Insider: Recent Signings Have Given Flames Renewed Hope On 3 Pending UFAs

The Calgary Flames come into the season with some unfinished business to take care of. Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev are all entering the final years of their contracts. 

But recent events may be empowering Flames leadership that they might be able to get some things done that they didn't expect. 

There's already been some "positive momentum" in Calgary due to their recent Mikael Backlund extension, but now add in the totally unexpected long-term extensions signed by Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg, and the Flames seem even more emboldened. 

According to Insider Elliotte Friedman on his latest 32 Thoughts report: 

You can certainly see the possibility of Calgary using Scheifele’s $8.5M figure (in Winnipeg) in conversations with Elias Lindholm. (Lindholm is a year younger, so the term probably isn’t seven.) But it is believed the player is in the $9M range. 

Also: the Flames have re-engaged with both Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev to see if anything can be hammered out. 

The fact that they've re-engaged with Hanifin, in particular, is quite shocking, as he has been quite adamant about not re-signing in Calgary. Just one week ago, we got word that "nothing is going to change" in Noah Hanifin's desire to be traded. 

But perhaps the tide is turning? 

Flames fans can only hope. 

Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports