As the Calgary Flames languish near the bottom of the NHL standings, a critical question is heating up among the team's faithful: should general manager Craig Conroy be in a hurry to start trading veteran assets, or is patience the wiser play?
The State of the Flames: A Team at a Crossroads
The situation is stark. Entering a Tuesday matchup against the Nashville Predators on December 2, 2025, the Flames held the second-worst record in the league with a .407 points percentage. Only the Predators, at .400, were lower. This positioning has naturally shifted the conversation from playoff hopes to potential sell-off strategies.
Names like defenseman Rasmus Andersson, along with forwards Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri, are already circulating in trade rumours. Similar speculation surrounds players on other struggling teams, such as Nashville's Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O'Reilly, and Steven Stamkos. The fear for many in the 'C of Red' is that rival general managers on other bottom-feeding clubs will act more swiftly, capitalizing on the trade market before Calgary can secure the best possible future assets.
The Case for Acting Now: Securing a Premium
One compelling argument for Conroy to move quickly is the potential for an "early-bird" premium. History offers a relevant example. In late January of 2024, then sitting near the top of the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks were eager to bolster their roster early. Conroy, then the Flames' GM, had a set price for pending free agent centre Elias Lindholm.
When Vancouver met that ask, a deal was struck more than five weeks before the trade deadline. The return for Calgary included prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Matvei Gridin, key pieces for the future. The lesson? Contending teams desperate to get a jump on the competition may be willing to pay a higher price to be first in line. If Conroy has clear value in mind for his players, waiting could mean missing a prime offer.
The Argument for Patience: Avoiding a Fire Sale
On the other side of the debate is the risk of appearing too eager. If Conroy publicly indicates he's ready to listen on all his veterans, he risks diminishing his leverage, potentially triggering a low-ball offer frenzy rather than a controlled auction. While team president Don Maloney's recent comments stirred concern about reluctance to dismantle the core, Conroy's own statement after his contract extension provided clarity.
He told Postmedia, "If we were where Colorado is (in first place), we'd be looking at maybe different things. But where we are, we have to put everything on the table." This is a clear acknowledgment that the current standings dictate a necessary openness to change. However, it doesn't mandate a rushed timeline. Letting the market develop as more teams fall out of contention or become desperate buyers closer to the deadline could also drive up prices.
The path forward for Craig Conroy is fraught with pressure. With the Flames' season spiraling, his phone will undoubtedly ring with offers. The decision between capitalizing on early urgency or exercising strategic patience will define both his tenure and the franchise's medium-term future. For Flames fans, the waiting—and the debating—is the hardest part.
