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Early-season speculation suggesting the Calgary Flames would be sellers again this season was doused by a recent report claiming they intend to build around their remaining veterans.
That doesn’t mean Flames GM Craig Conroy won’t be busy in this season’s trade market. According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Conroy seeks a center to play on his second or third forward lines.
Seravalli didn’t indicate which clubs Conroy had contacted but said the Flames GM sought a player in his roster’s age group with a right-handed shot.
Conroy confirmed this in an interview with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis on Monday, saying he’d been in the market for a right-shot center since trading Elias Lindholm in January. Francis indicated the Flames GM seeks a center between the ages of 23 and 25, citing Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens as an example.
Finding suitable players at this point in the season will be a challenge that could last until the March 7 NHL trade deadline. The salary cap won’t be an issue for the Flames, as they carry over $19 million in cap space this season.
Conroy could be calling clubs with depth in young forwards. He could also be trying to negotiate with cap-strapped teams looking to shed salary.
The Toronto Maple Leafs could attempt to move Calle Jarnkrok or David Kampf to free up some cap space. However, Jarnkrok is 33, and Kampf is 29, putting them outside the Flames’ preferred age range.
Related: Will The Toronto Maple Leafs Eventually Move Ryan Reaves And David Kampf?
Turning to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tristan Jarry’s struggles have raised speculation about the 29-year-old’s future with the club.
Jarry hasn’t seen the Penguins net since getting yanked against the Buffalo Sabres last Thursday after giving up three goals on five shots. Joel Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic got the starts in their last two games, with Jarry a healthy scratch for their 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
The Hockey News’ Ryan Gagne observed Jarry’s record is 2-5-1 with two no-decisions in his last 10 games going back to last season, starting and finishing only five of those. That’s not the performance expected of a goaltender with a $5.375-million annual average value.
Gagne suggests the Penguins put Jarry on waivers and hope a struggling club like the Colorado Avalanche claims him or that an extended stay in the minors help him regain his confidence.
The Athletic’s Josh Yohe believes the Penguins should part ways with Jarry but acknowledged his contract is likely unmovable via trade or waivers. He also suggested demotion, even raising the possibility of a contract buyout next June.
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Related: Colorado Avalanche Goalie Woes Prompt NHL Trade Rumors
