Whether they intended to or not, the Calgary Flames are making a compelling case for going into full-on tank mode this season.
And Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes should pay attention, because a Calgary tank could provide them with the means to acquiring a much-needed second line center.
Heading into their game at home against the Canadiens on Wednesday, the Flames are 1-6-0 and have been outscored 27-12, owning the worst goal differential in the NHL. Calgary’s lone win came 4-3 via shootout in the season opener, as the team clawed back from a 3-0 deficit to force extra time.
But in the opinion of Kevin Bieksa, studio analyst for Hockey Night in Canada, it’s not just the losses, it’s how the team is losing. Following a 6-1 blowout by the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, Bieksa did not hold back any punches, questioning the care factor on the Calgary bench.
“The concern is if you’re losing games and guys are not giving it their all,” he said. “That that’s what I would be worried about, you know, the culture of the team.”
Bieksa singled out a moment late in the game, with Calgary trailing by five goals, when forward Yegor Sharangovich pulled up and avoided the opportunity to hit Golden Knights center William Karlson after a dump-in from center ice. In Bieksa’s view, it was a prime example of what has been lacking for the Flames.
“If you’re going to get an effort like that from a guy, get rid of him. You know what I mean?” Bieksa said. “You’re disgracing the NHL with an effort like that.
“I would absolutely lose my mind on the bench if I saw that, and I don’t even know if the coaches saw that because there’s so much going on. You watch that in the video. That’s a culture thing for me. So, I would show that clip in practice and I would say, ‘Where are my guys that care? Where are my guys that care about losing?’”
Nazem Kadri Could be Available Amid Culture Concerns in Calgary
So the big question for the Flames is, should they throw in the towel? Is this situation beyond repair? Has it gotten so bad that, even though the season is just two weeks old, Calgary would be wise to shed some salary and position itself for what is widely believed to be a deep draft in 2026?
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman thinks that might be the way to go.
“They can’t chase the short-term fix,” Friedman stressed Monday on Sportsnet’s “32 Thoughts” podcast.
“This is an organization that in the past would say, ‘I don’t like where this is going. Let’s see if we can do something to keep our heads above water.’ Now, I think there’s a big difference between that and being offered a great, slam dunk trade that you’ve got to take. Those don’t usually come that easily. What’s my old line? ‘When you’re drowning, they don’t throw you a life preserver. They throw you an anvil.’ If there’s [a trade offer] you have to take, you take it. But I think, the Calgary Flames, the best thing they can do is if this is the year where they say, ‘All right, do we have to feel some pain? This is a really good draft.’ It’s going to take somebody inside the organization standing up and saying, ‘People aren’t going to like this, but this is what we need to do.’”
Looking at Calgary’s more tradeable pieces , veteran center Nazem Kadri has to be near the top of the list. Currently in the fourth season of a seven-year, $49 million contract, the 35-year-old Kadri is no longer a No. 1 center, but with his grit, experience, and Stanley Cup-winning pedigree, Kadri would be a great fit on a team with playoff aspirations and a spot on the second line.
A team like the Montreal Canadiens.
Calgary Center Nazem Kadri Touted as ‘The Perfect Fit’ for Montreal’s No. 2 Line
During an appearance Monday on “The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro,” Canadiens analyst Maxim Lapierre touted Kadri as an ideal trade target for the Montreal front office.
“Nazem Kadri is a great centerman,” Lapierre said. “I think he plays two ways, he’s physical, he played in the Canadian market. Doesn’t have that many years at a very high price. I think he would be the perfect fit as a second center.”
Montreal would need to clear out some cap space to fit Kadri’s contract for this season, but sending Kirby Dach to Calgary as part of the deal would take care of that. And as for the rest of Kadri’s term, removing the money spent to pending unrestricted free agent Patrik Laine puts the Canadiens well under the bar, especially with the cap scheduled for incremental increases.
Plus, depending on the return, Hughes may be able to convince Calgary to retain a chunk of Kadri’s salary. A package of Dach, forward prospect Joshua Roy and one of Montreal’s two second-round picks in the upcoming draft might get Kadri at half his salary.
And as NHL insider Pierre McGuire said alongside Lapierre on the recent podcast episode, bringing in a player with “some street cred” like Kadri could put the Canadiens on a whole different level.
“If he slots in at two, he’s going to cause problems for a lot of teams,” McGuire said.
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