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Flames Will Loan Zayne Parekh To Team Canada For World Juniors

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Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh will be on Canada’s roster for the World Junior Championship when it’s announced in December, Eric Francis of Sportsnet reports. First, he’ll need to recover from the upper-body injury that’s kept him out since Nov. 7 and has him listed as week-to-week.

Parekh has already been ruled out through the Flames’ ongoing road trip, Francis writes, but the team is targeting an early December return for their 2024 ninth overall pick. They have a four-game homestand to kick off the month and will look to get him into a couple of those games before letting him join the Canadian national junior team, which commences its camp in Niagara Falls on Dec. 12. He’s also eligible for a conditioning stint with AHL Calgary as a result of his missed time, something Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 reports is under consideration.

The ultimate deadline for Parekh’s inclusion on the Canadian roster is Dec. 20, though, according to Francis. Even if Parekh can’t get on the ice before then, that would at least leave him enough time to get into a couple of exhibition games in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the host cities of this year’s WJC.

The injury has dotted what’s been a trying adjustment to pro hockey for Parekh. As a result of the 19-year-old being ineligible for a full-time assignment to the AHL, he’s been stuck operating as a No. 6/7 piece on the Flames’ NHL roster and hasn’t gotten extended playing time. He was a healthy scratch on multiple occasions before sustaining his injury. He was only averaging 14:46 of ice time per game when in the lineup, limiting him to one assist through 11 appearances.

Calgary’s only other option was to send him back to junior hockey for the remainder of the season. That was never something the Flames were seriously considering, though. Parekh has won back-to-back OHL defense scoring crowns with the Saginaw Spirit, putting up back-to-back 33-goal seasons from the blue line and logging 107 points in just 61 games last season. But depending on the state of their defense after Parekh returns from the World Juniors, letting him finish the season in Saginaw – where he’ll at least get back to playing top-pairing minutes – might be a better outcome for his readiness heading into training camp next fall.

Calgary Flames Claim John Beecher

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The Calgary Flames have claimed center John Beecher off of waivers from the Boston Bruins, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported today.

The Flames held the top waiver priority slot due to their place in the standings, meaning it’s possible more teams placed a claim on Beecher, a 2019 first-round pick, than just Calgary.

Per Derek Willis, the Flames’ radio play-by-play commentator, Calgary is likely to play tonight in Chicago with freshly called up forward Sam Morton as their fourth-line center. While the undrafted 26-year-old has been a strong AHL contributor since signing out of Minnesota State of the NCAA, he has just one prior game of NHL experience.

By claiming Beecher, the Flames have added to their roster a player who is not only younger than Morton, but also brings a considerably greater level of experience in a fourth-line center role. The 6’3″ pivot broke into the NHL on a full-time basis in 2023-24, and played in a total of 52 games that year and 12 playoff games. Upon his arrival from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, Beecher was also a plug-and-play option for the Bruins’ penalty kill, averaging 1:40 shorthanded time-on-ice per game as a rookie.

Beecher maintained his fourth-line, penalty-killing role in 2024-25, a season where he set career-highs in games played (72) and points (11). But Beecher has not been able to take a step forward and become the kind of reliable shutdown defensive center who can elevate his value proposition to a team despite fourth-line usage.

With that said, despite the fact that the Bruins elected to waive him, Beecher still has some positive, valuable qualities as a player. He plays extremely fast for someone his size, and has a career faceoff win rate of 53%. For a Flames team that doesn’t figure to enter into the playoff picture in 2025-26, this waiver claim gives the team an opportunity to see if it can develop Beecher into a more valuable all-around player than the Bruins were able to over the course of his 136 games with the club.

Worth noting is that Beecher is a pending restricted free agent, carrying a $900K AAV. If the Flames elect to qualify him, he will hold arbitration rights.

Flames Recall Dryden Hunt, Sam Morton; Reassign Rory Kerins

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The Calgary Flames have made a few changes to their active roster. Calgary announced that they’ve recalled forwards Dryden Hunt and Sam Morton. Additionally, the team has reassigned forward Rory Kerins to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers in a corresponding roster move.

