Flames Recall Daniil Miromanov, Place Zayne Parekh On IR
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
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.
Photo by Brett Holmes-Imagn Images
Hurricanes Potentially On Nazem Kadri’s No-Trade List
Even before their hot start to the 2025-26 campaign, the Carolina Hurricanes were known to be looking for a quality second-line center. Unfortunately, one of the top names on the market may be unwilling to relocate to Raleigh.
In a recent article from Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, the writer said, “Kadri has been linked to multiple teams, but we have to specifically mention the Carolina Hurricanes, who have been in a relentless pursuit for a top player since falling short on Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner last season. For now, the Hurricanes seem an unlikely destination for Kadri, as they are on his 13-team no-trade list.”
To be fair, Kypreos is one of the only prominent insiders attempting to confirm that the Hurricanes are on Kadri’s no-trade list. Typically, in trade negotiations, team names on no-trade lists are not disclosed unless shared directly by the player or their representatives.
Still, if the news is true, it would certainly put a wrench in Carolina’s plans this season. As of now, Kadri is one of the best centers known to be on the trade market, though that could change if the Pittsburgh Penguins pivot toward trading one or both of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.
After scoring 28 goals and 87 points in 71 games for the Colorado Avalanche during the 2021-22 season en route to the only Stanley Cup ring of his career, Kadri signed a seven-year, $49MM contract with the Calgary Flames the following summer. The 2025-26 season marks the first year of Kadri’s deal without a full no-movement clause, providing the Flames with greater flexibility in considering a trade.
He has maintained a strong scoring rate during his time in Alberta while staying remarkably healthy. Since signing the deal in 2022, although he hasn’t reached the postseason, Kadri hasn’t missed a game for Calgary. He’s scored 91 goals and 208 points in 260 games for Calgary while averaging 18:26 of ice time per game.
Kadri also plays a possession-heavy game, making him a hypothetical fit within Rod Brind’Amour‘s system. Additionally, it would allow younster Logan Stankoven, who’s been holding down the fort centering the second line, to move back to a more comfortable position on the wing.
Regardless, there are only five other teams that could afford Kadri outright at the time being, and none are in the same stage of competitiveness as the Hurricanes. If Kadri is traded this season, it will likely be at the trade deadline, when all the competitive teams have accrued as much cap space as possible, giving Calgary a larger list of potential suitors. Since the Hurricanes have until March, that gives them plenty of time to put together an enticing offer — one that could influence the Flames to put pressure on Kadri to alter his list.
Flames Recall Yan Kuznetsov
The Flames recalled defenseman Yan Kuznetsov from AHL Calgary, as first reflected on the team’s roster on NHL.com. They’ve been operating with an open roster spot for a while, so they don’t need to make a corresponding move.
There’s no apparent injury preempting the move. Instead, they’re looking to insert Kuznetsov and make it a four-man rotation that comprises their bottom pairing on most nights. Calgary’s top four has been ironed out for a while, with Kevin Bahl and Rasmus Andersson comprising one pairing and Joel Hanley and MacKenzie Weegar making up the other. That’s led to Jake Bean, Brayden Pachal, and rookie Zayne Parekh all rotating into third-pairing deployment, with all spending significant time in the press box. They’ve dressed seven defensemen at times to get all of them in the lineup, and with another name now in the mix, that may happen more frequently.
While Kuznetsov didn’t crack the opening night roster, the Flames were surely ecstatic to see him clear waivers on his way down to the minors. He’s still only 23 years old and carries some upside as a higher-end shutdown piece on the left side than what they currently have to offer. The 6’5″, 220-lb rearguard was a second-round pick in 2020 out of UConn and has plenty of professional experience, making his pro debut for AHL Stockton back in 2020-21. Through 226 career AHL appearances, Kuznetsov has an 18-37–55 scoring line with 114 penalty minutes and a +21 rating. The Russian is coming off a career year with 21 points and a +21 rating for the Wranglers last year while suiting up in all 72 games.
But assuming Kuznetsov gets into the lineup, it will be just his second career NHL appearance. He didn’t get a call-up last year aside from a stint in the press box in February. His lone big-league game came back in January 2024. He skated 11:58 in a game against the Senators with a -1 rating and two shots.
Kuznetsov’s recall could also be targeted to give Parekh a more defensively sound option to play opposite him on their strong side. Pachal, a righty, has drawn in recently on Parekh’s left with lefty Jake Bean struggling defensively, posting a -7 rating with one assist in 10 games. Bean also has only three hits this season. Kuznetsov could provide Parekh with a more defensively and physically active partner as he looks for more frequent playing time.
