The Calgary Flames may have finally picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks, but the larger picture still points in one direction. At 1-6-0, they look like a team headed for seller mode again at the trade deadline, and a few names are already drawing attention.
One of the most interesting is Zach Whitecloud. Calgary brought him in last season from the Vegas Golden Knights, and the 29-year-old has settled in nicely on the back end. He’s under contract through 2027-28 at a cap hit of just $2.75 million a year, which only adds to his appeal for contenders looking for help without blowing up their books.
The Flames are not in a hurry to move him. At the same time, Whitecloud’s age makes it hard to picture him still being part of the next competitive Calgary team. That opens the door for a sell-high scenario, and if that happens, four teams stand out as possible landing spots.
The Ducks make a lot of sense on paper. They’ve become one of the better teams in the Pacific Division, but this offseason took a toll.
Anaheim had to pay Leo Carlsson $18 million per year, and that led to the club letting several defencemen walk, including John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas. They also traded Olen Zellweger, leaving the blue line thin.
Even with those losses, Anaheim still profiles as a playoff-calibre team, and the biggest issue is clearly on the back end. General manager Pat Verbeek will be looking for upgrades there, and Whitecloud’s term and low cap hit make him an appealing option.
Toronto is another club worth watching. Even after plenty of roster change this offseason, the Maple Leafs could still use more help on defence, especially on the right side.
That need became more pressing after a recent injury to Chris Tanev, who has had trouble staying healthy dating back to the 2025-26 campaign. Toronto has the cap space to do something here, and it was believed to have interest in Whitecloud as far back as last season.
With GM John Chayka already showing a willingness to make deals, the Maple Leafs look like a team to keep in the mix.
The Oilers are the kind of wild-card fit that can’t be dismissed outright. Calgary helping Edmonton would not be the obvious path, and the Flames would likely prefer to send Whitecloud somewhere else.
But the pressure to win in Edmonton this season is real, and the blue line could use another body. Right now, Ty Emberson and Shakir Mukhamadullin are listed as the team’s seventh and eighth defencemen, which is thin depth for a club with playoff expectations.
Whitecloud would solve that problem if the price is right.
Tampa Bay also checks a lot of boxes. The Lightning are a true Stanley Cup contender and, like most teams in that tier, they don’t have much cap room to work with.
That makes a player with Whitecloud’s contract especially attractive. From Calgary’s perspective, Tampa Bay would be a preferred destination because it keeps him out of the division and out of the Western Conference.
It would also give Whitecloud a clear role, with a chance to slot into a third-pairing job behind John Carlson and Erik Cernak on the right side.
Whitecloud’s right-handed shot, steady play, and affordable deal should make him a popular name as the market develops. The Ducks, Maple Leafs, Oilers, and Lightning all have reasons to be interested, and if Calgary decides to move him, those are four teams that deserve attention.
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Matt Basgall and coach Dave Manson have both pointed to discipline as a priority, and the special teams picture remains part of the larger conversation around San Diegos start. The Gulls have shown they can hang with a comparable opponent, but as they head into a demanding two-game set, the margin for error is still thin, and one part of their game still feels like it is waiting to catch up with the rest. [Read more 🡒]