Are the Calgary Flames Just Getting Started When It Comes To Trades
The Vancouver Canucks got the trade season going. After opening up cap space by sending Anthony Beauvillier to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Canucks then acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov from divisional rival the Calgary Flames.
TSN’s Director of Scouting Craig Button was on SportsCenter with Jay Onrait to discuss the trade of defenseman Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks and was asked if he thinks the Calgary Flames are just getting started when it comes to trading their unrestricted free agents.
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** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jay Onrait: “And so, for Craig Conroy, you can at the very least say he got a guy out of the dressing room who didn’t want to be there anymore. What do you think is next for him Craig? Is he really just getting started here?”
Craig Button: “I think he’s just getting started. I mean, they already talked about how they weren’t going to hold contract talks any further with their potential unrestricted free agents. And I think that with Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Elias Lindholm that there is massive value out there. I’m not so sure that that value is going to, you know, be received at this point in time trying to make a move. But as time goes on, you get into the new year, you get closer to the deadline. Teams have cleared off tap space. And now those players can really strengthen a team.
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So I think that Craig Conroy is clearly in the driver’s seat here. He doesn’t have to do anything right now. Does all those players as pending unrestricted free agents, it’s in their best interest to continue playing at the level they’re capable of. And I think they’ll do exactly that. And everybody will get their just rewards at the end. Craig Conroy and the Calgary Flames and the individual players and the teams that trade for these players on expiring contracts.”