It feels like a matter of when, not if, the Calgary Flames will trade Jacob Markstrom. Not only is the organization nearing the point of handing the reigns to top prospect Dustin Wolf, but the relationship between the team and the 34-year-old grew rocky this season.
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According to several reports, Markstrom was not happy with how much trade speculation he faced this season. That anger grew when, after being approached to waive his no-movement clause and agreeing to do so, he was still with the Flames after the deadline.
There has been plenty of talk that the New Jersey Devils and Flames are again discussing a Markstrom deal, though they aren’t the only team who’s believed to have interest. In a recent column from Postmedia, Bruce Garrioch said that the Ottawa Senators are strongly pursuing the Flames netminder. Should that be the case, the Flames have several pieces they could consider viable returns (from ‘Bruce Garrioch: The Ottawa Senators have studied Jacob Markstrom as an option for troubled goaltending,’ Postmedia, 06/09/24).
Shane Pinto
The Flames undeniably need to add talent at centre. They only have three true centres on the roster and don’t have a ton in the prospect pipeline, either. One they could look to target from the Senators is 23-year-old Shane Pinto.
Not only does Pinto’s age fit into the Flames’ timeline of turning things around, but he has plenty of skill. Injuries limited him to 41 games this season, but he was productive when healthy, registering 27 points. As a rookie the season before, he managed 20 goals in 82 contests.
Jakob Chychrun
At 26 years old, it’s borderline whether Jakob Chychrun fits into the Flames’ timeline. There are also durability concerns, as he has been forced to miss plenty of time throughout his nine-season career. When healthy, though, he is an everyday top-four defenceman.
Acquiring Chychrun would come with some risk, as he has just one season remaining on his contract. Because of that, however, the Flames would also likely be able to secure the Senators’ 25th selection at this year’s draft. From there, they could re-sign Chychrun or flip him at the trade deadline for more future assets.
Seventh-Overall Pick
Just how desperate are the Senators to improve their goaltending situation? Based on Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg’s numbers this season, you’d have to assume getting a top goalie is their number one priority this summer. The Sens happen to have the seventh-overall pick in the 2024 Draft, and while that may seem to be a ridiculous ask, it’s worth inquiring about for general manager Craig Conroy.
While the Senators may not be interested in doing a one-for-one, perhaps they’d be more intrigued if the Flames were also open to trade their later first-round pick this year, at 28th overall. It would be quite the price to pay, but if the Sens truly are desperate, the Flames may be able to capitalize on a trade that would have the fanbase ecstatic.
Other NHL Teams Could Enter the Sweepstakes
It seems the two most talked about teams interested in acquiring Markstrom are the Devils and Senators, but many more could soon enter the picture. The Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, and the Philadelphia Flyers could all be in the market for a number-one goalie. If that turns out to be the case, the asking price on Markstrom will continue to increase.
Related: Flames Have Many Options to Grab From Devils in Markstrom Trade
Based on Markstrom’s play and contract, expect the Flames, at the very least, to end up with a first-round pick for him. Should they be able to pair that with a prospect or, perhaps, a player such as Chychrun, fans should continue to be quite happy with Conroy.