Flames’ Prospect Henry Mews Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Calgary Flames prospect and University of Michigan defenseman Henry Mews will miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury, per Matthew Auchincloss of The Michigan Daily. Mews was on the receiving end of a knee-to-knee hit delivered by University of Notre Dame forward Sutter Muzzatti on Saturday. The hit came in the first period, behind Michigan’s net. Mews was on the ice for a moment after but did get to the bench and down the tunnel under his own power.
Mews is among the Flames’ top prospects. To many, he’s already outgrown his third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, after being highly acclaimed for much of the prior year. He’s a high-motor, offensive-defenseman who excels at pushing the puck down the ice and creating plays on the blue-line. That talent earned Mews 82 points in 68 OHL games last season, second-most of any OHL defender behind ‘Defenseman of the Year’ Sam Dickinson.
That standing made Mews one of the top CHL talents to commit to the NCAA following the rule change this summer. He was expected to be an instant impact on Michigan’s blue-line, and lived up to the hype early on. Mews had nine assists and a plus-five through nine games before going down with injury, including four points in four games against tough opponents Notre Dame and Western Michigan University. His aggressive offensive immediately clicked with Michigan’s downhill style, and Mews looked noticeably stronger and more confident defensively than last season.
He was riding a four-game point-streak entering Saturday’s matchup. His promising start makes a painful, and long-term, injury all the tougher to bear. Now, it will stick as the silver lining to a missed year, and fuel confidence in Mews’ ability to take on a top-pair role in his sophomore season. The Wolverines – who are carrying an unusual 11 defensemen on their roster – will most likely turn towards Anaheim Ducks prospect Drew Schock, and undrafted defenders Matthew Mania and Hunter Hady, to step up in Mews’ absence.
Latest On Zayne Parekh
- Calgary Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh will play in his 10th NHL game tonight, per Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg, a development that will officially prevent the club from sliding a year of Parekh’s entry-level contract should they elect to reassign him to the CHL at some point in 2025-26. Steinberg added that while “there was slight internal discussion” about whether to return Parekh to the OHL, he believes “Calgary is making the right choice” by keeping Parekh in the NHL. Parekh is averaging almost 16 minutes of ice time per game through nine games this season, including 2:39 per game on the power play. He has one assist so far this season on a Flames team that, as a whole, has struggled mightily to put the puck in the net. Calgary ranks last in the NHL in offense, scoring just 2.15 goals per game.
Flames Looking To Add Scoring Help
It has been a tough start to the season for the Flames. They enter play today in 32nd place in the standings with just three points through their first nine games. While Dustin Wolf’s play has been up-and-down in goal in his sophomore year, there is an even bigger reason for their struggles. That would be their offense, or lack thereof.
Calgary sits last in the league in goals scored this season with 15, or just 1.67 per game. Only three forwards have scored more than once so far while their power play is just five for 38, a success rate of 13.2%. Not surprisingly, all of those are well below league average in the early going. Unfortunately for them, they were near the bottom of the league in goals in 2024-25 as well, meaning that this isn’t just a slow start.
While it’s rare for trades of any sort of impact to take place this early in the season, it appears the Flames are trying. In a recent TSN Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun reported that GM Craig Conroy is already working the phones to explore what options might be available to add some extra firepower to his team.
Cap space won’t be an issue if Conroy can find the right fit. Per PuckPedia, the Flames project to finish the season nearly $11MM under the Upper Limit based on their current roster. They could easily add a player or two up front and comfortably remain in cap compliance.
That said, just because they can do that doesn’t necessarily mean they should. With their early struggles and already being viewed as a team that’s iffy at best to make the playoffs, the more prudent approach might be to sell and kickstart at least a short-term rebuild. Veterans like defenseman Rasmus Andersson (a pending UFA) and center Nazem Kadri could command significant returns, adding to their prospect pool and draft cupboard while bottoming out to try to secure a top spot in a strong 2026 draft class would be defensible. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported (video link) that Calgary wouldn’t entertain the thought of moving Kadri until he passes the 1,000-game threshold, something he should do next month.
However, Conroy has been hesitant to undertake a full-scale rebuild, even after moving out some veterans a couple of years ago. Instead, he has hoped that his core group, coupled with strong goaltending from Wolf, could hang around the playoff mix. They did just that last season, finishing with 96 points but still narrowly missed out on securing the final Wild Card spot in the West.
Believed to be a likely seller heading into last season, the Flames wound up being buyers, picking up Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost from Philadelphia in the hopes of upgrading their offense, something that didn’t exactly happen. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Conroy targeting a similar type of move but if their struggles continue a little longer, they ultimately could wind up changing course and become sellers instead of buyers and put aside shoring up their offensive depth until the offseason.
Calgary Flames Assign Dryden Hunt To AHL
Saturday: Hunt’s stint on Calgary’s roster was short-lived as the team announced that they have sent Hunt back to the Wranglers. He didn’t wind up playing against Winnipeg. They’re now back to carrying an open roster spot.
