The Calgary Flames are the most interesting seller at this year's NHL trade deadline, and pending unrestricted free agent Chris Tanev is an attractive target for contending clubs.

The Flames have a bevy of players that they can sell off, and they already began the process when they flipped center Elias Lindholm to the Canucks, getting back a strong haul that included a first round draft pick and established winger Andrei Kuzmenko.

Things have not gone according to plan in Calgary this season, as the Flames sought to build a Stanley Cup contender after losing stars Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau in the summer of 2022.

Instead, the Flames have sputtered badly this season, spending the entirety of it so far on the outside looking into the playoff picture, and not even being one of the closest teams to breaking in.

First-year general manager Craig Conroy has a mess on his hands, but nailing this trade deadline with other assets to sell like Noah Hanifin and Jacob Markstrom could set him up very well for the future.

NHL Trade Deadline: Chris Tanev

Contract Situation: Expires after this season, $4.5 million cap hit
Season Stats: 1 goal, 11 assists for 12 points in 54 games played
Possible Destinations: Dallas, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Boston, New York Rangers, Colorado

    It's no wonder that so many teams have come calling the Flames to voice their interest in acquiring Tanev. He's a veteran, right-hand shot defenseman who plays a physical brand of hockey that tends to make life miserable for opponents in the playoffs.

    He's everything a contending team could want to add to their blue line, especially if he can be protected in the lineup and not fed to the wolves against first lines on a nightly basis.

    Tanev's shutdown capabilities can help him erase a second or third line in a given game, and the physicality he brings can wear his opponents down over the course of a series.

    With Tanev on the ice this season, the Flames are allowing just 2.36 expected goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 play. That's the best among Flames defenseman who have been regularly dressing for the team all season, and by a significant margin.

    Tanev would fit in well with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who embrace physicality in the playoffs and have been hit with a rash of injuries on defense.

    Dallas would be a similarly good fit given their play style, and Edmonton makes sense not because of their playing style but because of what Tanev would add that is currently lacking from it.

    It's easy to imagine a situation where the Flames get a really good return here, given Tanev's unique brand of hockey and the fact that every team in the playoffs could use a guy like him. If the bidding war really ramps up, look for the Flames to walk away as the biggest winner among sellers at the deadline.