Deadline Deals Loom Large on Calgary Flames' Horizon

With this season’s trade deadline fast approaching, Calgary finds itself in an excellent position to make a deep playoff run.

Third in the conference, but more importantly ten points ahead of second place Vancouver in the Northwest Division, Calgary can adopt a less-urgent attitude than in years past and prevent exhaustion from setting in prior to the season’s end.

That being said, the March 4 trade deadline could go far in sealing Calgary’s place at the top of the conference, and perhaps get them closer to winning their first Stanley Cup since 1989.

The injury bug has hit the Flames hard—two players, Rene Bourque and Mark Giordano, went down against Minnesota last week, and both have very slight chances of returning this season. Rhett Warrener has yet to play this season and hopes to be back before season’s end, though the nature of his shoulder surgery leaves him with the distinct possibility of never playing again. Wayne Primeau also remains on injured reserve and his prospects of returning look dim.

That being said, Calgary should really look for a few short term deals to shore up those player absences. The farm system is developing well enough that Calgary doesn’t need to go into panic mode and make any long term deals that would jeopardize the contracts of some of the bigger-name players that Calgary has.

Instead, one or two solid defensemen with expiring contracts should be brought in to fill the void left by Giordano and Warrener, especially given that Calgary doesn’t want to take a chance on Anders Eriksson clearing re-entry waivers, as they would have to pick up half of his contract if another team claimed him.

The lukewarm resurgence of Matthew Lombardi could really benefit the Flames heading towards the deadline. He really hasn’t played consistently enough for Calgary this season, but with Bourque’s injury and Lombardi’s better play Calgary could easily shop him in exchange for a second-line center or a left-wing to replace Bourque.

While Calgary will obviously not be selling its most important pieces, it also shouldn’t trade any of its solid young talent under any circumstances. Curtis Glencross, David Moss, and, to a lesser extent, Dustin Boyd are all having career years for the Flames and have proven nightly that they can control the puck in the offensive zone.

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