With a 5-9-1 record, the start of the season hasn’t gone according to plan for the Calgary Flames. And though they may not be prepared to make a move yet to try and get back on course, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos said on Hockey Night in Canada’s Headlines segment that there are at least two teams out there inquiring about a trade.
The part of Calgary’s roster with the most depth is the blueline, so if the Flames ever did make a trade they might start there. Kypreos said the two inquiring teams had especially focused on 23-year-old Dougie Hamilton.
“As far as trade talks are concerned you hear Dougie Hamilton’s name out there,” Kypreos said, before downplaying Calgary’s interest in moving him right now. “I don’t suggest for one second that Calgary’s shopping this guy, but there are teams inquiring. The two teams I’m hearing that are kicking tires are Arizona and Pittsburgh.”
The problem, from Calgary’s perspective, is that Hamilton hasn’t yet developed into the player they thought they were getting from Boston. He has just two goals and six points in 15 games and is fifth among Flames defencemen with an average of 18:49 of ice time per game.
Calgary got Hamilton from Boston in June of 2015 for a first-round pick and two seconds.
“I think if you’re Calgary you’re focused on this guy playing a lot better first,” Kypreos continued. “If you are in fact going to think about trading him you gotta trade him when the stock is high and right now, unfortunately in Calgary, it’s not.”
