The Calgary Flames have added another option for their forward group, signing Dominik Simon to a one-year, $700K contract. Simon did not receive a qualifying offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Simon, 26, is another example of a mid-round pick turning into a useful piece for the Penguins, even if he never quite did excel offensively. The fifth-round selection from 2015 has played 173 games in his NHL career, scoring 19 goals and 64 points. The usefulness came more from his versatility, as Simon bounced all over the lineup, even spending time next to Sidney Crosby for a period.
Though he isn’t likely to be a difference-maker in the Flames top-six, he is a valuable addition to a team that hasn’t been able to get over the playoff hump. Simon didn’t participate in the Stanley Cup run in 2017 but was part of the Penguins “Black Aces” that saw exactly what was required to win.
For Calgary, this gives them a 12th NHL forward (including Dillon Dube, who is still on his entry-level deal) and only increases the competition for minutes in the bottom-six. The team still has to sign restricted free agent Oliver Kylington but could even make another one of these depth moves with their remaining cap space. With the free agent market standing still, players like Simon will likely be happy just to get a job, even if it does pay the league minimum.
Thought he was a pretty good low risk target, especially if it was at league minimum. Good get for them.