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Calgary Flames, Nikita Zadorov Avoid Arbitration

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Another arbitration hearing can be canceled, as Nikita Zadorov has reached a one-year contract with the Calgary Flames. The deal will carry a cap hit of $3.75MM and takes the defenseman right to unrestricted free agency next summer. Zadorov had a hearing set for August 26 which will no longer be required.

It’s another fresh start for Zadorov in Calgary this season after spending just a single year with the Chicago Blackhawks. Originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, 16th overall in 2013, he’s onto his fourth NHL team before he even turns 27. There’s been a theme to Zadorov’s entire career. The 6’6″ defenseman is an incredible physical presence on the rink, one of the most dangerous open-ice hitters in the league, but simply has never been able to find enough consistency in his own end. To that end, none of his teams have ever trusted him enough to play him 20 minutes a night despite the obvious raw talent he has.

In 55 games for the Blackhawks, Zadorov recorded eight points and 190 hits while averaging 19 minutes a night. He played a good bit on the penalty kill and had heavy defensive deployment, but once again didn’t do all that well in either area. When the Blackhawks left him unprotected in the expansion draft, the Seattle Kraken essentially forfeited their pick instead of taking him, selected a minor league UFA that has since gone overseas. The Flames sent a third-round pick to the Blackhawks to see if they could do what other teams haven’t been able to–turn Zadorov into a top-four defenseman.

The thing is, Calgary doesn’t have a lot of other options ahead of him. Zadorov should get a great opportunity for the Flames now that he’s signed, for only slightly less than the team’s top three players. Now that Mark Giordano is gone, the depth chart in Calgary is relatively thin. Committing $3.75MM to Zadorov means that he’s obviously a big part of their plans this season; whether he can handle it is still to be seen.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Tyler Parsons Accepts Qualifying Offer, Stays With Calgary Flames

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August 16: The Flames have officially announced the one-year, two-way contract for Parsons, confirming the NHL salary of $771,750.

August 6: PuckPedia is reporting that Calgary Flames goalie prospect Tyler Parsons has accepted his qualifying offer. A 2016 second-round pick of the team, Parsons will stay with the organization for the 2021-22 season on a $771,750 salary next season with $70,000 paid in the minors.

Parsons, a Michigan native, is now entering his fifth season within the Flames organization. While it’s common to see goaltenders take longer to develop, most would agree that Parsons hasn’t progressed as most would have expected and hoped. Parsons had a spectacular draft year in the OHL with the London Knights and repeated his performance the following season, posting save percentages above .920 in both the regular season and playoffs both years. But after turning pro for the 2017-18 season, Parsons hasn’t been able to perform well above the ECHL level. He boasts a save percentage above .900 and a record above .500 with the Kansas City Mavericks, but that success has failed to translate to his starts with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. He’s yet to post a save percentage above .900 in a full AHL season. This past season was even tougher for Parsons, who only got into one hockey game all year. His one start with Stockton didn’t go too well either, allowing five goals and posting a .800 save percentage.

Looking forward, though, Parsons stands to have a backup role carved out for him in Stockton next season. He’ll likely serve behind a goalie from his same draft class, Adam Werner, who wasn’t qualified by the Colorado Avalanche this offseason despite impressive performances at the minor league level. Werner’s track record and brief NHL experience likely give him the inside track to the starting job in Stockton, but as with many things in minor hockey, it’s not set in stone. There’s also a bit of a wild card in Dustin Wolf, who’ll be playing his first full professional season next year and is the organization’s most highly touted goaltending prospect. Parsons still has one more year to make an impression with Calgary’s front office.

Calgary Flames Sign Oliver Kylington

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The Calgary Flames have reached an agreement with one of their many restricted free agents, signing Oliver Kylington to a one-year deal. The two-way contract will carry an NHL salary of $750K. Kylington, though eligible for salary arbitration this year, chose not to file.

Interestingly enough, that NHL salary is quite a bit lower than the $826,875 qualifying offer that Kylington would have received. The difference comes in the AHL salary, which Ryan Pike of Flames Nation reports is $300K, a healthy number for the minor leagues. That may suggest Kylington is expecting to see considerable time in the AHL, but also could actually help his case when trying to make the NHL club. A bottom-pairing or seventh defender at $750K is a valuable one for a team trying to fit everyone in under the cap.

Of course, Kylington won’t be surprised if he ends up on waivers once again, given he cleared at the beginning of this season even after playing 48 games for the Flames in 2019-20. He spent nearly the entire year on the taxi squad, suiting up for just eight games with the Flames and three with the Stockton Heat. Now 24, he’s transitioning out of the prospect phase of his career and is in trouble of being labeled a fringe NHL player.

This training camp will be key. If Kylington can establish himself as one of the Flames best six defenders and secure a full-time NHL role, there’s still a chance for him to fulfill his potential as a second-round pick. If he’s in the minor leagues once again, it’s hard to see him ever really becoming an impact player.