Today’s recall presents an opportunity for Hunt to play in his first NHL game of the season. Despite seeing his role reduced over the last three years in Calgary, Hunt re-upped with the Flames on a two-year, $1.65MM contract this past summer.

Regardless of seeing his opportunity drop at the NHL level, Hunt has become an exceptional offensive force for the Wranglers. Since coming to the organization in a minor swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline during the 2022-23 season, Hunt has scored 33 goals and 102 points in 104 games for AHL Calgary. Unfortunately, this has not resulted in NHL success, as Hunt has contributed only three goals and 11 points across 33 games while averaging 11:13 of ice time since his move to Alberta.

Likewise, Morton is another depth forward in the Flames organization who’s been highly successful at the NHL level. Calgary signed Morton as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State University in the 2023-24 season. Since then, he’s scored 29 goals and 64 points in 99 games with the AHL Wranglers. Still, he’s hardly gotten an opportunity at the NHL level. He’s only played in one game for the Flames up to this point, a game in which he scored his first NHL goal.

Meanwhile, Kerins returns to the Wranglers after participating in a couple of games for the Flames. He did average 15:51 of ice time over his recent recall, but went scoreless with a -1 rating. He’s scored five goals and 14 points in 13 games with AHL Calgary this year.

Flames’ Samuel Honzek Out Week-To-Week

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The Calgary Flames have announced that rookie winger Samuel Honzek (upper-body) is out week-to-week after colliding with captain Mikael Backlund in Saturday night’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Honzek was hit in open ice while trying to cross into the offensive zone. He exited the game in the second period.

Honzek has been a lineup fixture in a year where the Flames are focused first on developing their top prospects. He has four points, 22 shots on goal, and 35 hits through 18 games this season. He is playing through his rookie season in the NHL, after spending the majority of last year with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. Honzek posted 21 points in 52 games with the Wranglers, enough to warrant the first five games of his NHL career at the end of the season. He managed no scoring in those appearances.

Honzek will join fellow rookie Zayne Parekh, and fellow forward Martin Pospisil, on the Flames’ sideline. Calgary is likely to turn towards Yegor Sharangovich to fill the hole in the bottom-six initially. Sharangovich has only four points through 16 games this seaosn, but could be spurred back to production after serving as a healthy scratch. He scored 31 goals and 59 points, both career-highs, in the 2023-24 season, his first year in Calgary.

If Sharangovich continues to underwhelm, the Flames could opt to recall rookie Matvei Gridin from the minor-leagues. Gridin began the year on the NHL roster, but earned an assignment to the minors after posting one goal and a minus-three in four games. The first-year pro has looked much more comfortable in the minors, netting 13 points in his first 13 AHL games, good for third on the Wranglers in scoring. He has also posted a plus-seven, second-highest on the team.

Flames Reassign Justin Kirkland, Recall Rory Kerins

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Nov. 13: Kirkland has cleared waivers and has been sent to the AHL, the team announced. The corresponding transaction isn’t an activation for Pospisil, though. They announced earlier in the day that they’ve recalled Kerins from the minors, and he’s expected to make his season debut tonight against the Sharks in place of Yegor Sharangovich, who’s headed for the press box, per Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960.

Most had penciled Kerins into an opening-night job for the Flames because they’d have to waive him to send him to the minors. After he had four assists in his first five NHL games last season and was nearly a point-per-game in the AHL, the thought was that he wouldn’t make it through. They were able to sneak him through the wire, though, and he’s continued to roll at an elite scoring pace in the minors. Now 23 years old, the 2020 sixth-round pick has five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 13 games to lead the Wranglers in scoring.

Nov. 12: The Flames have placed forward Justin Kirkland on waivers, Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 reports. He’ll be assigned to AHL Calgary if he clears tomorrow.

