[sureLoss]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...ugh-penalties/

5. Eric Francis with a good scoop on Tuesday, that Calgary called a timeout on all contract negotiations. The Flames enter Wednesday 2-6-1, 15th in the Western Conference, re-considering their approach. They were far along on an extension with Noah Hanifin, likely above Devon Toews’ number ($50.75M) in Colorado, when things broke off. That was Hanifin’s decision, as I’m not sure he’d want to commit if the Flames embark in a radical new direction.

Owner Murray Edwards attended the outdoor game in Edmonton, and you don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out why Eric’s intel came when it did. Clearly, there were conversations about how to approach the rest of this season.

6. Aside from Hanifin, there was at least one offer exchanged with Chris Tanev, but things weren’t close. Elias Lindholm’s ask remains higher than Calgary is willing to go. So I don’t believe there’s anything else in Hanifin’s neighbourhood of nearness. (All the best to Nikita Zadorov and family, as he missed Wednesday’s game for family reasons.) Positive: Connor Zary looked smooth in his NHL debut.

7. An exec from another team said he heard that the Flames might rattle their room by putting a veteran player on waivers. That obviously hasn’t happened.

8. One thing I have heard is that the Flames are committed to finding ways to make Jonathan Huberdeau better. On its surface, that sounds stupid, since he’s in year one of an eight-year megadeal, but there are always situations where teams give up on players, throwing up their hands in frustration. That’s the wrong answer, no matter how frustrating things get. Calgary spends a lot of time talking about solutions to his early-season malaise. Of course, there is onus on Huberdeau, too.