I think Andersson should have been traded either at the same time as the rest of the team was being traded out, or during the off-season afterwards. Sweetheart deal for a few more seasons, and recent production. Conroy chose to keep him. Maybe there weren't offers for him that convinced Conroy to part with Andersson, or perhaps because he wasn't officially on the block, teams didn't really put offers in, and just called with general interest (if they called at all).
That's all in the rear-view mirror. I trust Conroy when he said that he will not allow a high-value asset to walk for nothing. It scares me a little that the Flames may find themselves in a playoff spot at the deadline (much less cared after this slow start, but point stands) and Andersson still on the team. I think it was the right call last season to stand pat at the deadline with respect to bringing in bodies to augment the Flames down the stretch. A bigger test will be trading Andersson for futures if the Flames are in a spot at the deadline (or even a point or two out). I think Conroy still pulls the trigger on a trade, and would bet that way if I had to place a bet.
It would be quite the interesting position, wouldn't it?
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