It’s possible Calgary is clearing a roster spot to activate winger Martin Pospisil from injured reserve. Pospisil has yet to play this season due to an undisclosed injury he sustained during the preseason. He’s been skating on his own for a few weeks and could be an option for tomorrow’s game against the Sharks if he’s activated.

Kirkland being the odd man out is a disappointing resolution, but not an unexpected one. The 29-year-old was essentially a career minor-leaguer until last season, when he earned an early-season recall from the Flames and carved out a fourth-line role for himself. Through 21 games, he posted two goals and six assists for eight points while averaging 9:42 per game. He had some underwhelming possession impacts despite a +6 rating, but gained cult status with Calgary fans through his shootout performances, converting three times on his four attempts. His moment in the sun came to an end in late November, when he sustained a knee injury against the Blue Jackets that required season-ending ACL surgery.

The Winnipeg native could have been an unrestricted free agent last summer, but the Flames liked enough of what they saw to re-up him on a one-year contract worth $900,000 in late June. Kirkland held on to an opening-night job for the first time in his career, but he only lasted two games before being healthy scratched for the first time. He was in and out of the lineup until late October, when he made a season-high four consecutive appearances. He hasn’t played since that stretch, sitting out for five in a row since Nov. 1.

In his nine showings this season, Kirkland has been limited to one assist and a -1 rating. His ice time remained limited at 9:34 per game. The 6’3″ center showed improvement in the faceoff dot, though, winning 54.5% of his draws compared to 42.9% last season. He also posted improved possession metrics, controlling 56.5% of shot attempts when he was on the ice at even strength.

His six-figure salary and expiring contract make him a legitimate target for a claim. The Flames have comparable veteran names in the system, like Clark Bishop and Dryden Hunt, who can be called up if needed, though, while prospects Matvei Gridin and Rory Kerins are off to strong starts in the minors and banging on the door for a recall. Clearly, they’re comfortable with the risk of losing Kirkland because of their existing depth.

Miromanov Sent Back To Minors

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  • Daniil Miromanov’s second NHL stint of the season was short-lived. After recalling him on Sunday, the Flames announced (Twitter link) that they have returned him to AHL Calgary.  The 28-year-old didn’t see any action while on recall and has just one NHL appearance on the season.  Miromanov cleared waivers last month and has spent most of the season in the minors with the Wranglers where he has four points in seven games.  Calgary now has one open roster spot with a second coming tomorrow once Justin Kirkland’s waiver period expires.

Former Flyers Center Mel Bridgman Passes Away At 70

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Former Philadelphia Flyers centerman and general manager of the 1992 Ottawa Senators, Mel Bridgman, has passed away at the age of 70. Bridgman was the first-overall selection in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. He played through 14 seasons in the NHL, then returned to school to support a front office career with the Senators.

Philadelphia drafted Bridgman on the heels of the Broad Street Bullies era. Coming off of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, the Flyers managed to acquire the first-overall pick from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Bill Clement, Don McLean, and a later first round pick. Naturally, the Flyers took a player that fit right in with their gritty style. Bridgman was coming off a 157-point season in the WCHL, the predecessor to the modern WHL. He didn’t keep quite that spark in the NHL, but still put together a solid rookie year, with 50 points and 86 penalty minutes in 80 games. That presence helped Bridgman climb into a major role with the Flyers at only 20-years-old, and earned him a fifth-place finish in 1976 Calder Trophy voting.

Bridgman found his groove as a hard-nosed grinder over the next five seasons. He became the seventh Flyer to cross the mark of 200 penalty minutes when he reached 203 PIMs in the 1997-78 season. He continued to rival that mark through 1981, all while routinely rivaling 50-to-60 points. Bridgman reached his scoring peak in the 1981-82 season, though the bulk of his points would come with the Calgary Flames, after a contentious November trade swapped him for Brad Marsh. Bridgman put up 75 points and 94 penalty minutes in 63 games with Calgary, bringing him up to a year-long total of 87 points and 141 penalty minutes after nine games with Philadelphia to start the season.

