Flames' November Success & Nikita Zadorov Trade
Welcome to the THW Calgary Flames Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Flames writers.
In today’s edition, we have an article that looks at the Flames’ successful November and compares it to previous seasons. Plus, we have trade grades for the Nikita Zadorov trade and a News & Rumors column.
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Now, on to the good stuff…
Flames Had Their Best November in 5 Seasons
December 1, 2023 by Ryan Gagne
As the Flames struggled to get wins in Oct. 2023, the fanbase demanded that the new executive, led by Craig Conroy, kick start an official rebuild. Still, no definitive plan was laid out after losing the Heritage Classic to alter the franchise’s downward spiral.
However, the Flames responded by clawing through November to finish this stretch with an 8-4-2 record (.571 win percentage), their best mark since 2019 and their fourth-best mark in the month in the past decade. Although there is still no definitive direction about the future, Calgary remains one point out of a wildcard sport at the start of December. Ultimately, many wonder if they are still gunning for the postseason or, after the Nikita Zadorov trade, they will effectively launch a rebuild.
Grading the Flames, Canucks Trade of Nikita Zadorov
December 1, 2023 by Michael DeRosa
At the beginning of last month, defenceman Nikita Zadorov requested a trade from the Calgary Flames. From there, he would be the talk of the town in the rumor mill, and teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, and New York Islanders all expressed interest in him. However, in the end, the Vancouver Canucks won the sweepstakes.
To land Zadorov, the Canucks sent their 2026 third-round pick and the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2024 fifth-round pick to the Flames. The Flames also did not retain any of Zadorov’s $3.75 million cap hit.
Overall, this is a pretty notable move, and one of the NHL’s top trade targets is officially off the board because of it. Let’s now give out grades for each of the clubs involved in this transaction now.
Flames Get Embarrassingly Low Return in Zadorov Deal
December 1, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
The selling has begun for the Calgary Flames. On Thursday afternoon (Nov. 30), it was announced that Nikita Zadorov was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2026.
Zadorov’s time in Calgary was expected to be coming to an end, as his agent Dan Milstein recently announced that the 28-year-old wanted to be moved. It took just a few short weeks for Flames general manager (GM) Craig Conroy to find a trade partner, though it may have been better if he had continued waiting.
Flames News & Rumors: Zadorov, Trade Candidates & Oesterle
November 29, 2023 by Michael DeRosa
In this latest edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumors, NHL insider Kevin Weekes provided updates on which teams are currently expressing interest in disgruntled Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov. In other news, NHL insider Chris Johnston listed Zadorov and three other Flames as the top trade candidates in the NHL right now. Lastly, Jordan Oesterle has been called back up to the NHL roster.