"It was about getting cap space": Flames GM Conroy explains why he made the Zadorov trade

The Calgary Flames dominated headlines on Thursday as they traded defenceman Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks.

Zadorov had recently requested a trade from the Flames, making this move rather unsurprising. What did catch some off guard, however, was the return. The Flames received a fifth-round pick in 2024, along with a third-round pick in 2026, which was less than fans had hoped for. Hours after making the trade, general manager Craig Conroy spoke with Sportsnet’s Ryan Leslie to explain the rationale behind making the deal.

“Obviously, we get two draft picks coming back. The third-round pick is in 2026; I get people probably won’t like that,” Conroy said. “For us, it was about getting cap space, being able to free up a spot to bring up a young guy that we feel very comfortable in. I think what people really don’t understand is how much that cap space means. Just to bring up a guy like Matt Coronato or another player on the team, now we have that flexibility. Before, we didn’t have that flexibility.”

Conroy went on to admit that perhaps a better offer could have come up had he remained patient, but he reiterated that he didn’t want to pass up a deal that involved the Flames not having to retain any of Zadorov’s contract.

As for freeing up a spot for a young player, it appears that Conroy was referring to defenceman Ilya Solovyov, who was recalled from the Calgary Wranglers this morning. The 23-year-old was able to suit up for two NHL games earlier this season, where he averaged over 16-and-a-half minutes in ice time. With Zadorov now out of the fold, it appears as though Solovyov is going to get an extended opportunity with the big club as it looks to develop him into a legitimate NHL defenceman.

As for the trade, while many fans remain frustrated with the return, cap space can be a valuable thing. Of course, that all depends on what is done with said cap space. It will be interesting to see what moves this could result in from Conroy in the coming months, which will then give a better idea as to whether this was a good move by the Flames.

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