His scoring fell back to normal in the following year, prompting a move to the New Jersey Devils in 1983. Bridgman, once Philadelphia’s captain for three years, took on the Devils’ captaincy and led the team in scoring (61 points) in the 1984-85 season. He continued to wear the ’C’ until being traded to the Detroit Red Wings at the 1987 Trade Deadline. Bridgman continued his career for two more years, and retired with the Vancouver Canucks in 1989.

Soon after ending his playing days, the well-known Bridgman was named GM of a 1992 expansion team, the revitalized Ottawa Senators. He brought in eight-year pro John Ferguson as his Director of Player Personnel, and built a Senators squad headlined by Peter Sidorkiewicz, Norm Maciver, and Brad Shaw. The team ranked dead-last in scoring in their inagural season, leading to an attempt to spur the offense with Alexei Yashin and Alexandre Daigle, the second-overall pick in 1992 and first-overall pick in 1993 respectively. The duo led the Senators in scoring as rookies, but failed to pull Ottawa from the league’s depths, prompting Bridgman to launch a flurry of roster transactions that would end with his firing at the end of the 1992-93 season.

Bridgman stepped away from the NHL following his ousting in Ottawa. To some, he’s remembered as a great Flyer who led the team through the first years after their dynasty era. To others, he’s among the most imposing players of the NHL’s most physical era, as described by Mike Bossy in his biography and NHL Player’s Tribune letter. Bridgman’s tenure in the NHL often sparked controversy, but was never short of action. He was tapped to lead clubs through dark times, as a player and manager, and did both with breakneck pace. Pro Hockey Rumors sends condolences to Bridgman’s family, friends, and fans.

Latest On Kevin Bahl, Martin Pospisil

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  • Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike relayed two injury updates from Calgary Flames head coach Ryan Huska today: defenseman Kevin Bahl, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury, may return against the Minnesota Wild tomorrow, while forward Martin Pospisil’s absence due to an upper-body injury is “still going to be a while.” Bahl, who this season signed a $5.5MM AAV extension to remain in Calgary, missed the team’s game Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Pospisil has been out for far longer; he has yet to make his season debut in 2025-26.

Flames Recall Daniil Miromanov, Place Zayne Parekh On IR

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6:00 p.m.: Huska provided some more clarity regarding Parekh’s timeline today, according to Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike. Huska told the media that Parekh’s injury is considered “week-to-week.” Pike also noted that while Parekh is on injured reserve, games played by the Flames will still “count” for Parekh regarding the 40-game threshold that would see him accrue a year of service time towards unrestricted free agency.

While there’s still a long way to go before the Flames have to begin seriously thinking about any looming UFA status for Parekh, who is just 19 years old, Parekh’s UFA timeline could come into play in future extension talks. It is generally viewed as more expensive for a team to sign a contract covering a year where a player would be eligible for unrestricted free agency compared to restricted free agency. As a result, even though any unrestricted free agency for the player seems to be far away at this point, it is still an aspect of this injury news that is notable.

11:57 a.m.: After losing defenseman Zayne Parekh to an upper-body injury last night against Chicago, the Flames are bringing up a replacement for him.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled blueliner Daniil Miromanov from AHL Calgary.  To make room on the roster, Parekh was placed on injured reserve.

Miromanov broke camp with the Flames but playing time was rather difficult to come by as he was in the number eight role.  As a result, he was placed on waivers a little under three weeks ago and after clearing, he was sent to the Wranglers.  In seven games with them so far, the 28-year-old has done relatively well, picking up a goal and three assists.

Miromanov has 94 career NHL games under his belt, one coming this season.  He got into a career-best 44 games with the Flames in 2024-25 where he had nine points and 55 blocked shots while averaging 17:41 per night.  In the final season of a two-year, $2.5MM deal, he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and might be staring down a possible salary reduction.

As for Parekh, head coach Ryan Huska told reporters postgame including Postmedia’s Daniel Austin that the rookie was set to miss some time, even though they don’t yet know the full extent of the injury.  With this placement, he’ll be out for at least one week.  Parekh recently officially began the first season of his entry-level contract once he eclipsed the nine-game mark and has one assist in 11 outings in 2025-26 while playing a little under 15 minutes a night.

