When the Calgary Flames announced that they had traded Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils in late June, fans were not happy. Toffoli was quickly becoming a fan favourite in what was his first full season in Cowtown, and led the team in scoring last season with 34 goals and 73 points.
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Why exactly the trade happened depends on who you talk to. Toffoli himself has said that he wanted to stay but received very little talk in regard to an extension, which resulted in him requesting a trade. Management has instead made it seem like they would have liked to keep him around but were unable to work out a deal. Regardless of how it all went down, Toffoli is now a Devil, while Yegor Sharangovich is a Flame.
Having Sharangovich and a third-round pick as the return for Toffoli also angered Flames fans, as they felt it wasn’t fair market value. That is a fair point, but those who are questioning Sharangovich may quickly come to realize that he is a very good player himself. In fact, he could prove to be one of the Flames’ best forwards in what will be an increased workload in 2023-24.
Sharangovich Will Capitalize With More Opportunity
To those who have closely followed the Devils over the past three seasons, it is clear just how skilled of a player Sharangovich is. He has fantastic hands, a very impressive playmaking ability, and a heavy shot. He showed those attributes at times during his three seasons with the Devils but was a streaky player who could disappear for stretches, much to the disappointment of fans.
While Sharangovich deserves some blame for his inconsistency, it is worth mentioning that he wasn’t put in the greatest position to succeed in New Jersey. His 14:25 average ice time per game this past season was ninth amongst Devils forwards, and he saw almost zero power play time all season long. It was a drastic cut compared to 2021-22, where he averaged 16:30 per game while also averaging over a minute per outing on the power play.
During that 2021-22 season in which he was given more opportunity, he had the best season of his NHL career with 24 goals and 46 points in 76 outings. Once his minutes were cut in 2022-23, his numbers took a significant hit, as he scored 13 goals and 30 points in 70 contests.
Given the price the Flames paid to acquire him, it is expected that Sharangovich will get a big opportunity to produce. He will undoubtedly start the season off in their top six and also figures to be a part of one of their power play units. The fresh start paired with more ice time could see him explode for a new career high this season.
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Sharangovich is also joining a team that had plenty of forwards underachieve last season. Guys like Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, Elias Lindholm, and Andrew Mangiapane are all capable of producing far more than they did in 2022-23, and will be extremely motivated to do so. Sharangovich will be playing with at least a few of those names, meaning he will be on a line with some players entering the season as determined as ever. That will only help when it comes to his own stat line.
Trade is Too Soon to Judge
As mentioned, many Flames fans weren’t thrilled with this trade, with some even questioning Craig Conroy as this team’s general manager given that it was his first transaction. While the return may have been low given the season Toffoli was coming off of, Sharangovich still has untapped potential. If he is able to find that during his time in Calgary, there is a chance we could look back at this deal as a major win for Conroy and the Flames.
