Chatter gets going as Flames are mysteriously quiet all offseason

When Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving ended the 2021 season with the statement that his team was “in a downward cycle at this point”, it felt like he was going get busy this offseason. 

Sure, he brought in UFA Blake Coleman on a six-year deal $4.9 million AAV, so the Stanley Cup champion can lead the way, but the Flames lost their captain, Mark Giordano, to Seattle in the expansion draft for nothing… 

Fans are expected to see a blockbuster move come though in Calgary with the name of Johnny Gaudreau coming up more than once in trade chatter. Talks grew louder on possibly moving on from him before a modified no-trade clause kicked in, but now Gaudreau is talking about re-signing long-term with the Flames and the chatter has died down. 

Then, pundits wondered about Sean Monahan or Matthew Tkachuk, but nope, things remains quiet, almost too quiet in Calgary. 

Silence does not mean nothing is happening and Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen suggests that a monster move could be in the cards in 2021-22, as both Gaudreau and Tkachuk have one year left on their current deals. 

“Not afraid to make big splash trades, can he still find one before the season, or will the Flames really kick key decisions down the road, run it back and hope for the best?”

What comes next in Calgary. Intriguing indeed!