Thursday: The Calgary Flames announced today that they recalled forward Dryden Hunt from their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. The move brings the Flames to a full 23-man active roster, with the full slate of 14 forwards and seven defensemen.
Today’s recall puts Hunt in a position to potentially make his 2024-25 debut tomorrow when the Flames play the Winnipeg Jets. The Flames have gotten off to an extremely poor start to 2025-26, sitting 31st in the NHL with a 1-6-1 record through eight games. Should the San Jose Sharks defeat the New York Rangers tonight, the Flames will end the day in last place in the NHL.
The most significant reason behind their struggles has been a lack of offense – they’ve scored just 13 goals so far this season. They’re generating a fair number of shots (they took 37 in last night’s overtime loss to Montreal). Still, they simply have not been able to generate high-quality looks or reliably finish the high-end chances they do manage to generate.
Recalling Hunt, 29, won’t solve those problems on its own. Although Hunt has proven to be a quality AHL scorer (he has 251 points in 322 career games) he hasn’t translated that scoring ability to the NHL level. He has one season as a full-time NHL regular on his résumé, coming in 2021-22 with the New York Rangers. But even though he won’t solve the Flames’ offensive woes on his own, there are definitely worse players a team could call up to help fill a bottom-six role.
Hunt has gotten off to a fast start in the AHL this season (six points in just four games) and does bring 235 games of NHL experience. He can be a tenacious player and has worked his way from being an undrafted WHL star and someone who was playing in the ECHL as a rookie pro into a solid NHL/AHL bubble forward.
2023 first-round pick Samuel Honzek has not registered a point through six games this season, and after managing just 21 points in 52 AHL games last season, it’s possible he could be well-served getting a stint in the AHL to help build his confidence as a pro scorer. If the Flames take that view, Hunt could land on the team’s third line in Honzek’s spot, on a line with Morgan Frost and Connor Zary.
Although this recall has some financial implications for Hunt, the raise he’ll receive for his time spent on the NHL roster compared to his AHL salary will be relatively limited. Hunt’s two-way contract has one of the higher AHL salaries in the league, containing a $450K base salary and $500K total guarantee. Depending on how long he can manage to spend on the NHL roster, this recall could go a long way in helping Hunt surpass his $500K guarantee by the time the season concludes.
Evening Notes: Reichel, Sharangovich, Lightning
Having been dealt today to Vancouver in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick, Pierre LeBrun of TSN had an interesting note on Lukas Reichel, that the former top prospect had asked for a trade out of Chicago. Lebrun added that according to Reichel’s agent, it had been a long-time discussion, but that things were amicable as both sides worked peacefully through the process.
As has been discussed, a fourth-round pick may feel underwhelming for Chicago fans, but the German native has just not been able to establish himself, never surpassing the 22-point mark in a season. On the flip side though, Reichel, still just 23, seems like a very solid low-risk addition for Vancouver. Even if the change of scenery does not pan out into Reichel becoming a true top-six forward, his skating ability and effort level could be useful in any team’s bottom six. Many in his mold have evolved and simplified their games to stick in the NHL, and it will be interesting to see what comes of the former first-round pick.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Derek Wills, voice of the Calgary Flames, shared today that Yegor Sharangovich is expected to draw back into the lineup tonight in Winnipeg. The forward was scratched for the last two games, after putting up just one assist in 6 games. Given the brutal start for Calgary so far, currently last in the league, there is perhaps nothing to lose to try and get the skilled winger going, who broke out two years ago as a Flame, scoring 31 goals. Especially as Sharangovich seems set in Calgary for the foreseeable future, in year one of a five-year contract worth $5.75MM per year.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-assigned Scott Sabourin to AHL Syracuse, and in a corresponding move, they welcomed back Zemgus Girgensons, who has been activated, as Head Coach Jon Cooper told Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. Girgensons is expected to make his season debut tomorrow. Meanwhile Sabourin, 33, will bring a veteran presence and a physical edge to the Crunch. He did not appear in a game for the Bolts, but the undrafted grinder has 47 NHL games to his name. Off to a poor start, Tampa Bay will look to turn the corner and silence any early speculation that the club’s long sustained success may be on the downturn.
Pospisil Resumes Skating
- Flames winger Martin Pospisil skated on his own for the first time on Monday as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury that has caused him to miss the first seven games of the season, notes Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg (Twitter link). The 25-year-old had 25 points and 301 hits in 81 games with Calgary last season. With Daniil Miromanov clearing waivers and being sent down today, the Flames now have an open roster spot to activate Pospisil when he’s cleared to return, barring any further roster movement between now and then.