The Calgary Flames may not have been chasing Kirill Marchenko for themselves, but they still found a way into the conversation.
Less than a day after the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets pulled off their Matthew Knies-for-Kirill Marchenko blockbuster, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reported that Calgary was part of the discussions as a third-party salary cap facilitator. The goal wasn’t to land Marchenko. It was to help make the money work and, in the process, potentially bring back a draft pick.
“The Calgary Flames were involved in the Kirill Marchenko trade talks. Not with an eye on landing the big winger, but as a third party hoping to snag a draft pick in exchange for cap relief,” Francis wrote. “Craig Conroy will continue to search for creative ways to keep adding to his young group.”
The deal itself required plenty of maneuvering. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Toronto and Columbus had to get creative to fit everything under the NHL salary cap.
In the end, Columbus sent Marchenko, Elvis Merzlikins, and Miles Wood to Toronto for Knies, Emil Andrae, Steven Lorentz, and a 2027 second-round pick. As part of the transaction, the Maple Leafs signed Marchenko to a six-year extension, while the Blue Jackets retained 18 percent of Merzlikins’ remaining cap hit.
For Calgary, the reported involvement fits a pattern that has become increasingly familiar under Conroy. The Flames have shown a growing appetite for retaining salary and absorbing cap dumps if it helps sweeten the return.
Conroy has already retained salary on Blake Coleman, Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev. He’s also squeezed extra value out of deals by taking on Jake Middleton, Maxim Tsyplakov, Zach Whitecloud, and Andrei Kuzmenko.
And the Flames still have room to keep playing that game. In PuckPedia’s 2026-27 projections, Calgary is listed with roughly $13.9 million in cap space right now, a number that is expected to grow to $65.8 million by the Mar. 1 trade deadline. The team also has one salary retention slot left, after using two of its three on Kadri and Coleman.
As Conroy heads into his fourth season as Flames GM, he has plenty of flexibility to make his own moves - and to keep jumping into other teams’ business when the price is right.
In Other News...
Flames Just Gave Fans A New Prospect To Watch Closely
The Flames have locked up another young piece in forward Chase Harrington, signing the 18-year-old to an entry-level contract after selecting him 36th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. Harrington is still with the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League, where he has already earned the captaincy, a sign Calgary sees both talent and maturity in a prospect still early in his development.
For the Flames, the move adds another name to the pipeline without forcing an immediate decision on his NHL future. Harringtons contract was structured with some flexibility, giving Calgary room to let him keep developing in junior hockey while the organization watches closely to see how quickly he can push toward the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Just Set Up An Important Next Step For Chase Harrington
The Flames have taken a clear next step with Chase Harrington, signing the forward prospect to a three-year entry-level contract while he remains in the middle of his final full season with the WHLs Spokane Chiefs. Harrington, the Chiefs captain, has been on Calgarys radar since the 2026 NHL Draft, when the club made him the 36th overall pick and added a player it expects to keep pushing forward.
For now, the contract gives Calgary a way to lock in a promising young center of attention without rushing his path. Harrington can finish out his junior run in Spokane, and the Flames will continue to watch his development closely from afar, with the real clock on his NHL future still tied to what happens over the next couple of seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Send A Clear Message With This Seasons Leadership Call
The Flames have set their leadership group for the 2026-27 season, and the choice says plenty about where the team is headed. Mikael Backlund will wear the captains C, giving Calgary a steady veteran presence at the top of the room while the club continues working through a rebuilding phase. Zach Whitecloud and Jonathan Huberdeau were also named alternate captains, giving the Flames a mix of experience and familiarity as they try to guide a younger roster.
There is also a practical wrinkle to the setup early in the year. With Huberdeau unavailable at the start of the season, the alternate captain duties will not stay static for long, and the team will lean on Joel Farabee, Jake Middleton and Ryan Strome in rotation until that situation changes. It is a small detail on paper, but for a team trying to build structure while developing players, those on-ice and locker room responsibilities can matter just as much as the standings. [Read more 🡒]