An overview of the latest trade speculation and discussions surrounding the Calgary Flames as the NHL Trade Deadline approaches.
Greetings, everyone! We’re entering the week of the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
Trade Deadline Overview
The league’s yearly cutoff for team trades is set for 1 p.m. MT on Friday. (While trades can still occur after this time, players involved in swaps post-deadline will not be eligible for participation in the NHL’s playoff games.)
Regardless, there’s been plenty of buzz surrounding the Calgary Flames. To provide some context for what may turn out to be an exciting few days ahead, here’s the current situation as of late Sunday night.
The overall view
Youth Movement Strategy
The Calgary Flames are continuing their recent strategy: seeking chances to infuse youth, acquire draft picks and prospects, and integrate younger athletes into their NHL lineup.
They aim to retain certain veterans, believing that having experienced individuals to mentor their younger players is advantageous for their growth. They are open to making trades, but they prefer deals that offer substantial value instead of simply offloading players to become younger or making trades for the sake of it.
During Friday’s Flames Talk on Sportsnet 960 The Fan, our friend Pat Steinberg – who often has insightful predictions – mentioned that he anticipates more than 1.5 trades but less than 2.5 trades. (So… two appears to be a figure worth considering.)
Current Trade Speculations
Possibly in transition
Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames
Coleman ranks #2 on The Athletic’s trade list, #4 on The Fourth Period’s, is categorized in Tier 1 on Daily Faceoff’s rankings, and appears on Nick Kypreos’ roster.
Impact on Playoff Eligibility
Coleman has one season remaining after this one with a cap hit of $4.9 million. He possesses a 10-team trade list as part of his contract, but all signs suggest he is open to collaborating with the Flames to identify a mutually advantageous destination. Coleman’s cap hit is not excessively burdensome, and he is a player that nearly every contender would desire due to his playing style and experience with the Stanley Cup. He is a robust player, and likely one that the Flames cannot afford to retain at this moment.
Ryan Lomberg is a player for the Calgary Flames.
Lomberg ranks in Tier 1 on Daily Faceoff’s trade list and is categorized as a bubble player on The Fourth Period’s roster.
Earlier this week, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis published an article featuring an interview with Lomberg, detailing his current circumstances. Lomberg is cherished by both fans and teammates, and he has a strong desire to remain with the team. However, as a seasoned player, he could also offer valuable depth to a playoff contender, and trading him might create an opportunity for a younger player to step in while also netting the Flames a return. Lomberg is set to become an unrestricted free agent and carries a cap hit of $2 million.
Brayden Pachal and/or Joel Hanley of the Calgary Flames
In recent discussions on Flames Talk, Steinberg has indicated that there may be a chance of either Pachal or Hanley being traded.
Pachal and Hanley are both depth defensemen who have another season left on their current contracts; Pachal carries a cap hit of $1,187,500 while Hanley’s is set at $1.75 million. Trading one of them would enable the Flames to promote Hunter Brzustewicz from the AHL and provide him with regular playing time. Neither player would significantly impact another team, so the asking price would likely be modest, but both are dependable athletes who could offer valuable depth to a playoff contender.
Even more improbable
MacKenzie Weegar of the Calgary Flames
Weegar ranks #30 on The Fourth Period’s trade list, is categorized in Tier 2 on Daily Faceoff’s, and appears on Nick Kypreos’ roster.
Is Weegar enjoying a successful season? Not particularly. However, Weegar plays a significant role in the Flames’ current leadership core, which has already seen the departure of Andersson and appears set to lose Kadri and Coleman soon. From a perspective of stability, the Flames likely wish to retain Weegar. In fact, he might be in line to take over as captain once Mikael Backlund steps down. While we wouldn’t claim that Weegar is untouchable in trades – as any player can be moved if the right offer comes along – we are suggesting that the Flames hold Weegar in high regard and would probably not rush to part ways with him.
Even if they were considering trading Weegar, it’s uncertain whether dealing him during a challenging season aligns with their goal of maximizing asset value.
Keep an eye on FlamesNation throughout the week for ongoing updates as we approach the trade deadline!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE EXTRAVAGANZA
