Calgary Flames management would never come out and say it, but they are well aware that this current roster is not good enough to compete for a Stanley Cup. Frankly, it isn’t even close. With underperforming players such as Jonathan Huberdeau, paired with a lack of true top-end talent, you get exactly what they have been for the past season and a half: a middling team that, at best, sneaks into the playoffs but likely falls just short.
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The reason behind that is, despite their lack of star talent, they have plenty of very good players. Some of those players are expected to be shipped out this season in Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev, which will help turn things around in the long run. That said, they still have a goalie capable of stealing games in Jacob Markstrom, which isn’t what they need right now.
Markstrom’s season totals of a 2.81 goals against average (GAA) and a .901 save percentage (SV%) don’t appear very impressive, but they don’t tell the full story. Those who have watched the Flames closely this season would tell you that he has done an excellent job of giving his team a chance to win in nearly all of his 17 appearances this season, but he has instead been let down by a lack of goal-scoring and defensive breakdowns.
Markstrom Still a Valued Number-One
Because of his ability to steal games, the Flames should be looking to move on from the 33-year-old netminder. Not only would trading him help free up cap space, but it would also give Dustin Wolf a path to the NHL. The 22-year-old has been up and down this season, given that the Flames have two older and more experienced goaltenders on their roster in Markstrom and Dan Vladar.
The 2021-22 season proved that, when playing in front of a good team, Markstrom can be an elite goaltender. That season, he posted a 2.22 GAA and a .922 SV%, numbers which were good enough to have him end the year as a Vezina Trophy finalist. While some don’t believe he is that goalie anymore, moving to a contending team could quickly prove otherwise.
Luckily for the Flames, several teams with playoff aspirations could use help in the crease. The most obvious is the Edmonton Oilers, who have had to run with a tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard after choosing to send Jack Campbell to the AHL earlier in the season. Making a move with your biggest rival isn’t easy, especially given the fact that Markstrom is under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season. That said, the Oilers are becoming more and more desperate and may be willing to overpay for a goalie like Markstrom.
Other teams who need an upgrade in net are the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and the Buffalo Sabres. All those teams entered the year expecting to make the playoffs but have been plagued by poor goaltending through the first 30 or so games of the 2023-24 season.
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Given the amount of teams listed, there are more than likely at least a few who would love to add Markstrom. The salary cap can make things tricky, but as we have seen in more recent years, several general managers throughout the league can get creative and pull off big deals like this.
Flames Can Net Solid Return While Shedding Money
While moving your number one goaltender is never an easy decision, this would help the Flames not only add a solid pick or prospect to help down the road, but it would also free up $6 million on the books. Perhaps a bit of that money would need to be retained, but that still opens up plenty heading into the offseason if GM Craig Conroy sees some free agents he would like to add. At the very least, calling around and gauging interest in the Swedish netminder is worth doing.