Flames' Prospect Cullen Potter Models Game After His Mom
- In a write-up on the last pick of the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, Cullen Potter explained to Aaron Vickers of NHL.com that instead of having a role model in the NHL, Potter has modeled his game after his mother’s, U.S.A. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Jenny Schmidgall-Potter. The recent pick of the Calgary Flames and a sophomore at Arizona State University was quoted saying, “I haven’t watched too much tape, but just at the outdoor rinks I definitely probably mimic some of her stuff. I think some people that watched her play say I mimic her a little bit.”
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Will The Flames Move Any Veteran Players?
The Flames entered this summer looking to improve upon last season, but haven’t made many player additions. They have been busy thus far, signing several restricted free agents, including Morgan Frost and Kevin Bahl. However, they haven’t made any outside improvements to the roster and still have to take care of restricted free agent Connor Zary’s next deal. The Flames also have a couple of veterans whose names have been in trade rumors this summer, including defenseman Rasmus Andersson and center Nazem Kadri. Kadri’s name has popped up over the past few weeks, and he would be a desirable trade chip. Andersson has had his name in headlines for a while and has been linked with several teams, but no trade has materialized.
Calgary faces a tough dilemma with Andersson, who has one year remaining on his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026. The Flames can attempt to move him this summer, but without an extension secured, teams might hesitate to meet a high asking price. The Flames aren’t eager to sell Andersson for less than they believe he’s worth, but they also wouldn’t be wise to sign him long-term right now, considering his recent decline in play. Andersson remains a vital trade piece for the Flames if they choose to make him one, and he could bring Calgary multiple assets even if he doesn’t agree to an extension.
The flip side is that Calgary is trying to rebuild, and trading away a capable right-shot defenseman in his prime will set the team back, as they are unlikely to get a roster player of equal value to Andersson in return. That said, Frank Seravalli reported over a month ago that both Andersson and the Flames have exchanged figures on a potential extension, and they don’t seem to be on the same page.
For his part, Andersson seems eager to test the market, as he has been selective about which teams he would negotiate a contract extension with, when asked by the Flames (according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic). It’s a bit of a gamble for the 28-year-old, as he is coming off two disappointing seasons and risks severe damage to his market value if he has another off year next season. Andersson is set to earn $4.55MM next season in the final year of a six-year, $27.3MM contract he signed back in January 2020. That deal initially proved to be a bargain for Calgary and has been closer to market value over the past two seasons.
Andersson’s offensive numbers took a significant hit last season, and his plus/minus was dreadful at -38. While plus/minus isn’t the best stat to gauge a player’s overall performance, a closer look reveals his PDO was only .953, suggesting a lot of bad luck. Nevertheless, the -38 is quite striking, and Andersson did face struggles defensively, along with poor puck management, last season. It would be a significant risk for Calgary to sign Andersson to an extension at this time, but trading him when his value is lower than it could be is also a gamble.
Calgary forward Kadri has also had his name mentioned this summer, and his situation is very different from Andersson’s. Kadri is coming off a strong season with 35 goals and 32 assists in 82 games and is six years older than the defender. He also has four years remaining on his contract, with a cap hit of $7MM, and he holds a no-movement clause.
The timing of a potential Kadri trade this summer seems unusual since he has significant control over where he would go and is just a year away from his full no-movement clause turning into a 13-team no-trade list, which could make him easier to move. However, Calgary might see risk in waiting to trade him because he will be 35 at the start of October and could begin to show signs of aging. It’s a delicate balance for Calgary as they try to improve and compete for the playoffs next season, and they wouldn’t exactly be dealing from a position of strength if they move Kadri.
Beyond Kadri, Calgary has Mikael Backlund, Frost, and Martin Pospisil as their second, third, and fourth-line centers, respectively. If anything, that is a group Calgary would probably like to add to, but it might not happen this off-season. Yegor Sharangovich and Zary could also play center for the Flames, but it would deplete an already thin forward group unless the Flames received NHL-ready forwards in return for Kadri.
All of this to say, that it doesn’t feel like the right time for Calgary to trade Kadri, but it definitely can’t be ruled out given Kadri’s age and contract. Andersson, on the other hand, is a wild card; the negotiations haven’t been significant on an extension, so it’s entirely possible he gets moved before the season and will almost certainly be traded at the NHL Trade Deadline unless he signs an extension.