Summer Synopsis: Calgary Flames

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With the regular season now upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team accomplished over the offseason.  Next up is a look at the Calgary Flames.

The Flames remain in a rebuilding phase and have seen early signs of progress through young, rising players making an NHL impact. Their prospect pool is mid-ranked due to several players graduating, but they still have some promising prospects likely to impact the NHL very soon. Calgary finds itself in a peculiar position: it isn’t tearing everything down completely, but as its competitive window begins to open, it lacks the depth of prospects to support its NHL roster fully. General manager Craig Conroy faces a challenging task, but the Flames have some skilled young players to develop around.

Draft                                                  

1-18 – C Cole Reschny, Victoria (WHL)
1-32 – C Cullen Potter, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
2-54 – C Theo Stockselius, Djurgårdens IF J20 (J20 Nationell)
3-80 – D Mace’o Phillips, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
5-144 – LW Ethan Wyttenbach, Sioux Falls (USHL)
6-176 – RW Aidan Lane, St. Andrew’s College (U18 AAA)
7-208 – D Jakob Leander, HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
7-211 – LW Yan Matveiko, CSKA Jr. (MHL)

With their first pick in the NHL Entry Draft, the Flames chose a two-way center in Reschny, who is considered comparable to Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti. Reschny isn’t very tall, but he’s an explosive skater who isn’t afraid to stickhandle through traffic, even if bigger players might bump him off the puck. He’s creative with the puck and possesses a high hockey IQ. The Flames hope Reschny develops into a top-six playmaker, capable of playing a responsible defensive game as well.

With their second first-round pick, the Flames chose another center in Potter, who has a similar build to Reschny and is also a two-way player. That’s where many of the similarities between Potter and Reschny end, as Potter is more of a blue-collar guy and tends to outwork his opponents. He’s a skilled faceoff guy, can kill penalties, and is reportedly a good team guy in the dressing room. The Flames are probably hoping Potter develops into a top-nine center, which makes sense since he’s not a high-end scorer and has a ceiling in the middle six.

With their second-round pick, Calgary chose Stockselius from Sweden. Once again, the Flames selected a center, and in Stockselius’s case, he was picked primarily for his skill and passing ability. His skating isn’t exceptional, and he isn’t huge, but he’s a clever player who can work through traffic and make passes in tight spaces.

For their third-round pick, Calgary selected defenseman Phillips, a mobile two-way defender who already appears NHL-ready. Phillips isn’t outstanding with the puck and often makes too many turnovers under pressure, which can lead him to force breakout passes or dump pucks into areas where his teammates can’t retrieve them. Despite struggles with puck handling, Phillips is an excellent defender who can close gaps quickly with his strong skating and isn’t shy about battling in the corners and in front of his net.

Trade Acquisitions

None

UFA Signings

F Mikael Backlund (two years, $6.5MM)^ (extension)
C Clark Bishop (one year, $775K)*^
D Nick Cicek (one year, $775K)*
D Joel Hanley (two years, $3.5MM)^
D Dryden Hunt (two years, $1.65MM)*^
C Justin Kirkland (one year, $900K)^
G Ivan Prosvetov (one year, $950K)

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

The Flames had a quiet summer on the UFA market, opting to sign a few veterans on short-term deals. The most notable move was signing Backlund to a two-year contract worth $3.25MM per season. The 36-year-old doesn’t score many goals and isn’t the playmaker he once was, but he remains a reliable depth scorer who can play solid defense, create plays, and handle tough deployments. He is also a strong leader, having served as the Flames’ captain since September 2023, and appears happy to finish his career in Alberta, having signed for two more seasons that will see him through to the end of a 20-year tenure in Calgary.

