Rumor!

WIDEMAN MARKET ISN’T WIDE OPEN…YET

Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman saw third-pairing minutes during the club’s season-opener against Vancouver last Wednesday and was a healthy scratch for the Flames’ second game of the season versus the Edmonton Oilers. He returned to the lineup Saturday against the St. Louis Blues, logging more than 22 minutes of ice time.

The decision by coach Bob Hartley to sit Wideman, the Flames’ highest-paid player ($5.25 million per season), could resurrect the trade speculation which cropped up last month about the 31-year-old blueliner.

Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News recently responded to a reader’s question about the Stars perhaps pursuing Wideman. Heika believed they might be interested but considered it a tough trade to make, citing Wideman’s cap hit and the Flames’ asking price as potential stumbling blocks.

Wideman could address the Stars’ need for a right-handed defenseman. The Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks share a similar need. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, however, recently reported Flames GM Brad Treliving shot down the notion of trading Wideman because Wideman carries a full no-movement clause.

Should Wideman end up in Hartley’s doghouse throughout this season, he could become amenable to a change of scenery, especially if it’s to a club deeper in talent like Anaheim, Dallas or Detroit.