Flames News & Rumours: Huska, Whitecloud, Zary & More

“I think the one team everyone’s kind of looking at right now is Calgary,” Friedman said. “I don’t know if that’s fair, but I recognize it’s kind of out there.”

Friedman elaborated further on the situation during Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast, explaining that he believes general manager (GM) Craig Conroy is a loyal guy and will be as patient as possible. That said, more lopsided losses like we’ve seen may cause that patience to run thin.

Whitecloud Generating Trade Interest

As the season progresses, it’s likely that we hear more and more about who the Flames could look to sell. While pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Morgan Frost is candidate No. 1 to be moved, he’s not alone.

Another player who is already said to be drawing interest is defenceman Zach Whitecloud. The Flames don’t need to move the 29-year-old, as he’s under contract through the 2027-28 season. His $2.75 million cap hit, however, makes him interesting to several teams.

One of those teams is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are in need of a right-shot defenceman following the injury to Chris Tanev. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Maple Leafs have inquired about what it may take to pry him out of Calgary.

“I look at a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team looking to bolster their blue line. The previous regime had a lot of interest in him,” Pagnotta said on DFO Insider. “I believe there have been at least exploratory inquiries. I don’t even know if I’d say poking or whatever, but I think they’re one of the teams that would look at him.”

Zary Could Still Be Moved

Another player to keep an eye on as far as trades are concerned is Connor Zary. The Flames surprised many last week when they announced that they were placing the 25-year-old on waivers. He never got scooped up, and has since been re-assigned to the Calgary Wranglers. How long he remains in the American Hockey League, however, remains to be seen.

“I think they’ve discussed taking a contract back. They’ve talked about it with Vancouver. I don’t know how likely that is,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “I think there’s a couple other teams still that are in on this. Vancouver was the one I heard definitively, but I still think there’s a couple other teams who’ve looked at it and are kicking around. We’ll see.”

Though there are plenty of warts in Zary’s game which need to be cleaned up, he does have some upside. The 2020 first-round pick has experience having logged 193 NHL games, and has shown some offensive flashes over that time. A change in scenery could prove to be exactly what he needs to get his career back on track.

Suniev Making Immediate Impression

While there haven’t been many positives surrounding the Flames early this season, they do have one young player quickly making a name for himself. That would be Aydar Suniev, who was recalled one day after Zary was placed on waivers.

Though it’s early, Suniev has been excellent so far. He had a goal along with a helper in Tuesday’s win over the Anaheim Ducks, giving him three points through the three games he’s dressed. That sign of offence suggests he won’t be headed back to the AHL anytime soon, as the Flames are in desperate need of goals.

Looking Ahead for the Flames

The Flames are looking to build off their first win of the season on Tuesday night, though it won’t come easy. They have two games remaining this week, both of which are coming against heavy hitters. They will first take on the Vegas Golden Knights on the road on Thursday, before returning home to take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.