Flames and Kings could make interesting trade partners ahead of deadline

The Calgary Flames are expected to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline, with players like Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev all considered top candidates to be moved.

The Flames are hoping to get young pieces back that will help retool their roster. This summer was a great example, as they moved Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils, receiving a much younger Yegor Sharangovich in return. It is believed they want to make similar trades this time around, which is why the LA Kings are a team that they may be interested in making a deal with.

It has been reported over the past two days that the Kings are open to moving Arthur Kaliyev, an offensively gifted winger who is just 22 years old. Kaliyev has yet to turn into the offensive force the Kings were hoping to see at the NHL level, which is why he is rumoured to be available.

To this point in his NHL career, Kaliyev has been extremely inconsistent, though it is clear the talent level is there. He is a player who could benefit greatly from a change of scenery, similar to how Sharangovich’s game has tremendously improved since joining the Flames.

The tricky thing for the Kings is that they have no cap room, meaning both sides would have to get creative. If they were able to figure out a way to make the money work, both Lindholm and Tanev could be players that garner their interest.

Lindholm would be a great addition to the Kings as their second line centre as they look to get their season back on track and go on a playoff run. Things haven’t worked out for Pierre-Luc Dubois in that role, and moving him to the wing in favour of Lindholm for the remainder of the season could prove to be beneficial. If the Kings would prefer to beef up their back end, adding Tanev to the top four behind Drew Doughty would do the trick.

Either player would likely cost more than just Kaliyev, but it would be a solid starting point for general manager Craig Conroy. Expect the Flames to be one of many teams in on him.

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