Photo by David Gonzales-USA TODAY Sports
Flames Extend ECHL Affiliation
The Calgary Flames have signed a multi-year extension with the Rapid City Rush, their ECHL affiliate. The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed. This will continue a partnership that began in the 2022-23 season. Rapid City has finished sixth in the ECHL’s Mountain Division, and missed the postseason, in all three of their seasons under Calgary’s organizational roof.
The Rush are among the middle siblings of the ECHL, entering the league as an expansion team ahead of the 2008-09 season. They had a stunted inaugural season, but managed to blaze their way to a Kelly Cup Championship win in 2010. That kicked off a string of playoff appearances that continued through 2015. Rapid City announced their first NHL affiliate, a partnership with the Arizona Coyotes, on the heels of those six consecutive postseason appearances. They’d stay with Arizona for two seasons, only to be dropped by the club for two years, and then reaffiliated from 2019 to 2022. Rapid City was once again dropped by Arizona ahead of the 2022-23 season, opening the door for a quickly-organized partnership with the Flames. While the club hasn’t found much league success under Calgary’s guard, they have managed to promote 14 players to the AHL and NHL lineups over the course of three seasons. That includes top Flames prospect Rory Kerins, who scored 37 points in 38 games with the Rush in 2022-23.
Flames Re-Sign Rory Kerins, Yan Kuznetsov, Jeremie Poirier
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.
Flames’ Joni Jurmo, Maple Leafs’ Ty Voit Have Contracts Terminated
July 16: Jurmo and Voit cleared waivers and will have their deals terminated, according to Friedman.
July 15: Flames defense prospect Joni Jurmo and Maple Leafs forward prospect Ty Voit are both on unconditional waivers Tuesday to terminate their entry-level contracts, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Both have one year left on their deals and would have been restricted free agents in 2026. Any other NHL club can claim them within the next 24 hours; if not, their contracts will be voided, their remaining money forfeited, and they’ll become unrestricted free agents.
Jurmo, 23, was a third-round pick by the Canucks in 2020. Calgary acquired his signing rights in last year’s Elias Lindholm trade and signed him after his season in his native Finland concluded, bringing him to North America for 2024-25.
While Jurmo had played exclusively in Finland’s top-flight Liiga since 2021-22, the adjustment to North America was rough. The 6’4″, 207-lb lefty failed to capture a full-time AHL role with the Calgary Wranglers, going pointless with an even rating in 17 games. He fared much better in the ECHL with the Rapid City Rush, posting 10 points in 12 games, but his lack of success higher on the depth chart wasn’t a promising sign for his development so long after his draft year.
Jurmo likely wasn’t happy with the lack of overall playing time, either, and will presumably seek out a more stable role in Europe if he becomes a UFA tomorrow. In turn, Calgary will clear a contract slot and open up more playing time for their large pool of young defenders likely headed for the Wranglers this season.
Voit, 22, is a similar story. Toronto’s 2021 fifth-rounder was a star in the OHL after missing his draft year due to COVID, capping off his junior career with a 105-point showing in 67 games for the Sarnia Sting in 2022-23.
Injuries cost him nearly his entire 2023-24 season as he adjusted to the professional ranks, though. He still showed immense playmaking promise when healthy, recording eight points in only five games for the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers.
Despite that, Voit didn’t see a second of AHL action last season and instead spent the year back down in the ECHL, now with the Cincinnati Cyclones. His production entered a tailspin, posting a much more conservative 8-29–37 scoring line in 63 games.
The 5’9″ forward could still be in line for an AHL contract somewhere, even if NHL interest isn’t likely. There’s a potential fit with the Penguins – he’s a Pittsburgh native and was drafted by current Pens general manager Kyle Dubas when he was in Toronto.
Prosvetov Had A Bigger Offer In Free Agency, Picked Flames To Compete For Backup Spot
- Goaltender Ivan Prosvetov signed a one-year, $950K contract with the Flames early in free agency. Speaking with reporters including Championat’s Nastya Vinnik, the 26-year-old acknowledged that he had an offer for more money on the table but picked Calgary instead since there was a pathway to a potential NHL spot. Prosvetov had a 2.32 GAA and a .920 SV% in 38 games last season with CSKA Moscow in the KHL and will battle Devin Cooley to serve as the backup to Dustin Wolf next season.
Flames Re-Sign Sam Morton To Two-Way Deal
The Flames have re-upped restricted free agent forward Sam Morton on a two-way contract, the team announced. It carries an NHL salary of $775K, but his minor-league salary wasn’t disclosed.
