We may just be a month into this new NHL season with lots of runway to go, but for the Calgary Flames, it looks like this season could very well already be lost. It has been a truly terrible start for the team as they sit in last place overall in the NHL. They have the league’s worst goal differential, cannot score to save their lives, and they are a mess in their own zone. If you watched them play, it would not come as a shock that they are sitting at the bottom of the basement.

With that comes rumours and speculation regarding the team’s veterans. Whether they will stay and endure a rebuild, or look to go somewhere with a shot of winning a championship. Just a month into the season, we are already experiencing that with the Flames. Rasmus Andersson’s name has been in rumours since the summer. We are hearing more noise regarding Nazem Kadri’s future with the team every day now. Blake Coleman is off to a hot start, and a contending team would probably love his services.

So the question becomes, what could the Flames roster makeup look like without these three in the lineup? Let’s take a look.

Building for the future

Before we get into anything, I just want to say that I think trading some veterans on the team would be in the organization’s best interest, as it would add assets and young prospects to the group. I don’t want to see the likes of Andersson, Kadri, and Coleman traded because I dislike them. I have actually loved all three players throughout their time in Calgary.

However, when you have the chance to cash in on players on the wrong sides of their primes who are still playing fantastic hockey, you have to do it, because you will never know when Father Time will come for their careers.

Open spots in the forward group

Jonathan HuberdeauMorgan Frost Matt Coronato Sam Honzek Connor Zary Joel FarabeeMatvei Gridin Mikael Backlund Yegor Sharangovich Ryan Lomberg Martin Pospisil Adam Klapka

It has become apparent over the last couple of seasons that the Flames have too many middle-six forwards, especially on the wings. Moving out the likes of Kadri and Coleman opens up a few spots for the younger talent coming in who could be ready sooner rather than later, while also giving another chance to someone down the middle with Kadri’s absence.

Connor Zary will get the must-needed run down the middle with the hole that Kadri leaves behind. He has seen some looks at centre. However, with the Flames’ logjam, it has been limited to playing on the fourth line, which is not ideal. Sam Honzek stays on the NHL team on his flank. He has impressed, and while the stats don’t look exactly amazing, I think he has done enough to stay with the Flames with how he has played.

Freeing up space on the wing

The hole freed up by Coleman on the outs would go to Matvei Gridin. He gets the call-up after playing well in the AHL. He is among the leaders in rookie scoring and has arguably been the Calgary Wranglers’ best forward since he was reassigned back in October. His speed, big frame, high-end skills, and lethal shot are exactly what the Flames are lacking right now. He already has a taste of NHL action. When he comes back up, he may never go back to the minors ever again.

There would be a spot or two still up for grabs, occupied by current players on the roster. There is still a hole to be filled on the fourth line. Once Martin Pospisil recovers from his injury, I imagine that is where he would slot in. You can argue that Ryan Lomberg or Adam Klapka’s spots could be given to Rory Kerins or Sam Morton, but I cannot see the Flames coaching staff leaning in that direction.

The young guns on the backend lead the way

Joel Hanley MacKenzie Weegar Kevin Bahl Zayne Parekh Yan Kuznetsov Hunter Brzustewicz

I think it’s time to have a little fun with the defence group. Now, I do not see any of this happening, as we all know Brayden Pachal and Jake Bean will be staples in the lineup. But in this fantasy world I live in, we will have some younger guys on the NHL team.

The biggest beneficiary of Andersson being traded will be Zayne Parekh. He has been playing on the third pair all season long when he hasn’t been in the press box. But without Andersson in the fold, Parekh will get a big opportunity alongside Kevin Bahl. In theory, that should work very well. Bahl is a known defensive specialist, while Parekh is known for his offence. Bahl will let Parekh play his game, and he will always be there as his safety net. This gives Parekh plenty of minutes, and more than he is getting at this moment.

Yan Kuznetsov is hoping to secure an NHL job with his most recent call-up, and with how well Hunter Brzustewicz is playing in the AHL, a trade that sees Andersson in a different uniform should open up a spot for him to get into the lineup. Both players have played really well in the AHL. If a few players are moved out, we could very well see a youth movement on the back end.

It will be up to MacKenzie Weegar to lead the group. If anyone has it in them to do it, it would be him.

The time to cash in is now

With Kadri’s 1000th career game now out of the way and the team still in a mess, there is no better opportunity to cash in on some big value guys than the present. These players are only getting older, and we don’t know when their decline will come.

I know no one in the Flames organization wants to admit that a rebuild is what they need, but if there is any year to cash in on assets, it is this year, with how loaded the upcoming draft is. We will see which direction the Flames choose to go in.

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