Ranking the Calgary Flames roster on how untouchable they should be in trade talks

Back in January, we took a look at which players on the Calgary Flames roster are untouchable and which the team should be open to moving. Although that was just five months ago, a lot has changed since then. The Flames missed the playoffs by a single tiebreaker, handed their first-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens, and come into the summer with some hard decisions to make.

With the Flames constantly thrown around in trade rumours as a team looking to buy and sell, it’s worth taking a look at their roster again to determine who should be made available and who should be protected at all costs. One note is that we’re considering only realistic scenarios. In other words, listing a player as untouchable doesn’t mean we wouldn’t trade them for Connor McDavid if the opportunity arose. It’s just fair to assume that that will never be an opportunity for the Flames anyway.

The untouchables

In all honesty, the Flames don’t really have many untouchable assets on their roster at the moment. As should be expected for a team that’s missed the playoffs three years in a row. With that said, there are two players in particular I would not trade.

Zayne Parekh

For my money, Zayne Parekh is the single most valuable asset in the entire Flames organization. He’s the only blue-chip prospect they have and possesses a ceiling higher than any player in the organization. When you have a 19-year-old prospect who is tying records set by Bobby Orr 40+ years ago, it’s probably a wise decision to hold onto him.

If everything goes well with this development, he could be an elite top-pairing defender for the Flames for the next decade. There’s absolutely no reason to move Parekh right now.

Dustin Wolf

I think Dustin Wolf is the only other untouchable player on the team. He has been elite at every single level he has played at and was dominant in his first full NHL season. For an organization like the Flames, which has spent the last 10+ years trying to find a long-term starting goalie, they should know better than to trade a 24-year-old who is arguably already one of the top 10 goalies in the NHL.

You’ve finally found your first franchise goalie since Miikka Kiprusoff. Hold on tight and don’t let him go.

Only for a huge return

This next tier of players isn’t one that I would consider untouchable, but it would take a pretty sizeable return or overall deal to convince me to move them. If there’s a deal to acquire elite talent or a top-five draft pick, I’d definitely listen; otherwise, no thanks.

Matt Coronato

I think Matt Coronato is an incredible talent and fully deserves his long-term extension, but he doesn’t have the game-breaking ability an untouchable player should have.

Coronato very much looks to be on his way to becoming a consistent 25-to-30-goal top-six winger. While there’s a ton of value in that, the Flames desperately need elite talent, and I don’t think Coronato can be considered at that level. If the deal were right, I’d move him, but it would have to be something major coming back.

MacKenzie Weegar

MacKenzie Weegar’s value to the Flames comes in two forms. For one, he’s an elite number one defenceman and by far the best blueliner the organization has right now. Two, he’s a major part of the leadership group and is almost guaranteed to get the captaincy once Mikael Backlund retires.

With that said, I wouldn’t consider him untouchable simply because he’s 31 years old. For a team currently in a retool like the Flames, it would be disingenuous not to even consider moving an aging asset, even one as good as Weegar.

Connor Zary

I debated dropping Connor Zary a tier below this due to his injury trouble, but in the end, his injuries are the reason I kept him here. I think it’s simply too soon to move Zary until we see him in another full NHL season. The Flames would probably be wise to give him another fully healthy season before considering his true value.

However, I’d have no problem cutting bait with Zary if it meant an established elite player or top-five draft pick was coming back. Like Coronato, even at his peak, I don’t think Zary will ever be an elite talent.

Not shopping, but open to trading for the right return

The next tier of players are those whom I wouldn’t be actively shopping on the trade market, but would be okay with moving if the return was right. These players are valuable middle-of-the-lineup NHLers, but it wouldn’t be a huge loss if they were moved.

Kevin Bahl

Still just 24, Kevin Bahl has already established himself in the NHL as a good second-pairing defender. While he’s a decent asset for the Flames, he’s certainly not one worth cutting off trade talks for. If there was a potential deal for the Flames where they could pick up some much-needed scoring help in the form of a young top-six forward, I’d be fine moving Bahl. At his peak, he’s a second-pairing defender but nothing more.

