2. Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are looking to make some changes after another disappointing season. Though they made the extended postseason and beat the Winnipeg Jets in the play-in round, the Dallas Stars got the best of them in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Flames haven’t been past the first round since the 2014-15 season despite having three playoff appearances.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Flames are looking to upgrade their defense. General Manager Brad Treliving, who used to work with the Coyotes, has reportedly taken a look at Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Friedman on @TheInstigators podcast reports the #Flames are looking for D options and they've looked at Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Brad Treliving has previously worked with the Coyotes as well as Don Maloney who was the former GM in Arizona and is now VP of Hockey Ops.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) September 10, 2020
The Flames have a pick in each round of the 2020 draft and in all but the fourth round in the 2021 draft. So the Flames could offer the Coyotes some draft assets to help recoup what they’ve lost between the Taylor Hall trade and the punishment for violating the league’s Combine Testing Policy.
However, there’s a far more interesting trade that could be made between the Flames and the Coyotes. How about a Sean Monahan for Ekman-Larsson swap? The Coyotes would save some salary and cap space, plus they’d get a legitimate top-line center.
They say it takes two partners to tango. Both the Coyotes and the Flames want to make huge changes this offseason. A trade between the two teams could make a great deal of sense.