The Flames also signed veteran defenseman Hanley to a two-year deal. The 34-year-old joined Calgary via a waiver claim in March 2024 after six seasons with Dallas, and he performed well in 53 games this past year to earn an extension. The $1.75MM AAV is the biggest payday of Hanley’s career by a wide margin and was a fitting reward for the best season of his career last year. Hanley isn’t flashy and is limited with the puck on his stick, but he protects the front of the net, battles hard for every puck, and is a reliable penalty killer. The Flames could do much worse than Hanley on their bottom pairing, as he offers a dependable, steady presence and should serve as a good leader for the team’s young players. However, given the state of the team’s defense, they may play him higher in the lineup for long stretches of the season.

Apart from retaining some veterans, the Flames didn’t do much to bring in new talent, mainly opting for AHL and depth players. Kirkland was their most significant signing, and given that he is 28 and has played only 30 NHL games before this season, he is unlikely to have a significant impact this year. Late bloomers do exist, and it’s possible Kirkland is one of them, but the most likely scenario is that Kirkland becomes a fringe player for the Flames and makes little impact at the NHL level.

RFA Re-Signings

D Kevin Bahl (six years, $32.1MM)
RW Matt Coronato (seven years, $45.5MM)
C Morgan Frost (two years, $8.75MM)
C Rory Kerins (one year, $775K)*
RW Adam Klapka (two years, $2.5MM)
D Yan Kuznetsov (two years, $1.625MM)*
C Sam Morton (one year, $775K)*
D Jeremie Poirier (one year, $775K)*
C Martin Pospisil (three years, $7.5MM)
G Dustin Wolf (seven years, $52.5MM)
C Connor Zary (three years, $11.325MM)

*-denotes two-way contract

The Flames made significant moves this summer to secure their core young players. Securing goaltender Wolf was a top priority, and the Flames managed to sign the 24-year-old to a deal that will keep him into his 30s. Wolf was outstanding last season, playing in 53 games with a .910 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average. He was a strong Calder Trophy contender, finishing second in voting, and lived up to the expectations that came with his NHL debut. Wolf’s numbers in the AHL were exceptional, so his NHL start isn’t surprising to anyone. While the Flames believe they have their franchise goalie locked in, there’s always concern about goaltenders given their unpredictable performance. There’s no reason to think Wolf’s play will suddenly decline, but he is undersized, and due to the volatility of the position, nothing is guaranteed. On the bright side, Wolf’s $7.5MM extension could age very well if he continues to reach his potential, especially with the increase in the NHL salary cap.

Bahl was another defenseman signed long-term, agreeing to a six-year deal worth $5.35MM per season. Given the current state of the Flames’ roster and the fact that they haven’t drafted any left-handed defensemen at the top of the draft in a while, it seems likely that Bahl will be at the top of the Flames’ defensive core for the foreseeable future. Bahl brings very little offensively, but on the defensive side, he is highly effective, ranking in the 94th percentile in denying entries into Calgary’s defensive zone (as per JFresh). He was also in the 76th percentile for even-strength wins above replacement on defense. Bahl is an effective player, and should continue to be throughout the duration of his deal.

Coronato was another piece that the Flames extended long term, this time for seven years. The 22-year-old made a significant leap in his development last season, scoring 24 goals and providing 23 assists in 77 games. His 47 points marked a 38-point increase from the previous season, in which he had three goals and six assists in 34 games. There are no guarantees that Coronato becomes an elite sniper, but he at least appears to be a reliable secondary scorer who can be a nuisance on the forecheck. If he can do that, then the contract will be reasonable; if he evolves into a first-line sniper who scores 30-40 goals annually, it will be an incredible bargain in the long run.

With Zary, the Flames chose a more cautious approach, signing a three-year bridge deal. Zary took a step back last year after scoring 34 points as a rookie, finishing with just 27 points (13 goals and 14 assists) in 54 games this past season. The 24-year-old didn’t showcase the same puck-handling ability last season as he did the year before and sometimes struggled with turnovers. Like Coronato, Zary applies pressure on the forecheck and isn’t afraid to crash the net for rebounds, which should benefit him if he can build more strength. His bridge deal gives Zary the chance to prove to the Flames he is part of their core moving forward, and it could lead to a big payday if he develops into a consistent 25-30 goal scorer.

