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Calgary Flames could be major player in trades despite rebuild

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Oct 2 2026, 10:14 pm
Calgary Flames could be major player in trades despite rebuild
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames are in the middle of a rebuild, but that doesn’t mean Craig Conroy won’t have a major role to play when the NHL trade market heats up.

The Flames’ biggest asset right now isn’t a player. Instead, it’s their ample amount of cap space.

As per PuckPedia, Calgary currently has roughly $13.9 million in cap space. More importantly, that number is projected to grow significantly throughout the season, with the Flames currently carrying a projected $65.8 million in deadline cap space.

That kind of flexibility could make Calgary an intriguing trade partner for teams that need to clear salary.

And there’s already evidence that Conroy is looking to take advantage of it.

Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reported this week that the Flames were involved in the trade talks that ultimately sent Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Calgary wasn’t trying to acquire Marchenko, however.

Instead, Francis reported that the Flames were involved as a potential third party, hoping to take on salary and receive a draft pick in return for providing Columbus or Toronto with some salary-cap relief.

The Flames ultimately weren’t needed to complete the deal, but their involvement is noteworthy.

It shows exactly how Conroy could potentially use Calgary’s financial flexibility during the rebuild.

Rather than using their cap space to chase expensive players, the Flames could take on contracts from teams desperate to create room and receive draft capital or other assets for doing so.

That’s particularly valuable for a team whose priority is building for the future.

The Flames aren’t expected to be buyers at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean they have to be spectators.

With significant projected cap space and a general manager actively looking for creative ways to add to his young group, Calgary could become an important facilitator in the NHL’s trade market.

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