On Monday, it was announced that the Calgary Flames and GM Brad Treliving had agreed to part ways after the team failed to qualify for the 2023 NHL playoffs. While Don Maloney takes over as president of hockey operations and interim GM for the time being, there is tremendous uncertainty regarding the club’s off-season roster moves.
The main concern is about the lot of Flames eligible for UFA status in 2024 : the list includes centers Mikael Backlund and Elias Lindholm, winger Tyler Toffoli and defensemen Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov.
TSN’s Salim Valji reported at the Flames’ end-of-season press conference that Backlund and Lindholm sounded non-committal about re-signing in Calgary before next summer.
Despite loving the atmosphere in Calgary, Backlund spoke about his desire to win the Stanley Cup, adding he wasn’t sure what would happen if offered a contract extension this summer.
“I don’t know, the summer what’s gonna happen. Even if they offer us anything, or me, I might wanna see what this group can do [next season] before I make a decision…I’ve been here a long time. I love Calgary. I love the organization, but the year we had, I’m 34 years old.”
As for Lindholm, he brought up the last a year left on his contract and commented that he would see how things go.
“I’ve got one more year. Gotta look at it that way. I have one more year and that’s all I can say.”
Other key players like Toffoli and Zadorov sounded more upbeat about sticking around and signing an extension with the Flames before free agency comes up.
However for now, they don’t know who will be the Flames’ new GM and what players will be on his top priority for the future of the club. There are possibilities that one or two of those players will be traded before the start of next season.
It will once again be a busy offseason in Calgary.
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