Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Flames Rumors

Flames Shopping Dan Vladar

at CDT | by 6 Comments

In recent days, there have been several reports that key veterans are looking to leave the Flames.  But those players might not be the only ones on the move as Pierre LeBrun, Michael Russo, and Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic report (subscription link) that Calgary is shopping goaltender Dan Vladar around the league.

The 25-year-old is coming off his second season as being the backup to Jacob Markstrom.  His numbers dipped a bit this season as Calgary struggled, posting a 2.87 GAA with a .894 SV%, 12 points lower than his mark from 2021-22.  That said, the drop-off in performance isn’t shocking with the Flames going from winning the Pacific Division a year ago to missing the playoffs this past season.

Vladar will be entering the first season of a two-year contract that he signed back in October, one that carries an AAV of $2.2MM.  As far as backup goaltenders go, that’s still on the lower scale.  However, with the Flames having Dustin Wolf in their system with a cap hit that’s less than $50K above the league minimum, making that goalie swap would free up some much-needed cap space; Calgary currently sits with just $1.25MM in room per CapFriendly with multiple roster spots to fill.

However, with Vladar’s contract being on the lower end for a second-stringer, it’s one that should carry some value around the league.  LeBrun, Russo, and Duhatschek note that the Flames expect to at least get a second-round pick for the netminder which would be an improvement on the third-rounder they parted with to get him back in 2021.

The free agent market for goaltenders is relatively thin this summer which has resulted in some speculation surrounding netminders on the trade front.  It appears that Vladar is now a part of that list, joining veterans Connor Hellebuyck, John Gibson, and Chris Driedger who have all come up in trade speculation in recent weeks.  If a team is looking to get a jump start on shoring up their backup situation, there’s a good chance they’ll be calling up new GM Craig Conroy in the near future if they haven’t done so already.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Calgary Flames Hire Marc Savard, Dan Lambert

at CDT | by 1 Comment

1:09 pm: The Flames have announced Savard and Lambert’s hiring as assistant coaches, also confirming that LaBarbera and MacLean are returning to the team in 2023-24.

10:54 am: While news about the Calgary Flames in the past 24 hours has surrounded people wanting out of the organization, at least one person wants in. The team is hiring Marc Savard as an assistant coach, per Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek (and Savard himself).

According to The Hockey News’ Tony Ferrari, Savard is expected to work with the team’s power play and offensive strategy.

Savard’s hire continues to bring the band of early 2000s Flames players back together, joining one-time teammates Craig Conroy and Jarome Iginla in coaching and managerial roles. After coming over in a June 1999 trade from the New York Rangers, Savard registered 6o goals, 94 assists, and 154 points in 221 games as a Flame around the turn of the century before later stints with the Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins.

The move will likely complete Calgary’s bench next season, led by new head coach Ryan Huska. Per Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg, their goalie coach position is probably solidified with Jason LaBarbera not being affected by the team’s other coaching changes.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says only one of the team’s three other assistants from last season under head coach Darryl Sutter is returning – Cail MacLean. Savard and former Nashville Predators assistant Dan Lambert are expected to fill the spots vacated by Huska’s promotion and the departure of associate coach Kirk Muller.

Savard’s return to the game in a coaching role has been one of the better feel-good stories of the past few years. The Boston Bruins signed him to a seven-year, $28.15MM extension set to begin in the 2010-11 season, during which he only played 25 games. He spent the final six seasons of the contract on long-term injured reserve due to severe post-concussion complications.

Nearly a decade later, Savard joined the St. Louis Blues’ bench in 2019-20, helping them to a second-place finish in the regular season while boasting the third-best power play in the league. He didn’t return for the 2020-21 campaign but then took over as the head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires for the following two seasons, during which the team posted a combined record of 88-35-13 and reached the OHL final in 2021-22.

Latest On Tyler Toffoli

at CDT | by 19 Comments

Earlier today, we covered reports out of Calgary stating that several important Calgary Flames players, namely Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Mikael Backlund, were not planning to sign contract extensions to remain with the team beyond next season. Now, another name can be added to the list of likely-to-depart players: Tyler Toffoli.

DailyFaceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that Toffoli “plans on not re-signing in Calgary,” and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman adds “Calgary has made [Toffoli] available for trade.”

It’s another significant blow to the Flames’ hopes of Stanley Cup contention in the near future as the Flames are now readying for the possibility of trading their leading scorer from last season. Toffoli, 31, had a stellar 2022-23, setting a career-high of 34 goals and 73 points.

While he missed the postseason, the two-time Stanley Cup champion captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships, with his third-period snipe on German netminder Mattias Niederberger effectively clinching the trophy for his country.

