Flames And Blue Jackets Assistant GM’s Scout Bruins-Lightning

The Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets both had their assistant general managers scouting the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Flames Assistant General Manager and Senior VP of Hockey Operations Dave Nonis and Blue Jackets assistant GM Basil McRae were two of eleven scouts sitting in ‘Scout’s Row’ at TD Garden.

The Flames also had their Northeast pro scout watching from above as well. The other eight teams represented at TD Garden were the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, and the San Jose Sharks.

But back to the Calgary Flames and why it’s worth taking note that Nonis was in attendance. It’s no secret that the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames have engaged in NHL trade talks this season. The Bruins continue to be linked to Flames defenseman and Norwood, MA native Noah Hanifin and were in the NHL trade sweepstakes for center Elias Lindholm, who was eventually traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31.

Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman believes that the only thing that pulled the Bruins out of the Lindholm NHL trade talks and potentially acquiring the 29-year-old potential 2024 unrestricted free agent was Lindholm not willing to sign an extension.

“There was one team that was not willing to make the deal without an extension, and I don’t know this for sure, but to me, that screams Boston. Because Boston has a need for the player,” Friedman said on a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. “They did it with Hampus Lindholm. They like to get guys signed, and the other thing about Boston, one of the things about them this year – and they’re having a really good year – they went all in last year.

Sweeney pushed the chips in last year. …you can’t do that every year. You can not do that every year, and my read of the situation, again, this is my opinion, but I believe it’s an informed opinion because of the way they do business. I would be shocked if that team weren’t Boston without an extension, and if Lindholm hits the market this summer, I think the Bruins are going to be in there.”

Like Lindholm, Hanifin is also set to hit the unrestricted free agent market on July 1 and recently acknowledged to Eric Francis of Sportsnet that he will need to either sign an extension with the Flames very soon or agree to be traded.

“It’s a huge decision, and my family plays a huge part in that,” the 27-year-old Hanifin told Francis just days after he scored in a 4-1 win over the Bruins in Boston on Feb. 6.

“My fiancée, my parents, my brother, and sisters were all home, so I was able to discuss with them the whole situation because obviously it’s going to be coming to a head sooner rather than later.”

While Nonis was likely scouting the Bruins for a potential trade, he was likely studying the Lightning, too, given the fact that they need a defenseman after losing Mikhail Sergachev for the season thanks to a gruesome leg injury suffered last week.

As for the Columbus Blue Jackets, 27-year-old center, and potential 2024 UFA Jack Roslovic and defensemen Adam Boqvist (23) and Andrew Peeke (25) have all been rumored to be on the NHL trade market. There has been some recent speculation that the team captain, 6-foot-2 and 205-pound center Boone Jenner, could become available, but most insiders believe that’s unlikely to happen.