Morton, who turns 26 later this month, is coming off his first full professional season. Calgary signed the 6’0″ center to an entry-level contract last year as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State.
The Colorado native made a smooth adjustment to the pros, recording 20 goals and 25 assists for 45 points in 70 games for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers last season after finishing 2023-24 with seven points in 13 games for them on a tryout. He finished third on the team in goals and was rewarded with his NHL debut in the Flames’ final game of the regular season, scoring a goal in 12:25 of ice time in a 5-1 win over the Kings.
His development curve doesn’t suggest he’ll top out as anything more than a bottom-six piece if he ever secures a full-time NHL role, but he’s at least solidified himself as valuable organizational depth from the get-go. Morton’s qualifying offer was worth $813,750 at the NHL level; he takes less than that here to secure what will presumably be a higher AHL salary in the six-figure range. He made $82,500 in AHL salary last season after his $95K signing bonus.
Morton will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights again next summer before he’s eligible to test the open market in 2027. The Flames still have a few RFAs to sign in Connor Zary, Rory Kerins, Yan Kuznetsov, and Jeremie Poirier.
Flames Not Expected To Trade Nazem Kadri This Offseason
Given that many teams have struck out in their attempt to secure a top-six center this summer due to a limited market, some have turned their eyes toward Calgary Flames’ Nazem Kadri as a potential option on the trade market. Unfortunately, speaking on TSN’s First Up on Toronto 1050, Darren Dreger indicated that the Flames aren’t looking to trade Kadri just yet.
Although multiple teams are looking to add a top-six center, Kadri may be the hardest to acquire at the time being. He’s signed through the 2028-29 season at $7MM per, and has a full no-movement clause until next summer. Calgary is far likelier to explore a trade when they have some say in the matter, particularly when Kadri’s no-movement clause becomes a 13-team no-trade list in one year.
Still, it’s not hard to see why teams with their eye on contention would be interested in Kadri. After being an integral part of the Colorado Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, Kadri departed for the Flames the following summer, scoring 88 goals and 198 points in 246 games since.
Kadri has not only maintained his ability to produce points, but he has also kept up his physicality and strong possession play on a struggling team. Despite Calgary’s intentions of returning to the postseason sooner rather than later, one must consider how Kadri is interpreting the rebuild with only a few more years to add another Stanley Cup ring to his collection.
As Dreger pointed out, the Flames are much more likely to trade Kadri closer to the trade deadline. As much as his contract would have been a hindrance to competitive teams in the past, a $7MM cap hit could be manageable for most teams as the upper floor of the salary cap continues to head north.
During the early summer months, the Flames have engaged in several negotiations concerning defenseman Rasmus Andersson. If they’re out of contention by next March, Calgary could be setting itself up nicely to get quite the haul for two of the deadline’s most sought-after trade candidates.
Flames Sign Morgan Frost To Two-Year Extension
The Calgary Flames have signed centerman Morgan Frost to a two-year, $8.75MM contract extension per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The deal was first reported by Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK News. It will carry an annual cap hit of $4.38MM and an up-front signing bonus of $500,000 per PuckPedia.
The Flames acquired Frost alongside Joel Farabee partway through this season in a deal that sent Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick (Shane Vansaghi), and a 2028 seventh-round pick back to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Frost quickly slotted into Calgary’s third-line center role, but struggled to maintain the heights that he had reached with the Flyers. After beginning the year with 11 goals and 25 points in 49 games with Philadelphia, Frost finished it off with just 12 points in 32 games with Calgary. Despite the dip in scoring, he remained an active presence in all other areas of the ice, recording a positive faceoff win-rate, 21 blocked shots, and 34 hits with the Flames.
Frost’s cumulative 37 points on the season fall just shy of the pair of strong seasons he posted in Philadelphia over the last two years. Playing through his first full year in the NHL in 2023-24, Frost managed an impressive 19 goals and 46 pionts in 81 games while splitting time between the second and third lines. He followed that performance up with 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games last season, this time in a much more clear-cut third-line role.
There seems to be heaps of untapped offensive upside in Frost’s game. He’s recorded 147 points in 310 games in the NHL, to go with 48 points in 65 career games in the AHL. He was even tracking for a 50-point season to kick off this year, before being knocked off course by a what seemed to be a sudden trade. That fact could make this short-term deal an interesting bet for the Flames. He will enter unrestricted free agency on the other side of this contract, providing Frost a chance to either earn a pay raise in Calgary or find new pastures should he flame out. He’ll head for the third-line center role on the Flames lineup next season, behind Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund.
Two-Way Deals: 7/1/25
As major signings come in around the NHL today with the 2025-26 league year beginning, teams are shoring up their minor-league depth as well by signing players to two-way contracts. We’re keeping track of those signings today in this article, which will be continuously updated. Deals are one year unless otherwise noted.
Boston Bruins
F Riley Tufte ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
D Jonathan Aspirot ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
G Luke Cavallin ($775K NHL) – Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub
Buffalo Sabres
F Riley Fiddler-Schultz ($865K NHL/$90K SB/$35K PB/$85K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years, entry-level
F Carson Meyer ($775K NHL/$350K AHL Y1 – $375K AHL Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Mason Geertsen ($775K NHL/$425K AHL) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet // two years
D Zachary Jones ($900K NHL/$550K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Zach Metsa ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$325K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Calgary Flames
D Nick Cicek ($775K NHL) – team release
Carolina Hurricanes
G Amir Miftakhov ($775K NHL/$100K AHL/$240K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Chicago Blackhawks
F Dominic Toninato ($850K NHL) – team release // two years
Colorado Avalanche
F T.J. Tynan (unknown) – team release
D Jack Ahcan (unknown) – team release
D Ronald Attard ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Columbus Blue Jackets
F Owen Sillinger (unknown) – team release
D Christian Jaros (unknown) – team release
Dallas Stars
D Niilopekka Muhonen (unknown) – team release // three years, entry-level
Edmonton Oilers
D Riley Stillman ($775K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
G Matt Tomkins ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$450 Y2 gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
Florida Panthers
F Nolan Foote ($775K NHL/$150K AHL/$250K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Jack Studnicka ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – Chris Johnston of TSN/The Athletic
G Brandon Bussi ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
G Kirill Gerasimyuk (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
Los Angeles Kings
F Cole Guttman ($775K NHL/$450K Y1 – $475K Y2 AHL/$475K gt’d Y1 – $500K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
Minnesota Wild
F Tyler Pitlick ($775K NHL/$300K Y1 – $350K Y2 AHL/$325K gt’d Y1 – $375K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
D Ben Gleason ($800K NHL/$475K AHL) – PuckPedia
Montreal Canadiens
F Alex Belzile (unknown) – team release
D Nathan Clurman ($775K NHL/$125K AHL/$140K gt’d) – PuckPedia
New Jersey Devils
D Calen Addison ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$400K gt’d) – PuckPedia
F Angus Crookshank ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years, one-way in 2026-27
New York Islanders
F Matthew Highmore (unknown) – team release
D Ethan Bear ($775K NHL/$325K AHL/$425K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole McWard (unknown) – team release
New York Rangers
D Derrick Pouliot ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$425K gt’d Y1 – $450K gt’d Y2) – PuckPedia // two years
Ottawa Senators
F Wyatt Bongiovanni ($775K NHL/$160K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Olle Lycksell ($775K NHL/$450K AHL/$500K gt’d) – Darren Dreger of TSN
Philadelphia Flyers
F Lane Pederson ($775K NHL/$525K AHL) – PuckPedia
San Jose Sharks
F Jimmy Huntington (unknown) – team release
F Samuel Laberge (unknown) – team release
F Colin White ($775K NHL/$425K AHL/$475K gt’d) – PuckPedia
D Cole Clayton (unknown) – team release
St. Louis Blues
F Matt Luff ($775K NHL/$400K AHL) – PuckPedia
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Nicholas Abruzzese (unknown) – team release
F Tristan Allard (unknown) – team release // two years, entry-level
F Boris Katchouk (unknown) – team release
D Simon Lundmark ($775K NHL/$250K AHL/$350K gt’d) – PuckPedia // two years
G Ryan Fanti ($775K NHL/$80K AHL) – PuckPedia
Utah Mammoth
F Kailer Yamamoto ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Scott Perunovich ($775K NHL/$400K AHL/$500K gt’d) – PuckPedia
Vancouver Canucks
F Joseph LaBate ($775K NHL/$350K AHL) – PuckPedia
F Mackenzie MacEachern ($775K NHL/$575K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
D Jimmy Schuldt ($775K NHL/$500K AHL) – PuckPedia // two years
Winnipeg Jets
F Phillip Di Giuseppe ($775K NHL/$450K AHL) – PuckPedia
D Kale Clague (unknown) – Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet