Flames haven’t ruled out adding ahead of trade deadline: “Always looking to improve”

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The Calgary Flames’ red-hot start to the season has seemingly caught everyone by surprise, including even general manager (GM) Craig Conroy.

After moving out several veterans on expiring deals last season, along with the Jacob Markstrom trade this past summer, it appeared that the Flames may be in store for a few tough years. Instead, they sit second in the Pacific Division with a 12-7-4 record.

“Going in, we had some question marks with the roster, with some of the young guys,” Conroy admitted on The Ray & Dregs Podcast. “We traded Markstrom, so you have two goalies that haven’t established themselves.”

While goaltending was a big question mark, Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar have quickly erased all doubts, combining to be one of the NHL’s best tandems through the first quarter of the season.

Thanks in large part to that play, belief is starting to pick up that this team could wind up making the playoffs. That is obviously exciting to the Flames’ GM, who, while not wanting to mortgage the future, admitted he isn’t completely against being a buyer at or ahead of the trade deadline.

“You’re always looking to improve your team, that’s the one thing, for sure,” Conroy said. “You’re talking, you’re calling other teams and just seeing where they’re at — if they’re looking to move some guys, if someone needs a change of scenery. For me, it’s really age-appropriate and position. We’ve talked about a centre.”

Conroy did, however, admit that adding a centre, which they’ve been reported to be seeking out this season, isn’t as big of a need as it was a short time ago, given how good Connor Zary has looked in the position.

Though Conroy has said repeatedly that his focus remains on the future when it comes to his team, it seems as though he may truly consider a move to help improve this current group should they continue winning games.

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