Flames president against full teardown: 'This isn't fantasy hockey'

Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Don Maloney remains uninterested in committing to a full-scale rebuild despite the team's position in the basement of the NHL's standings.

Instead, Maloney wants the team to keep retooling and, if possible, avoid bottoming out - even if it would mean picking first overall.

"The only time you enjoy the first pick of the draft is at the draft - there's a lot of suffering to get there, and that's the farthest from our mind," Maloney told Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "No one has an appetite to just burn it to the studs, take it all down."

Obtaining the top pick would increase Calgary's odds of adding a franchise player the organization is lacking, such as Penn State forward Gavin McKenna.

"Unfortunately, this isn't fantasy hockey," Maloney said. "There's not even agreement anymore McKenna is going first. There's very few franchise players in every draft."

Calgary could trade away some of its productive veterans to acquire more picks and prospects and, in turn, increase its odds of picking high in the draft. However, Maloney isn't crazy about that idea, especially when it comes to leading scorer Nazem Kadri.

"I think we need more Kadris, not less," Maloney said. "We need more of that winning."

The 35-year-old Kadri could potentially fetch the Flames quite a haul with several center-needy teams on the trade market. But Kadri is under contract through 2027-28, so Calgary's hand isn't being forced.

The team's biggest trade deadline chip could be pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Rasmus Andersson, but Maloney isn't closing the door on keeping him in the fold.

"We'd love, personally, to find a way to get him signed here long term, but we'll see whether that can happen," Maloney said.

The Flames haven't picked in the top three of the draft since 1973. Their only top-five selection in the last 50 years was Sam Bennett, whom they took fourth overall in 2014.

Calgary has made the playoffs just five times in the last 16 seasons and hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1989.