The Flames have finally read the writing on the wall and begun to trade away assets of value, as Jiri Hudler was shipped out to the Florida Panthers for a second round pick in this summer's draft as well as a fourth round pick in 2018.

Hudler will likely be a rental for the Panthers as his contract is up after this season. At 32 years old, Hudler can still score; he potted 31 last season, though he's had a down year this season with just 10 goals and 25 assists. He'll find a top six role on the Panthers as they look to solidify their playoff spot out of the Atlantic Division.

For a few seasons now, the Flames have been an extremely lucky team, parlaying an above average shooting percentage and just enough goaltending to get by in to a playoff spot. However, the team has been structually deficient for a while, as they are one of the worst teams in terms of Corsi-For, Corsi-Against, scoring chances allowed, and high-danger scoring chances allowed. With no chance at reaching the playoffs this year, the well has run dry and the team has sunk to the bottom of the Pacific Division, a position more in line with their underlying analytics.

Fantasy Fallout

Hudler's move is pretty lateral in terms of fantasy value. He's going to play in Florida's top six, which is good, as the Panthers have some very skilled players in that group. Players such as Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck, and Nick Bjugstad should all benefit from the arrival of Hudler, though it will depend on where he slots in on this team.

Keep in mind that Hudler was often playing next to Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary, so he's not moving from a poor situation to another in terms of linemates. Expectations are best tempered for Hudler.

Way Too Early Trade Judgement

This move is a solid get for the Panthers, as they have had a strong defense all season. Though they don't drive play exceptionally well, adding Hudler should help the offense take some heat off of Roberto Luongo and the Panthers defensive group. Hudler has been a 48.6% Corsi-For % player for the Flames this year, which is right about what Florida's team average is. That's not a great rate, so the Panthers still have some puck possession issues that could hurt them, but Hudler should be good for a few goals down the stretch.