[Huge If True is our weekly column in which we break down the plausibility of the week's biggest rumor. It runs every Thursday on Puck Daddy, authored by Ryan Lambert.]

The Rumor

The Calgary Flames are playing, rather appropriately, like a garbage fire these days.

They're 1-5-0 and even in that win they gave away a point to a division rival. Moreover, they've allowed 25 goals in just six games, scored only 12, been out-possessed worse than they were last year, and looked completely bereft of answers apart from, “If TJ Brodie were healthy we wouldn't be in this fix!”

(Which isn't true.)

So bereft of answers are the Flames that they've already waived Kari Ramo, holder of a robust .879 save percentage and allower of 11 goals in three appearances. That is, however, about as bad as Jonas Hiller's .867 and 13 conceded in four appearances. Clearly, there are no good options here, but what's worse is that Ramo has never really been an NHL-average goalie, and yet was re-upped for one year and $3.8 million this summer for reasons unknowable.

And so here we are with the Flames at a crossroads not dissimilar to the one Columbus faced. They're the second-worst team in the league right now with none of the future upside of a Carolina or Buffalo, and none of the present reasons to predict a turnaround like Anaheim.

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So it stands to reason, then, that rumors were floated yesterday about Brad Treliving thrashing desperately to get literally any kind of deal done. He told Mark Spector, the source of the rumors in question, that he is just trying to improve the team, with little indication if that means for the present or the future.

But the truly explosive part of this rumor is this:

“Treliving is willing to talk about a very big deal if he can find one. We even heard that his conversation with Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman was all about the Lightning’s obvious issues with signing soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Steven Stamkos.

The Flames would be willing to deal a top young player, perhaps Sam Bennett, to acquire Stamkos at this point.”

Well, that would be something. Bennett, for those not aware, is the No. 4 pick from 2014, a slightly undersized (6 feet and just 180 pounds) but immensely skilled center who looks to lead Calgary's 1-2 punch down the middle for the next decade or so with Sean Monahan.

There are other rumors involved here as well — Dennis Wideman and Kris Russell are available, and the Flames might deal Jiri Hudler if they don't think they can re-sign him, which they shouldn't regardless — which we'll revisit in a minute, but Stamkos-for-Bennett-plus seems to be the big one.

That would be a blockbuster.

Who's Going Where?

The deal in question would send Steven Stamkos packing to Calgary, while Sam Bennett and — you'd have to assume just for cap reasons — other pieces would head down to Tampa.

However, Spector cautions that Tampa would not be all that interested in Bennett right this second, preferring instead to try to poach Sean Monahan from the Flames' top line. Monahan, of course, is Calgary's 31-goal, top-line, 21-year-old center who has been absolutely pummeled so far this season (a minus-2.2 CF% on a team this bad is something else), especially given the offensive zone starts approaching 60 percent. He's clearly not alone in playing badly, but there are few Flames that have been worse.

It's interesting and not surprising that Tampa would be so intrigued by Monahan, but we have to keep in mind one rather important thing here: Stamkos has a no-move clause this season. Therefore, if he is traded without a new contract in hand, the Flames might lose him to free agency just as Tampa has to worry about now. And if it's a sign-and-trade, Stamkos would obviously have huge sway over that situation as well, because he could just flat refuse to do it and hit the open market either way.

So clearly it's one of those things where there's an interested party — and make no mistake, Treliving isn't the only one who would like a crack at acquiring a two-time 50-goal scorer — but no clear indication what the player wants. That could obviously hamper any sort of a deal at all.

As to the rest of those guys, a number of teams are looking for defensemen (Chicago, Columbus, Boston, etc.), but the Flames would be selling awful low and would either have to retain salary or take back worse contracts. And I would guess there'd be plenty of teams looking to add Jiri Hudler, but now's not the time to trade him, when the club would be reeking of desperation.

Story continues