The Calgary Flames are a tricky team to get a read on. They won their final game in 2023 as well as their next two to begin the New Year to give them a three-game winning streak. They appeared to be on the verge of turning things around. But the good vibes quickly turned sour after a 4-3 loss to the injury-riddled Chicago Blackhawks.
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After the Blackhawks loss, Flames fans appeared to be near giving up. But, as this team has shown in the past, they can suck you right back in and are doing so once again. With their 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 14, the Flames are once again on a three-game winning streak and remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. As exciting as it may seem for fans, it is a very dangerous spot to b and is something general manager Craig Conroy needs to fix in a hurry.
Nothing Good Comes from Being a Middling Team
In many ways, this Flames team feels similar to what they did a season ago. As fans will remember, they remained in the playoff hunt right until the end but ultimately fell just a few points shy of a playoff berth.
Most would agree that last season, they were a middle-of-the-road team, and while some individuals have improved in 2023-24, they remain the same. The frustrating part about being a mid team in the NHL is that on any given night, they are capable of taking down one of the NHL’s best. As the loss to the Blackhawks showed, however, they are also capable of losing to the worst.
With how many teams are duking it out for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference at this time, the Flames’ chances of making the playoffs are slim. What that means is that if they continue playing at a similar pace for the stretch of the season, they will likely find themselves just outside the playoff picture for the second straight year. Like last year, it would once again result in their first-round pick coming in the middle of the order.
What the Flames need to do is sell. Conroy has three pending UFAs who will bring back solid returns in Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev. All three are highly impactful players and are big reasons as to why the Flames remain in the hunt for the playoffs.
If all three get traded, the Flames will have a tough time racking up wins, and they will subsequently fall down the standings. It should essentially be looked at as short-term pain for long-term gain. Not only does it need to happen, but it needs to happen in a hurry.
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Though the trade deadline isn’t until March 8, the sooner Conroy can move those three out, the better. If he waits right until March, there will be far fewer games for the Flames to fall down the standings. If it happens now, there is still half a season remaining, which would give them a great opportunity to obtain a high pick in the 2024 draft.
Conroy Needs to Act
While selling in the immediate future is the best move for the Flames to make, Conroy will need to make a decision one way or another soon, regardless. While you can understand wanting to wait for the best possible offers, he cannot risk waiting too long and potentially selling his three big assets for well below market value or perhaps holding on to them only to have them walk in the offseason. Holding onto them through the offseason was understandable, but the time has come for the Flames to move them.