Flames still best off to sell despite turning season around

While every team wants to win games, the Calgary Flames’ recent improvement has made things more difficult for general manager Craig Conroy.

After the Flames won just two of their first 10 games to start the 2023-24 season, it seemed inevitable that they would be selling their pending UFAs Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and Nikita Zadorov.

What seemed obvious a month ago is not such anymore, as the Flames have put together a 7-3-2 record over their past 12 games and found themselves in a wild card spot just two days ago. The improved play has some believing this team could do damage come playoff time, though that would only stand a chance of happening if Conroy were to hold onto the four players mentioned above.

While having a competitive team is always exciting for a fan base, Conroy and his management team must not lose sight of the big picture. Though this team is playing better hockey as of late, they still have their fair share of flaws, and simply don’t stack up well on paper against some of the Western Conference’s elite teams.

Holding onto Lindholm, Tanev, Hanifin, and Zadorov could result in serious consequences that would have the potential to set this team back several years. Keeping them around for a few extra months just to potentially lose them for no return in free agency would be devastating, and would result in some major struggles over the next few seasons.

While there is no rush for Conroy to make any deals, it is still best that he does sell his highly sought-after UFAs between now and the trade deadline. There are believed to be several suitors for all four, which should help the Flames get returns they feel are fair value.

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