The Calgary Flames have some very valuable assets that contending teams are sure to be very interested in ahead of the NHL's trade deadline. It seems General Manager Craig Conroy is well aware of what he has, and isn't prepared to to take any lowball offers.
On his latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet hockey insider Ellliotte Friedman said there are plenty of teams showing interest in 34-year-old defenceman Chris Tanev, and Conroy wants nothing less than a first-round pick for him.
For a team believing its a contender, a gritty on-ice leader like Tanev on your blueline would be a big add. Will a team be willing to pay the price by the trade deadline? My guess is yes, it will happen. The Maple Leafs, Stars, Avalanche, and Canucks are all in go-for-it-now mode, and Tanev would be the perfect add for a run at the Stanley Cup.
Tanev becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season, after a four-year deal worth $4.5 million per season that he signed with the Flames in 2020 expires. Fellow 34-year-old teammate Jacob Markstrom is also getting plenty of interest from teams looking to make a playoff run. Markstrom will fetch a higher price on the market. The goaltender has two seasons left after this one on his current contract, which carries an annual cap hit of $6 million.
