The Flames re-signed a trio of restricted free agents today, announcing new deals for forward Rory Kerins and defensemen Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier. Kerins’ deal is a one-year, two-way pact paying him $775K in the NHL and $100K in the AHL with a $125K guarantee, per PuckPedia. Poirier also landed a one-year, two-way deal with the same breakdown as Kerins but no guarantee.
As for Kuznetsov, he lands a two-year contract that converts from a two-way structure in 2025-26 to a one-way in 2026-27. He’ll make the league minimum NHL salary in both seasons of $775K and $850K, respectively, for a cap hit of $812.5K. He’ll earn a $125K AHL salary this season with a $150K guarantee.
Kerins, 23, made his NHL debut in a five-game call-up in January. He was extremely productive in his small sample, recording four assists and a plus-three rating while averaging 12:14 per game.
Calgary selected the 5’10” center in the sixth round in 2020, and he’s since forced his way up the depth chart as a potentially high-ceiling offensive option. Whether he’s worked out enough of a niche to unseat veteran Dryden Hunt for one of their extra forward spots on their opening night roster remains to be seen. Still, he should be in contention for a job after his strong initial showing in the NHL in combination with his 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers last season.
Kuznetsov lands a bit more of a commitment with a signal that the Flames expect him to be an NHL contributor for the 2026-27 season. Calgary selected the 6’4″ Russian lefty in the second round in 2020, but the stay-at-home rearguard only has one NHL game to his name. He skated 11:58 of ice time in a game against the Senators on Jan. 9, 2024, recording a block and a minus-one rating with two shots on goal.
The 23-year-old is coming off a career year in the minors, though. He played all 72 games for the Wranglers and recorded 21 points along with a +21 rating, the highest on the team by a significant margin. Giving him a two-year deal risks walking him to Group VI unrestricted free agency in 2027 if he doesn’t reach 80 NHL career games by then.
Poirier, also 23 and a member of Calgary’s 2020 draft class (a third-rounder), is the only member of the group without NHL experience. The 6’1″ lefty has spent the last three seasons with the Wranglers as their top-scoring defenseman but missed significant time in 2023-24 due to injury.
Back healthy last season, Poirier rebounded with 42 points in 71 games, a career high. There remain some significant defensive gaps in his game that limit his recall potential, which he’ll need to make significant strides on in 2025-26 to work toward an NHL future.
Calgary has 42 of 50 contract slots filled for the season, with forward Connor Zary as their lone unsigned RFA.
All really good team friendly contracts. Now for Zary on a 2-3 year show me bridge, and Flames are ready to surprise the league again. In surprise, I mean a close call to the playoffs once again, orrr a top 3 pick in the next draft. Both scenarios would work.
In Conroy we trust…