But while Toffoli seems to still be in the prime of his career and on a team that won a playoff series just a year ago, these reports indicate that he’s likely to continue his career elsewhere. He’s set to cost $4.25MM against the cap for one more season before hitting unrestricted free agency, and given his exceptional form last season he’d likely be a coveted player on the trade market.

There happens to be a useful comparable to project a potential Toffoli trade this summer: the 2021 deal that sent Toffoli to Calgary. He was coming off of a season where he scored at a 44-goal 69-point pace with the Montreal Canadiens and net his team a first-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and a solid prospect in Emil Heineman.

While Toffoli only has one year of team control left on his contract compared to the two-and-a-half years left on his deal at the time of the last trade, his increased offensive production is likely what will keep his trade value high.

One would imagine Calgary would be looking for a first-round pick as a starting point for any Toffoli trade, though with players such as Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, and MacKenzie Weegar already signed to long-term deals, it’s also feasible GM Craig Conroy might try to target NHL-ready players in return for Toffoli rather than draft compensation.

In any case, this news adds yet another challenge for Conroy to navigate in his first offseason as Brad Treliving’s successor in Calgary. It definitely isn’t an ideal situation for the franchise to be in, but thanks to Toffoli’s exceptional 2022-23 season the team could very well view trading the player as a valuable opportunity to improve the franchise’s long-term outlook rather than a difficult setback.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On The Calgary Flames

at CDT | by 3 Comments

2023 is quickly shaping up to be one of the most monumental summers on the trade market in a while, especially for the Calgary Flames. The team has a star class of players destined for unrestricted free agency in 2024, and uncertainty looms over many of their potential extensions.

They did have some clarity on the plans of defenseman Noah Hanifin, who’s not expected to re-sign and is likely destined for a trade at some point before next year’s deadline. Today, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli comes bearing concerning news: Elias Lindholm did not accept a high-paying, long-term extension, and the Flames remain in the dark on what his future plans are, although he notes general league speculation is leaning toward Lindholm not extending.

Not only that, but Seravalli also believes potential captaincy candidate Mikael Backlund is also leaning toward not re-signing in Calgary, although the situation is fluid.

Lindholm is solidly the team’s number-one center and was a linchpin of their success in 2021-22, helping guide them to a Pacific Division title with a career year. He maintained some strong all-around play this year despite losing both his linemates from that season, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, but his offense dipped to 22 goals and 64 points in 80 games after a 40-goal campaign the year before. He’s still a bona fide top-six center in his prime – someone that Calgary would love to have down the middle for the next few seasons without much center help on the way. He’s entering the final season of a bargain bin deal that pays him $4.85MM per season.

The news around Backlund is certainly the more surprising item here. Drafted in 2007, the 34-year-old is a true Flames lifer and has played in over 900 games in a Calgary jersey. He managed a career year offensively last season with 56 points in 82 games, and he remains one of the best shutdown centers in the game.

If he does end up on the move and opts not to re-sign with Calgary, Backlund has a modified no-trade clause that permits him to name 10 teams he’ll accept a trade to. He’s in the final season of a contract paying him $5.35MM per year.

While it’s not the direction the franchise envisioned after locking up Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri last season, they’re under new management with Craig Conroy at the helm of the front office. He’s got a unique opportunity here to jumpstart a rebuild in a massive way, as he should be able to garner multiple first-round picks and high-end prospects if Backlund, Hanifin, and Lindholm all end up on the trade market.

One thing’s for sure – the only any of these players could avoid a trade is by signing an extension. After losing Gaudreau for nothing to the open market last season, Calgary won’t be willing to take that same risk with any of their 2024 unrestricted free agents.

Washington Capitals Expected To Hire Mitch Love

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Washington Capitals are set to add back-to-back AHL Coach of the Year Mitch Love to their coaching staff as an assistant, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports.

It’s the first notable coaching move made by the Caps since naming Spencer Carbery their next head coach last month. The team parted ways with Peter Laviolette (now with the New York Rangers) immediately after the season’s end in April, but it’s unclear which assistants from last year they have or have not retained.

Love joins Washington after two seasons behind the bench of Calgary’s AHL affiliate (the Stockton Heat in 2021-22 and the Calgary Wranglers in 2022-23), guiding the team to two first-place finishes in the Pacific Division. His departure from the Flames organization is far from surprising – he was a top candidate for the team’s head coaching role, but he was passed over for former Heat head coach and Flames assistant Ryan Huska.

With Washington needing to retool on the fly to stay competitive during the end of Alex Ovechkin’s career, their coaching moves support a progressive philosophy and make it clear their organizational focus is getting what they can out of their young players, especially without a particularly high-end prospect pool. Love has certainly done that in the minors, helping a strong handful of Flames prospects find the right development track.