Departures

D Jonathan Aspirot (signed with Boston, one year $775K)*
D Tyson Barrie (retired)
F Anthony Mantha (signed with Pittsburgh, one year $2.5MM)
F Kevin Rooney (signed with Utah, one year, $775K)*
D Ilya Solovyov (claimed off waivers by Colorado)
G Dan Vladar (signed with Philadelphia, two years $6.7MM)

*-denotes two-way contract

Calgary didn’t suffer any significant losses this summer, only losing a few depth veterans to unrestricted free agency. Arguably, their most crucial loss is Mantha, a player who barely dressed last season because of injury. The 31-year-old forward played just 13 games last season, scoring four goals and three assists in what was his only season with the Flames, and it seemed he could have been a good fit if it hadn’t been for an injury that kept him out for most of the year. Mantha signed with the Penguins in the off-season and has looked very good alongside Evgeni Malkin and Justin Brazeau, recording six goals and five assists in 12 games. If Mantha can maintain this pace, he could be looking at a healthy raise next summer.

The Flames also lost goaltender Vladar to the Philadelphia Flyers in free agency. With Wolf’s emergence, the Flyers probably saw a $3.35MM backup goalie as a luxury they couldn’t afford. Vladar’s stats were quite average during his four-year stint with Calgary, though his underlying numbers were less flattering as he tended to have a negative goals saved above expected. His size was always interesting, but considering his stats, Calgary probably made the right decision by letting the 28-year-old move on.

Barrie had a solid career as an offensive defenseman but hasn’t been effective in the NHL for quite some time. Last year with the Flames. Barrie struggled and recorded just a goal and two assists in 13 games. It wasn’t that long ago that the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Flames center Kadri for Barrie, hoping he would be a catalyst from their back end. However, he never lived up to those expectations and moved on to the Oilers before finishing with Nashville and finally Calgary. The Flames won’t miss the veteran, given his limited production, and are better suited to let a youngster fill in Barrie’s spot on the depth chart.

Salary Cap Outlook

Despite arguably possessing the worst contract in the NHL (Jonathan Huberdeau at $10.5MM annually), the Flames are currently $13.38MM under the salary cap (according to PuckPedia). This provides them with plenty of flexibility during the season and could keep them active, depending on how their campaign unfolds. If Calgary is in the hunt for a playoff spot, they might be cautious buyers or even aggressive ones, depending on their standings position. However, given the state of their roster, that seems unlikely. Still, if they decide to move out a pending UFA like Rasmus Andersson, they could retain salary since they have two retention spots remaining and ample cap space to facilitate a move.

Key Questions

Will the Flames trade Nazem Kadri?

Kadri remains a highly productive center in a league full of teams needing help down the middle. He has three years remaining on his contract at a reasonable $7MM per season and posted 67 points in 82 games last season. At 35, some teams may be deterred by his age, but his strong start to the year suggests his production is unlikely to decline soon. However, paying a player $7MM annually until he’s 39 is a significant gamble, even with the rising salary cap. Kadri probably doesn’t fit the Flames’ contention window, and the best time to get maximum value for him is likely over the next nine months.

Are they rebuilding or retooling?

I don’t have the answer here, and it’s not clear if the Flames do either. Calgary underwent a clear teardown just a few years ago when it traded away Noah Hanifin, Jacob Markstrom, and several other veterans. However, they still kept many of their older players, and this could be the season where they make their direction clear. With Andersson, Ryan Lomberg, and Jake Bean heading for free agency next summer, the plan should become evident before the season ends.

Are their young players good enough to build around?

The short answer is no —at least not yet. Calgary has some promising young players, but outside of Wolf, no one appears destined to become an elite-level talent, and there are reasons to doubt Wolf will be either. Obviously, the young players on the roster are very talented. Still, if the plan is to rebuild, there are many young teams ahead of them, and Calgary will need to embrace a complete teardown or find a way to accelerate the process quickly.

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