The selling has begun for the Calgary Flames. On Thursday afternoon (Nov. 30), it was announced that Nikita Zadorov was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2026.
Zadorov’s time in Calgary was expected to be coming to an end, as his agent Dan Milstein recently announced that the 28-year-old wanted to be moved. It took just a few short weeks for Flames general manager (GM) Craig Conroy to find a trade partner, though it may have been better if he had continued waiting.
Conroy the Easy Loser in This Trade
This return, to put it lightly, is very underwhelming. There were several teams in on Zadorov, who brings the size and physicality that is needed come the playoffs. The fact that this was the best Conroy was able to get is very disappointing, and shows his inexperience in the position.
With how low the return is, you can’t help but wonder if other GMs around the league were able to use Conroy’s inexperience against him. Knowing that he would be forced to trade Zadorov given the defenceman’s public request, it appears that teams weren’t willing to give Conroy anywhere close to market value.
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That is what makes this entire situation worse. With this being the best offer Conroy had at the time, it is inexcusable that he didn’t hold off on trading Zadorov until the deadline got closer. By then, any other GMs trying to bully him into a bad deal would be forced to pony up and pay the proper price for a defenceman of Zadorov’s calibre. That didn’t happen, however, and all the Flames have in return are two mid-round picks, one of which is three years away.
Flames Don’t Get Better Now or in the Future
One thing that Conroy has been adamant about is that he is looking to bring in young players who are NHL-ready. While it is understandable that he wasn’t able to get a player like that for Zadorov, it is hard to see how a mid-round pick in 2026, and even a mid-round pick in 2024, help the Flames in their hopes of retooling.
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The odds of either pick turning into a player of any sort appear extremely rare, and the market value that either pick has in terms of another trade is low. While moving Zadorov for a pick was likely going to be what the Flames had to settle for, most would agree that a second-round selection would have been a reasonable price.
Flames Need Better Returns on Other Pending UFAs
While Zadorov was the first, he is not the only player Conroy is expected to move this season. Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin are all in the final year of their contracts, and are all believed to be on the market. This excited Flames fans not long ago, as all three are players that should be able to bring back substantial value in a trade.
That excitement amongst Flames fans has turned into fear, as Thursday’s trade suggests Conroy may be in over his head. This organization simply cannot afford to lose trades on the three players mentioned above, as all have significant value. If they are moved for similar underwhelming prices, this Flames team could be in serious trouble.
Zadorov Back in Calgary Soon
One intriguing aspect of this trade is that Zadorov will face his now former teammates almost immediately, as the Canucks will be playing against the Flames at the Saddledome on Saturday night. While the big Russian defenceman seemed to be a popular teammate during his time in Calgary, it is possible that his trade request rubbed some in the Flames dressing room the wrong way. If that is indeed the case, it could be a highly intense game on Saturday, and one that fans of both teams won’t want to miss.
