Elias Lindholm is entering the last year of his contract in 2023-24. He and the Flames have reportedly been working on an extension throughout the offseason. Now one insider has released details about the progress made toward an extension.
Lindholm Staying In Calgary?
Elliotte Friedman joined the NHL Network crew to talk about all kinds of NHL news. During this segment, Friedman and company talked about Elias Lindholm and potential extension talks with Calgary.
Friedman on NHL Network: I really thought Horvat was going to be the comparable at 8x8.5, and I think it's possible Lindholm now actually comes in higher than that, potentially I think the number is going to have to be above Horvat, I've heard it might be closer to 8.75 or 9
The two sides are reportedly working toward a long-term extension that would keep Lindholm in Calgary for 8 years. He would also get a significant pay bump above players like Bo Horvat who recently extended. This potential extension would take Lindholm into his age 36 season.
Could A Trade Make More Sense For Calgary?
It's not a secret that the Calgary Flames took a big step back in 2022-23 missing the playoffs. Their new additions did not play up to standard and the players that they lost created more holes than expected.
Now heading into the upcoming season the Flames are looking to bounce back. If the Flames struggle again though does an extension for a 28 turning 29 year old Lindholm make sense?
Elias Lindholm has been one of the Flames' best players since being acquired from Carolina. He is looking for a huge commitment both in term and dollars.
If the Flames sign him to the rumored terms he would be making around 9 million dollars well past his prime. If the Flames aren't true contenders this contract could end up backfiring big time. A potential trade where the Flames bring back some younger assets could be the best case scenario for all parties involved
