Flames trade deadline talk: Legit rumour or not, Brock Boeser to Calgary wouldn’t add up

Would Brock Boeser be the kind of player that helps push the Calgary Flames into a playoff position and make a run?

Anything can happen, but it's unlikely.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet floated the Vancouver Canucks forward's name this week on his 32 Thoughts podcast, linking him to the Flames, as in general manager Brad Treliving and co. have kicked Boeser's tires.

It's hard to imagine that's the sort of deal that would work for Calgary, though. While adding a top-six, right-shot forward such as Boeser is usually a good idea for any team, the downside would be the Flames would undoubtedly have to send a significant player in return to make the salary numbers work. 

Looking at it purely from a money-in, money-out perspective, who would that asset going to Vancouver theoretically be? 

The 25-year-old Boeser, who has 10 goals and 37 points in 50 games for the Canucks this season, is making US$6.65 million this season and the next two. 

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Hard to figure who'd logically go other way

Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Andrew Mangiapane fit the age range and come close to his salary level. Still, even if you're OK with parting with any of them, it's unlikely dealing one for Boeser would bolster the Flames' fortunes to the point it propels them deep into the postseason. 

Why bother? On the forward side, Lindholm and Mangiapane are top-sixers. Even if you think Boeser would be an improvement on either one of them, the Flames wouldn't be that much further ahead. Sure, packages involving lesser players, prospects and picks could be considered, but again, would such a move really be surefire enough to push the Flames well into the playoffs? I'd have my doubts. Also, Boeser isn't the kind of player right now for which you're packaging blue-chip prospects and picks.

Think beyond this season. Yes, Milan Lucic's $5.25 million cap hit ($750,000 of it paid by the Oilers) comes off the books. So do the salaries of Brett Ritchie, Michael Stone and Trevor Lewis, but those players make at or near the league minimum. The team will need to fill those holes, too — some from the prospect pool, others via free agency.

Also, consider Boeser has never played a full 82-game NHL slate. The most games he suited up for the Canucks in one campaign is 71 in 2021-22. He's injury prone.

Boeser a Flame? Don't bet on it.