Calgary Flames' Lineup Up Front and In Net Expected to Change More in the Off-Season

Jacob Markstrom Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It was a season of change for the Calgary Flames.

Starting with trading Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks in November, they shipped out core players Elias Lindholm to Vancouver, Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars and Noah Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the March trade deadline.

The Hockey News Calgary’s Randy Sportak said it’s a road less travelled for the Flames, which are used to holding out hope for a late-season run and still fall short.

The Flames were officially eliminated from playoff contention on April 5. THN Calgary’s Steve Macfarlane believes the club’s final games will be a big test for players trying to make a good impression that carries over into training camp this fall.

While Flames GM Craig Conroy used the word “retool” instead of a rebuild after the deadline, more substantial changes could be coming to their roster in the off-season.

Most of the focus is on Jacob Markstrom. The 34-year-old goaltender was the subject of constant trade speculation from January to the March 8 deadline.

Since the deadline, Markstrom has a 1-6-0 record and hasn’t posted a save percentage higher than .897 in any of those games.

It’s believed the Flames had a deal in February that would’ve shipped Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils, but the trade fell through. After the deadline, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald indicated he would seek a starting goalie in this summer’s trade market.

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal also mentioned the Devils as a potential destination for Markstrom. He speculated that the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings could also be in the market this summer for a starting goalie.

Markstrom has two years left on his contract, with an average annual value of $6 million. He also has a full no-movement clause, giving him complete control over his future. It’s doubtful he’d accept a trade to a rebuilding club like the Senators.

Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrew Mangiapane Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Score’s Josh Wegman believes forwards Andrew Mangiapane and Andrei Kuzmenko could become trade candidates this summer. Both are 28 years old and are eligible to become UFAs next July.

Mangiapane has averaged between 0.52 and 0.67 points per game in the past four seasons, with 38 in 71 outings this year. Teams could use the two-way left winger on their second or third lines for strengthened depth.

As for Kuzmenko, his production this season wasn’t near his 39 goals and 74 points with the Canucks last year, but he’s still had 40 points in 68 games while averaging below 15 minutes per outing. Kuzmenko’s scoring punch in a depth role could be coveted for playoff contenders struggling on offense.

Conroy mentioned he would like to see some veterans be part of his retool to bring more out of the younger players. With Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund under contract for at least the next two years after this season, that could still allow the team to move someone with one year left in the summer.