Morgan Frost

Morgan Frost is a dependable and solid middle-of-the-lineup player. Especially as a centre, he still holds a lot of value to a team like the Flames. I wouldn’t be actively looking to move him, but if a team wanted him and was willing to send a solid centre prospect or draft picks, I’d be more than fine trading him. At the end of the day, his peak is likely a 45–50 point middle-six centre.

Martin Pospisil

After a pretty big down year in 2024–25, Martin Pospisil drops down a tier for me. I wouldn’t be shopping him, as he still puts up decent underlyings and finds ways to elevate his teammates, but it looks as though his future is a bottom-six winger at best. If someone is willing to give up a decent return for him, you take it.

Yegor Sharangovich

Yegor Sharangovich is a tough player to gauge. In his first year in Calgary, he potted over 30 goals and promptly signed a large five-year extension. This past season, he was one of the team’s worst forwards. I wouldn’t at all be against giving him another season to see if he can bounce back, but I would also be perfectly fine with moving him.

Perhaps there’s some risk in cutting bait with him already, but if the Flames can find a taker for the 27-year-old and his contract, I think they’d be crazy not to consider it.

Joel Farabee

It was only 31 games, but so far, the Joel Farabee experiment has been a big-time failure in Calgary. With another three years at $5M AAV left on his deal, it would make sense for the Flames to move on from Farabee if a team came calling.

However, there’s still a chance that Farabee bounces back, and he is still only 25, so I wouldn’t be upset if they wanted to see what he can do with a full season. Much like Sharangovich, I think keeping Farabee or moving him would be a fine decision.

Actively shopping/open to trading

This tier contains players whom the Flames should be actively shopping and should have no issues moving. There’s absolutely no reason not to at least consider moving this group of players. Craig Conroy should be gauging the market for them.

Rasmus Andersson

The Flames absolutely have to trade Rasmus Andersson. It just doesn’t make sense for a team in a retool to re-sign a defender to a long-term deal who will be 30 by the time the new contract starts. There really isn’t a whole lot of explanation needed here.

Andersson has been an incredible Flame, but it’s clearly in the best interest of both parties to part ways. He’ll also likely command a sizeable return this offseason, and moving him would go a long way in helping the Flames’ future.

Blake Coleman

Blake Coleman has been a real solid add since coming to Calgary as a free agent in 2021. With that said, at 33 years old and nearing the end of his contract in Calgary, the Flames need to shop him as soon as possible.

Coleman still has a ton of value around the league as a veteran middle-six winger who has won multiple cups. He’s a great leader and veteran, but the Flames would be much better off moving him for futures now while he still has value.

Nazem Kadri

I love Nazem Kadri, but the Flames really need to gauge the market on their number one centre. At 34 years old, it’s only a matter of time before his play starts to decline, but at the moment, he still carries tremendous value on the market as a perfect second-line centre.

Given what Brock Nelson was moved for at the trade deadline, there’s no reason Kadri couldn’t command a similar return. Getting a top prospect or a first-round draft pick for Kadri would be a huge win for a team that needs young talent. It would also open a ton of cap space. Holding onto Kadri would be a big mistake.

Someone, please save us

Jonathan Huberdeau

Jonathan Huberdeau stands alone in this tier. Should the Flames trade Huberdeau and his bloated contract? Absolutely. Would any team ever want to take him off their hands? Not in a million years. Even in what was an improved season for Huberdeau in 2024–25, he still managed only 61 points. That’s a far cry from what is expected of the 10th highest-paid forward in the NHL.

Now 32 years old with another six years remaining on his deal, Huberdeau has arguably the worst contract in the NHL. If by any chance a team wants to acquire Huberdeau without the Flames adding too many incentives, you take it and run.

The Backlund tier

Mikael Backlund

At this point, it’d be a pretty tough look on the organization if they were to move Mikael Backlund against his wishes in the final year of his contract. As the longest-serving member of the team and their current captain, you absolutely aren’t moving Backlund unless he tells you he wants out.