What if Calgary Flames trade Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan

 The Calgary Flames are a borderline playoff team right now but if they don't make any changes to their core they won't be making it far in the playoffs.

Two core players that have been brought up the most in trade talks are Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.

Trading Gaudreau and Monahan would allow the Calgary Flames to begin a new chapter and hopefully have more playoffs success in the long run.

Calgary Flames trade Johnny Gaudreau to the New Jersey Devils for Nikita Gusev, Michael McLeod, Jesper Bratt, Jesper Boqvist, 1st round pick '22.

The New Jersey Devils get Johnny Gaudreau, a dynamic playmaking winger, who will be a tremendous fit on a line with Hischier and Palmieri. Calgary Flames also get a top 6 forward in Nikita Gusev and a top 9 forward in Jesper Bratt, as well as two very good prospects in McLeod and Boqvist. The Flames will also the the Devils first round pick in 2022.

Calgary Flames also trade Sean Monahan to the Ottawa Senators for Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, Erik Brannstrom, 2nd round pick 2021. If Monahan puts up 60+ points, the 2nd round pick becomes a 1st round pick.

The Senators get a tremendous first line center in Sean Monahan, who just will be a tremendous fit on the up and coming Ottawa Senators. Calgary also gets three very good prospects in Norris, Batherson and Brannstrom and a 2nd round pick that could become a 1st round pick.

Jesper Bratt is re-signed to a 2 yr deal worth 3 million per season.

The Calgary Flames finish the 2020-21 season with the 5th worst record in the league but they get lucky and jump up to the 3rd pick in the draft.

The Calgary Flames buyout Milan Lucic, which costs them 583k per season until 2025. 

Calgary Flames lose Jesper Bratt in the Expansion draft to the Seattle Kraken.

Before the 2021 draft, the Flames make two major trades:

Calgary Flames trade Mark Giordano, David Rittich to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Brian Dumoulin, 1st round pick 2022.

The Penguins get a terrific defenseman in Mark Giordano and a solid 1B in David Rittich to tandem with Tristian Jarry. On the flip side, Calgary gets Brian Dumoulin, a top 4 defenseman and a 1st round pick.

The Flames acquire Juuse Saros from the Nashville Predators for 2nd round pick 2022. 

The Flames get their 1B to pair with Jacob Markstrom, while the Predators get to hand the reigns over to Connor Ingram in goal.

2021 Draft

3-Brandt Clarke

12 (from OTT)-Zachary Bolduc

41-Cole Huckins

The Flames get two blue chip prospects in Brandt Clarke and Zachary Bolduc and a very solid center prospect in Cole Huckins.

Calgary Flames re-sign Drake Batherson to a 3 yr deal worth 3.5 million per season, Juuse Saros is re-signed to a 3 yr deal worth 3.5 million per season.

Juuso Valimaki, Dillon Dube, Dominik Simon are re-signed to 2 yr deals; Sam Bennett is re-signed to a 3 yr deal.

The Calgary Flames finish the 2021-22 season with the 4th worst record but end up with the 6th pick in the draft.

2022 draft

6-Ivan Miroshnichenko

10 (from NJ)-Jack Devine

18 (from PIT)-Simon Forsmark

The Flames draft 3 top notch prospects in Ivan Miroshnichenko, Jack Devine and Simon Forsmark; all three players should be a key part of their core in the future.

Calgary Flames re-sign Matthew Tkachuk to a 8 yr deal worth 7 million per season.

Erik Brannstrom, Josh Norris are re-signed to 3 yr deals worth 3.25 million per season.

The Calgary Flames finish the 2022-23 season with the 10th worst record in the league but one team jumps them in the lottery and the drop to the 11th pick in the draft.

Before the 2023 draft, two big trades are made:

Calgary Flames trade Noah Hanifin to the New York Ranges for Ryan Lindgren, Filip Chytil, 2nd round pick 2023.

The Flames get Ryan Lindgren, a physical top 6 defenseman and Filip Chytil, a top 9 forward and a 2nd round pick, while the Rangers get Noah Hanifin, a very solid top 4 defenseman to stabilize their defense.

Mikael Backlund is traded to the Anaheim Ducks for Isac Lundstrom, Max Jones, Troy Terry, 2nd round pick 2023.

The Ducks get Mikael Backlund, a solid 2nd line center, while the Flames get Lundstrom, Jones and Terry, three solid role players and a 2nd round pick.

2023 Draft

11-Ondrej Molnar

The Flames get a very talented winger in Ondrej Molnar, that only adds to their overwhelming prospect pool.

Calgary Flames re-signed Juuso Valimaki, Dillon Dube to 4 yrs worth 4 million per season.

Ryan Lindgren, Filip Chytil is re-signed to 4 yr deals worth 3.25 million per season.

Max Jones, Troy Terry, Isac Lundstrom are re-signed to 3 yr deals.

By the 2023-24 season, the Calgary Flames have put together a very good team and could become legit contenders.

2023-24 Calgary Flames

I.Miroshnichenko-Z.Bolduc-E.Lindholm

M.Tkachuk-J.Norris-J.Devine

F.Chytil-D.Dube-D.Batherson

M.Jones-I.Lundstrom-T.Terry

S.Forsmark-B.Clarke

J.Valimaki-C.Tanev

R.Lindgren-E.Brannstrom

J.Markstrom

J.Saros

Top Prospects: Cole Huckins, Ondrej Molnar

By trade Gaudreau and Monahan, the Calgary Flames now have a team that is built to thrive in the playoffs.