Snapshots: Lyon, Love, Hockeyville

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Sergei Bobrovsky’s magical run for the Florida Panthers throughout most of the playoffs erased a lot of memories of the netminder who got them there in the first place. 30-year-old Alex Lyon, who started the season as the team’s third-string netminder, recorded a 6-2-1 record and .930 save percentage while playing in nine of the team’s final 12 games of the regular season, helping them snag a playoff spot after sitting on the outside looking in for much of the season.

Yesterday, Lyon’s agent, Pete Rutili of Wasserman Hockey, told Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic that his client’s preference is to stay in the Sunshine State, but there have been no talks between the Panthers and their pending unrestricted free agent. Florida expects youngster Spencer Knight back in the fold next season after taking time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, so Lyon wouldn’t have a likely NHL role if he returns. After seven seasons and more than 200 games of AHL action, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Lyon went elsewhere to find an easier path to more NHL action in 2023-24.

More from the NHL news cycle today:

  • The head coach of the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, Mitch Love, hasn’t completely cut ties with the Flames after being passed over for their head coaching vacancy in favor of his predecessor in the minors, Ryan Huska. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that while Love is still looking elsewhere for jobs on an NHL bench, he’s had discussions with the Flames about joining Huska’s staff as an assistant. Love has won AHL Coach of the Year honors in both of his two campaigns behind the Wranglers (formerly Stockton Heat) bench and guided them to a Pacific Division Final loss against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, who are now just one win away from the Calder Cup.
  • Next year’s Canadian Kraft Hockeyville preseason matchups will honor both the 2022 and 2023 winners of the award, seeing the NHL head to West Lorne, Ontario, on September 27 and Sydney, Nova Scotia, on October 1. Atlantic Division teams will comprise both matchups, with the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs facing off in West Lorne before the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators play in the Sydney showcase.

Maple Leafs Notes: Assistant Coach, Schenn, O’Reilly

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly mulling over several assistant coaches as they look to fill out their coaching staff. While head coach Sheldon Keefe’s future is still up in the air it does appear that he will return for this season. One coach that isn’t returning is assistant coach Spencer Carbery who already accepted the head coaching job with the Washington Capitals. Now Brad Treliving and company are tasked with filling that hole in their staff. Jeff Marek speculated today on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that he’s heard Toronto have shown interest in Mitch Love, Karl Taylor, and Todd Nelson.

Love is likely the biggest name of the three as he is the head coach of the Calgary Wranglers and has had that team play like a well-oiled machine the past two seasons posting a record of 96-33-8-3. The Wranglers are the AHL affiliate to the Calgary Flames which will lead to speculation about a connection with Treliving who of course came over from Calgary just a few weeks ago.

Taylor is the current head coach of the Nashville Predators AHL affiliate in Milwaukee and has been there for five seasons posting a record of 157-90-29-11. He’s struggled to get the Admirals over the hump as they have advanced to the second round just one in his five-year run with the club. Taylor has also coached in the WHL, ECHL and AHL during his 16-year coaching career.

Nelson is the most experienced of the three names that Marek mentioned as he has been coaching for over 20 years in the UHL, AHL and NHL. He was an assistant coach for four years in Dallas before taking over the Hershey Bears this season. Nelson has the club one win away from the AHL Calder Trophy and may have a lot of NHL opportunities thrown his way this summer.

In other evening notes:

  • Elliotte Friedman spoke today on CHEK TV’s Donnie and Dhali show saying that he doesn’t believe the Toronto Maple Leafs and Luke Schenn are very close on a contract extension for the pending unrestricted free agent. Friedman went on to state that the Maple Leafs would love to have the 33-year-old back but are looking at a salary around league minimum while Schenn is looking to cash in on his best offensive season in over a decade after he tied a career high by putting up 22 points in 70 games. Schenn has been playing under six figure deals for the past five seasons and might be looking at his last chance to get a contract with an annual value above $1MM per season.
  • TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button said today on That’s Hockey that he believes Toronto Maple Leafs unrestricted free agent center Ryan O’Reilly should be able to fetch a three-year contract. O’Reilly can no longer drive his own line but is still a solid two-way option for a team looking for help in the middle. O’Reilly dealt with injuries this past season but still put up 16 goals and 14 assists in 53 games. Button’s three-year projection matches Daily Faceoffs contract projection from last month when Frank Seravalli projected a three-year contract for O’Reilly at a cap hit of $5.5MM. If that is the number, it would likely price O’Reilly out of Toronto given that the cap constraints and needs that Toronto will have this summer.

Calgary Flames Will Likely Trade Noah Hanifin

at CDT | by 13 Comments

The 2023 offseason has been a monumental one for the Calgary Flames, and we’re still weeks away from the draft and free agency. New general manager Craig Conroy has a tough contract situation to deal with on his hands, with six important players currently headed for unrestricted free agency in 2024. A decision on what to do with one of those players has been made for him, though, as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports defenseman Noah Hanifin is unwilling to sign an extension with the team and is likely destined for a trade.

