The Flames aren't in a rush to move Zach Whitecloud, and his value on a young blue line might push the asking price even higher.
Anthony Di Marco reported that, speaking with Flames sources, Calgary doesn't sound eager to deal the defenceman to start the season.
The reasoning is simple. On an otherwise very young blue line, Whitecloud's veteran presence matters, and that could make the price "even higher."
The youth is obvious. Zayne Parekh is 20, Simon Nemec is 22, and Yan Kuznetsov is 24.
The results haven't been pretty. Parekh and Nemec both sit at -6, and Whitecloud is a -5 through three games.
Calgary is 0-3-0 after a 6-1 loss in Seattle on Sunday. The Flames have scored just three goals all season.
Craig Conroy's trade board keeps growing as the losses pile up
Whitecloud was already flagged as a trade candidate, alongside Morgan Frost and Ryan Strome. He has two years left on a deal carrying a $2,750,000 cap hit.
He also brings 78 games of playoff experience, all with Vegas. Contenders looking for a steady depth defenceman will notice.
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Craig Conroy is right to wait, but only until a contender gets desperate. Selling a playoff-tested defenceman in October rarely brings back as much as selling him in February.
It's like holding onto a concert ticket until the show sells out. The price only climbs as the date gets closer.
Ryan Huska's group hosts Colorado on Thursday, and the Avalanche have scored 14 goals in two games. Calgary's young defence is about to face a stiff test.
Whitecloud stays for now. The longer the Flames keep losing, the louder the phones will get.
Should the Flames trade Zach Whitecloud before Christmas?
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