips could get his shot right away with the Sharks, as the team is set to trade away many players by the deadline. Kevin Labanc is one the Flames should have their eye on.
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Labanc has one year left on his contract with a cap hit of $4.75 million. San Jose should be willing to retain some salary if they believe a change of scenery is needed. Despite that he has scored 10 goals and 25 points this season, he has been slotted in the bottom-six and even scratched. He could really benefit from being the Flames’ deadline addition, and the team would get the scoring they need at a reasonable price.
Labanc shouldn’t cost a first-round pick, but Phillips and a mid-round draft pick could do the trick. Many players who were written off have found success and opportunity with the Sharks, including Alexander Barabanov, Martin Kaut, Michael Eyssimont, and Evgeny Svechnikov – and all are now playing in the team’s top-nine.
A deal including Phillips would have to make sense for both the Flames to acquire what they need to win games this season, as well as a destination with an opportunity for Phillips to succeed. The Coyotes, Canucks, and Sharks all have a player or two that the Flames could be interested in and the space for a young talent to thrive.