Now 26, the top-flight defender has just shy of 600 NHL games under his belt and is entering the final season of a six-year, $4.95MM average annual value contract signed with Calgary in 2018. He’s had some very solid seasons in Alberta, including three 30-point campaigns and a firmly cemented top-four role throughout his time there. Historically a positive two-way force, Hanifin had some significant defensive struggles for the first time in 2022-23, seeing his advanced metrics dip slightly below the league average.

At his age and with his experience, though, that’s likely an outlier. Whichever team Hanifin ends up with can expect to pay him north of $6MM on a long-term deal and get their money’s worth. He’s one of the more consistent players from year to year in the league, really never having huge offensive or defensive lapses and maintaining solid (but not elite) numbers in heavy usage. His 0.48 points per game are tied for 47th among defensemen with at least 100 games played over the last three seasons, and his 21:32 average time on ice is 57th using the same parameters.

Competent on both the power play and penalty kill, the left-shot defender is not a true number-one defenseman but still a high-end, first-pairing caliber player. He may not fetch as much in a trade with the Flames as he would if he were a right-shot defenseman, but the Flames should still expect (and receive) at least a first-round pick for his services on the trade market – even if he makes it to the trade deadline and is sold as a rental.

With a steep trade market this offseason, though, moving him now is likely to get Calgary some good value with more time for their trade partner to negotiate an extension. And, given the Flames have pointed playoff aspirations next season, it would behoove them to free up Hanifin’s cap hit so he could be replaced via free agency or a separate trade later in the summer.

In 81 games this season, Hanifin registered seven goals and 38 points in 81 contests, recording a career-high average ice time of 22:39 in the process.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Calgary Flames Name Jarome Iginla Special Advisor To GM

at CDT | by 3 Comments

One of the most hotly-anticipated front-office moves of the summer, at least in Alberta, has come in across the wire. The Calgary Flames have named Hall of Famer and former captain Jarome Iginla a special advisor to new general manager Craig Conroy, the team confirmed in a release.

Iginla has joined Conroy to offer assistance across all aspects of hockey operations, the Flames said. He, Conroy, and assistant general manager Dave Nonis now make up the nucleus of Calgary’s hockey operations department.

It’s a heartwarming front-office reunion for the two former linemates, who are now charged with leading this generation of Flames players to sustained playoff success. Conroy offered the following statement:

Dating as far back as our playing days with the Flames, Jarome and I have always talked about one day working together in the NHL. That day has finally come and I’m happy to welcome him back to Calgary. Jarome provides a creative approach and smart hockey mind to our team blended with a passion for the game, and a desire to win the Stanley Cup. Our relationship goes back 20 years and includes being opponents and teammates combined with a long-standing friendship. While our views on the game are similar, we often challenged each other on systems and playing style, always pushing each other to be better. I look forward to our team benefiting from his fierce competitiveness, career experiences and love of hockey.

Iginla currently serves as a coach for the RINK junior hockey academy in Kelowna, British Columbia. Per the Flames, he’ll continue in this role during 2023-24 and support Calgary in a shared capacity.

This is the Flames legend’s first executive experience, and it comes at a crucial time in Calgary’s history as they have a multitude of long-term deals and close-to-expiring core pieces. However, no one knows what it means to be a Flame more than the 45-year-old Iginla, who recorded 1,095 points across 1,219 games in a Flames jersey.

Flames Sign Clark Bishop To Extension

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals having reached its conclusion, the offseason is finally upon us. As new General Manager Craig Conroy begins his work on re-tooling the roster of the Calgary Flames, he has already gotten one small piece of work out of the way. This afternoon, the Flames announced the signing of Clark Bishop to a two-year, two-way deal.

The contract will pay Bishop a total of $775K each season at the NHL, a small raise compared to what he was earning this past season. Bishop was set to hit the unrestricted free-agent market in a few weeks.

The last time Bishop suited up for an NHL game was back in the 2021-22 season, playing nine games for the Ottawa Senators, producing only one assist. Coming over to the Flames organization last offseason, Bishop played the entire 2022-23 season with Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.

In 64 games played at the AHL level, Bishop scored a respectable 11 goals and 12 assists, also notching two goals and one assist during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Wranglers were eliminated in the Division Finals against the Coachella Valley Firebirds but were the best regular season team in the AHL this year.

If the Flames deal with injuries next season, Bishop could be a viable call-up option to fill in a roster spot. However, if Calgary is able to manage a generally clean bill of health, Bishop will be helping the Wranglers repeat as the top team in the AHL.

 

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top