In this latest edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumors, star center Elias Lindholm is being discussed as a possible trade target for two Eastern Conference clubs. In other news, Mikael Backlund could emerge as a potential backup plan for a specific team in desperate need of a center. Meanwhile, Noah Hanifin has come up in the rumor mill often this summer, so what teams have been connected to the 2015 first-round pick? Let’s discuss all of this and more in today’s (August 2) Flames News & Rumors column.
Lindholm Viewed as Strong Fit for Bruins
Lindholm has been the center of trade speculation all summer, and it is easy to understand why. He is entering the final season of his contract, and the Flames may have no choice but to move him if he does not wish to sign an extension. The Boston Bruins have been picking up a lot of steam as a possible landing spot for him, and it has only heightened since Patrice Bergeron’s retirement. The Hockey News’ Randy Sportak recently wrote that the two clubs could make perfect sense as trading partners because of this.
The Bruins have lost an elite two-way center in Bergeron, and Lindholm could be the perfect replacement for him because they play an immensely similar game. Sportak noted that the Flames would need to strongly consider making a push for their top defensive prospect, Mason Lohrei, in such a move. Top forward prospects Fabian Lysell and Matthew Poitras were also addressed as possible trade targets.
Ultimately, with the Bruins desperately needing a center, the Flames could land themselves something a sizeable return in a possible Lindholm trade. Jake DeBrusk is one NHL-caliber play to pay attention to in potential talks. It will be interesting to see if these two clubs engage in trade talks as we get closer to the regular season.
Capitals Could Also Consider Lindholm Addition
The Bruins are not the only team currently being discussed as a possible landing spot for Lindholm. Sammi Silber of The Hockey News recently argued that the Washington Capitals should also consider pushing for Lindholm. Silber noted that the Capitals could use a strong two-way center in their top six. With that, she noted that they could be in the market for a top-six center due to Evgeny Kuznetsov’s future in DC being murky.
However, as Silber writes in her piece, the Capitals’ assets are not particularly strong. Kuznetsov is not as appealing a target as Lindholm, while Anthony Mantha is a player who the Flames would likely stay away from due to his expensive cap hit and poor 2022-23 season. With that, the Capitals seem to be trending in the wrong direction, and that may hurt their chances of signing Lindholm to an extension if acquired.
Backlund Could Be Backup Plan for Bruins
Sportak also briefly mentioned in his piece that if the Flames do not talk about a Lindholm trade with the Bruins, they should at least discuss a possible Backlund move with the Original Six club. Similar to Lindholm, Backlund is entering the final season of his contract, and there has been some speculation over a possible trade centering around the longtime Flame because of it.
At this juncture of his career, Backlund is unlikely to score the Flames a top prospect from the Bruins, but they could still land a solid return for the 34-year-old. After all, he is coming off of a solid campaign that saw him post 19 goals, 56 points, and a plus-24 rating. Similar to Lindholm, Backlund has been praised for his impressive two-way play, and that is something the Bruins need with Bergeron gone. With that, the Bruins could consider Backlund as a decent backup option when noting that he is a well-known leader.
Possible Trade Destinations for Hanifin
Hanifin has also been discussed heavily in the rumor mill this season, as he is unlikely to sign an extension with the club. Due to this, the Flames would be wise to move him, and there have been an array of teams connected to him this offseason. Pierre LeBrun wrote that the Bruins and Florida Panthers hav expressed interest in him (from ‘LeBrun rumblings: Why the NHL Draft’s no-trade Day 1 could be the calm before the storm,’ The Athletic, 6/29/23). Rob Rossi also reported the same about the Pittsburgh Penguins (from ‘What I’m hearing about Penguins free agency: Trades, Tristan Jarry and more,’ The Athletic, 6/29/23). Eric Duhatschek also noted that the Buffalo Sabres have had a long-term interest in Hanifin (‘Alex DeBrincat’s impact, William Nylander’s future and who’ll play in net for the Devils?’ The Athletic, 7/14/23). Thus, Hanifin is a hot commodity in the league.
Hanifin has emerged as a strong top-four defenseman in the NHL, and there is no question that each of the three teams listed above would benefit from adding him. The same can be said for just about every team in the NHL. Due to this, the Flames should be seriously considering a Hanifin trade at this juncture of the summer. He should easily net them a first-round pick and a solid prospect at a minimum.
Hanifin appeared in 81 games this past season for the Flames, posting seven goals, 38 points, and a plus-2 rating.
