The Calgary Flames made the shock decision to send Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars this week, but reportedly, they were in talks with the Edmonton Oilers for a move as well.
With the Battle of Alberta being fiercely contested each year, it comes as no shock that the Flames turned down a potential deal with the Oilers, but now it has been revealed exactly what the move was.
On paper, a first-round pick is always the more ideal asset, but given the weakness of the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft beyond the top half of the first-round, it makes sense if Calgary didn't prioritize that pick.
Instead, they opted for a talented young defenseman that could play Tanev's role in the future, instead of a player with little to no value in Cody Ceci, who would also be on Calgary's books for another year. Ultimately, both deals were tempting for Calgary, but it came as a surprise to many that they chose the one without the first round pick, instead opting for the deal that didn't see them retain salary beyond 2023-24 that also allowed them to not deal with the rival Oilers.
