That’s All, Folks — Flames GM Conroy Gets Underwhelming Return In Dealing Toffoli To Devils

Craig Conroy has made his first player move as Calgary Flames GM, accommodating winger Tyler Toffoli’s trade request in a deal with the New Jersey Devils.

But the haul is going to leave many underwhelmed — which is also how Conroy would describe the offers he’s been pitched for the likes of pending restricted free agents Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Mikael Backlund so far.

Toffoli has one more year left on a team-friendly contract and is coming off a career season with the Flames. He scored 34 goals and 73 points in 82 games, but the team as a whole underperformed and missed the playoffs a year after winning the Pacific Division.

There have been quiet rumblings about locker-room cohesiveness for years, and last year’s split based on the tactics of now fired head coach Darryl Sutter may have contributed to that.

Toffoli won a Stanley Cup under Sutter as a rookie with the Los Angeles Kings. At 31, he’ll provide New Jersey with a deadly accurate sniper on the right side.

The Calgary Flames get a third-round pick and 25-year-old Yegor Sharangovich — a lefty who has played the wing during three seasons with the Devils, netting just 13 goals and 30 points in his worst season in Jersey last year.

He has 205 NHL games on his resume, scoring 53 goals and 53 assists for 106 points so far. Sharangovich will become a restricted free agent on July 1, requiring a qualifying offer of just over $2 million.

He has size and some experience, and the Calgary Flames must believe he has some upside to agree to a deal for the player and third-round pick. Toffoli’s trade value has never been higher, and the Flames gave up Tyler Pitlick, prospect Emil Heineman, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft to bring the 31-year-old righty to Calgary before the trade deadline two seasons ago.

Trades probably shouldn’t be judged until all components are able to make their mark in their new cities, but this one will have Flames fans asking what else was out there.

Although impatiently awaiting some deals with so many big names on the market, this isn’t the return most were expecting.

Cue the “Craig Conroy is too nice” to be an effective GM comments on the social platforms.

Toffoli is under contract for one more year at a cap hit of $4.25M. According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, there hasn’t been any extension discussion between the Calgary Flames and Sharangovich’s representation at this point.