Calgary Flames’ Winning Run Complicates Deadline Direction

This is where patience becomes tempting. Management can justify holding assets if the team stays within striking distance. A single hot month can swing playoff odds dramatically, and Calgary has already shown it can string together wins.

However, being close isn’t the same as being built to contend. The danger for the Flames is mistaking competitiveness for championship viability — a trap many bubble teams fall into every year.

Pending UFAs and the Core Dilemma

At the heart of Calgary’s decision-making is their contract situation. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson remains one of the most discussed names league-wide due to his status as a pending unrestricted free agent. Right-shot defensemen who can play heavy minutes don’t become available often, and contenders will pay a premium.

Forwards like Blake Coleman, who has another year left beyond this season, also draw interest because of their versatility and playoff experience. Players like Coleman are exactly the type contenders want — reliable, defensively responsible, and capable of playing up and down the lineup.

If Calgary was firmly out of the race, these decisions would be straightforward. But a winning run muddies the waters.

Nazem Kadri and the Long-Term View

One of the more complex variables is Nazem Kadri. Publicly, the Flames have made it clear they value Kadri and would prefer to keep him. As general manager Craig Conroy has indicated, Calgary isn’t eager to move core veterans simply for the sake of change or if it’s going to disrupt their long-term plans of “re-tooling”.

But Kadri’s situation raises philosophical questions. He’s under contract for three more seasons after this year, yet the Flames’ current trajectory doesn’t clearly align with his remaining prime years. If Calgary ultimately pivots toward a longer-term retool, his value may never be higher than it is now.

The recent winning stretch makes that decision harder. Winning validates the current roster. Losing would make selling feel inevitable.

Buyer, Seller, or Something in Between?

This is where Calgary’s deadline approach likely lands: selective patience.

Instead of going all-in on buying or selling, the Flames are set up to stay flexible. If they keep winning and are close to a playoff spot, the higher-ups can say it makes sense to keep their best players and maybe grab a cheap backup goaltender.

Now, if they start losing, it’ll be easier – and quicker – to switch to selling. The market’s ready. Teams already know who Calgary might trade.

The big change this season is that Calgary has the upper hand. They don’t seem desperate. They can wait, watch, and pick the best time to act instead of jumping into deals too soon.

What the Market Is Saying

Insiders around the league have already flagged Calgary as a team to watch. On The Chris Johnston Show, Chris Johnston noted that early in the new year, Calgary is expected to engage in conversations about direction — not just about individual players, but about organizational intent.

That distinction matters. The Flames aren’t simply asking, “Who can we trade?” They’re asking, “What are we trying to accomplish?”

Winning forces teams to confront that question honestly.

The Risk of Chasing the Middle

Being stuck between buying and selling isn’t a great spot. We’ve seen teams mess things up by going after small playoff hopes when it hurts their future. Calgary has been working on keeping its assets in good shape, and it would be a shame to ruin that now.

But, you can’t just look at the numbers. If a team is doing well, believes they can win, and stays in the fight, they shouldn’t give up too soon for the players’ sake.

That’s the tricky situation Calgary is in right now.

A Deadline Defined by the Next Month

The Flames’ win streak doesn’t take away the chance of a sell-off; it just puts it off for a bit. The next 10–15 games will probably decide what happens. If they stay within five points, they can wait it out. If they fall behind, the sell-off starts up again.

Right now, Calgary is just what people in the league said: a team to keep an eye on. Not because they’ve picked a direction, but because the way they’re playing is making them go a certain way.

That’s what makes this stretch so important.