The Flames appear headed for another rebuilding year in 2026-27, and that has Craig Conroy leaning toward seller mode. In an interview with Pierre LeBrun for The Athletic, the Calgary GM said defenseman Zach Whitecloud has made it clear he wants to be part of the team’s long-term picture.
Since arriving last season in the Rasmus Andersson trade, the 29-year-old has taken on a much heavier workload, skating more than 20 minutes per night. He’s signed through next season at a $2.75MM cap hit, and interest around the league has already been there since last season.
Even so, Conroy also wants to keep useful veterans around his young core, so moving Whitecloud would take a major offer.
Ryan Strome looks like a much more realistic trade candidate. Conroy spoke positively about the veteran after acquiring him from Anaheim at last season’s deadline, but also said the team will need time to sort out his situation before the March 1st deadline.
Strome is on an expiring $5MM deal and has four points in 11 games this season. He’s expected to be one of the more likely Flames to move by then.
Calgary also had a rough night on the injury front in Wednesday’s game against Edmonton. The club announced that goaltender Devin Cooley and winger Brennan Othmann both left with injuries and did not return. Cooley was hurt in a first-period collision, while Othmann exited after an early fight.
In San Jose, the Sharks are being mentioned as a possible landing spot for Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported on TSN Insider Trading that the Sharks are among the teams with interest in the restricted free agent.
On paper, the fit makes sense because of San Jose’s young core, though actually landing him could be tricky because of the long-term money the team has already committed this summer. Detroit still wants Edvinsson signed before the December 1st deadline, but if that doesn’t happen, the Sharks would be a team to watch.
Meanwhile, Devon Levi is working back from an undisclosed injury he suffered last week. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reported that the Oilers goalie took shots in practice, but third-stringer Matt Tomkins will travel with the club on its three-game road trip, so Levi likely needs more time. The 24-year-old has handled the starting job early this season, going 6-1 with a 3.11 GAA and an .887 SV%.
In Other News...
Red Wings Bottom-Six Problem Is Forcing A Jesse Kiiskinen Conversation
The early-season math has already started to pressure Detroits forward group, and the biggest concern is down the lineup. At 5-4-3 with a minus-4 goal differential, the Red Wings have been just good enough to stay in the mix, but their bottom six has not pulled its weight, with only 11 points combined from that part of the roster. That kind of production usually forces a front office to start looking for answers beyond the NHL club, especially when there is a younger option in the system already making noise.
Jesse Kiiskinen has put himself into that conversation with his strong start in the AHL, giving Detroit a potential spark if it decides the lineup needs a shake-up. The challenge is that any move up front will not happen in a vacuum, because the Red Wings are also dealing with injured players working their way back into the picture. That means the question is not just whether Kiiskinen deserves a look, but how the team would make room if it decides the bottom-six needs a jolt. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Suddenly Face Another Lineup Test Up Front
The lineup shuffle around the Red Wings keeps rolling, and this time it is giving Detroit a little more reason to look ahead. Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton are both trending toward returns in a couple of weeks after injuries that have kept them out since the season opener and second game, respectively, while the blue line took another hit with Albert Johansson now sidelined.
For a team trying to keep its depth intact, the timing matters because the East keeps asking for healthy bodies every night. The Red Wings have already had to manage injuries at both ends of the lineup, and even with some help potentially coming soon, there is still another absence to sort through before the next game and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face An Ugly Dylan Larkin Standoff
Dylan Larkins offseason situation has settled into an uncomfortable holding pattern for the Red Wings, with the captain still in Detroit while trade conversations continue behind the scenes. Larkin requested a trade earlier in the offseason, and the list of teams he would accept a move to has reportedly grown to 10, a sign that the process has been active even if nothing has broken through yet.
Recent talks have taken place between Larkins camp and the team, and Detroit is expected to address the situation publicly at some point soon. For now, the franchise is left navigating a delicate standoff around one of its most important players, with the direction of the next step still hanging over the organization. [Read more 🡒]