Report: Several Flames players declined trade requests after Darryl Sutter's firing

The Calgary Flames announced Monday that they have fired head coach Darryl Sutter after a difficult 2022-23 season, and according to DailyFaceoff's Frank Seravalli, it may have saved the team from collapse.

Speaking Thursday on Sportsnet 960 in Calgary, Seravalli said several Flames players have submitted trade requests during a difficult offseason. But Seravalli said those players withdrew their trade requests after releasing Sutter.

“In talking to various people in the league that have ties to Calgary, any trade requests or, so to speak, demands for a coaching change that were there have been removed,” Seravalli said.

“I think there was at least a portion of the players who were in the chat room about it, and they were honest and open with (former general manager) Brad Treliving and (president of hockey operations) Don Maloney. Basically, it's as simple as “if this guy comes back, I don't want to play here.”

A number of Flames players rescinded their trade requests after head coach Darryl Sutter was fired on Monday. (Getty Images)

If true, axing one coach to keep part of the roster should be an easy decision.

Last summer, the Flames were forced to part ways with their superstar striker Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Losing both of those key players played a role in some players wanting to leave and management not wanting to go through another massive roster overhaul.

At least Sutter's firing was no surprise.

The Flames were a great team last year, going 50-21-11 and finishing atop the Pacific Division. This season, without those superstars and their replacements, they missed the playoffs by just two points with a 38-27-17 record.

If it was any other coach, they might have brought him back, but Sutter is known to be an abrasive bench boss and coaches in a very divisive way. Plus, after winning the division, expectations were sky high and not even making the playoffs is a bad look.

It's unclear which players will want to leave Calgary, but two key players in Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund will be free agents next summer. was careful to answer Any questions about re-signing with the Flames.

In addition to these two players, top players such as Tyler Toffoli, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev all hit free agency in 2024.

How the 2023-24 regular season ends, with a new head coach and a new general manager in place, will certainly play a role in whether these players decide to stay. If things don't go according to plan, at least the new Flames general manager will have a few players to move at the trade deadline.

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