Calgary, Ottawa Announce ECHL Agreements

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The Ottawa Senators have announced a new partnership with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL, who will serve as their affiliate for the 2021-22 season. The deal is only for one year, though the release calls that an “initial duration,” suggesting there could be an extension if things go smoothly.  Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on the deal:

We’re pleased to partner with the Gladiators and to have Atlanta serve as our ECHL affiliate next season. Our prospects who spend time in the ECHL in 2021-22 will be well served under a coaching staff led by Jeff Pyle who we know will positively impact our players’ development.

The Senators needed a new affiliate after the Brampton Beast announced they were folding following a tough few years financially. Atlanta had previously been affiliated with the Boston Bruins, but they recently announced a new partnership with the Maine Mariners.

That wasn’t the only ECHL news today, as the Calgary Flames also announced an extension of their agreement with the Kansas City Mavericks. The one-year extension will make it five seasons the two have been together, initially partnering for the 2017-18 campaign. Flames AGM Brad Pascall released a statement explaining the move:

The Calgary Flames and the Stockton Heat are pleased to continue our affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks. Kansas City is a first-class franchise with quality ownership and management that shares the same winning culture and player development objectives as our organization.

The ECHL is a proving ground for prospects that still need development, especially goaltenders that can use the playing time a professional organization provides.

Calgary Flames Sign Matthew Phillips, Luke Philp

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The Calgary Flames have announced two minor signings, inking Matthew Phillips and Luke Philp to one-year, two-way deals. Both contracts will carry a $750K salary at the NHL level.

The pair of young forwards will stay in the organization on short-term deals, giving them another chance to compete for NHL playing time. Phillips, 23, actually got into one game with the Flames this season, after once again being a strong contributor in the minor leagues. The tiny, 5’7″ forward was a dominant player in the WHL, scoring 90 and 112 points his last two seasons of junior hockey, and has had no trouble continuing to produce in the AHL. During the 2019-20 season. Phillips had 15 goals and 33 points in just 38 games, earning a spot at the All-Star Game. This season he scored eight goals and 21 points in 30 games, continuing his strong minor league career.

Still, it’s hard to really believe he will ever become an impact player for the Flames. Though there are other examples of small players finding success at the highest level, the fact is that those are exceptions, not the norm. The Flames obviously believe in him enough as a valuable piece of the organization to bring him back, but there will be real hurdles to clear if he wants to be a full-time NHL forward.

For Philp, those same hurdles exist, even if he is a bit bigger than his Stockton Heat teammate. The 25-year-old went undrafted out of the WHL and actually attended the University of Alberta, since he was no longer eligible for the NCAA. On the Canadian college hockey circuit he became a star, scoring 45 points in 24 games during his junior year. That earned him an entry-level contract with the Flames, but he still hasn’t had a whiff of the NHL. In two seasons for Stockton, Philp has 48 points in 82 games. That’s good, but likely not enough to really put him on a path to the Flames given his age (26 in November) and size (5’10”, 185). He would have to take a significant step forward this season to really push for more than spot duty.

Minor Transactions: 08/05/21

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The NHL’s having its biggest news day in a while today, as top stories include the New Jersey Devils’ acquisition of Tomas Tatar as well as clarity on future salary cap increases. And while it’s a banner day for the NHL news cycle, the rest of the hockey world is making some noise too. Every move made has some form of ripple effect, and that’s evident more in no other place than a list of minor transactions. Today is no different.

  • Per CapFriendly, the Calgary Flames are inviting enforcer Alex Gallant to their training camp on a professional try-out. Gallant, who carries no relation to New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant, is somewhat of a minor league journeyman. Never drafted, he’s only tallied more than 10 points in a season once at any level. His willingness to fight and leadership in the room is what’s kept his career alive, and the Flames have taken notice. Gallant’s actually spent the last two seasons in the Calgary organization, playing a combined 61 games with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. He’s put up 10 points and 171 penalty minutes across those two years, and a return to Stockton is likely for Gallant if he gets an NHL contract out of the experience.
  • Also broken by CapFriendly today, netminder Evan Fitzpatrick has been invited to attend the Florida Panthers’ camp on a PTO. It’s actually certain that Fitzpatrick will spend time within the Panthers organization next season, after the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers inked him to an AHL deal on August 2. Fitzpatrick, who’s a former second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues, was left unqualified this summer after he struggled to get consistent playing time in any league over the past few seasons. And while his numbers have been largely unimpressive since turning pro, Fitzpatrick did post a .930 save percentage last season in a small sample size with the AHL’s Utica Comets. He’ll now take his talents to the Southeast, where there’s still hope for the 23-year-old goalie.
  • Perhaps the most unlikely netminder to see NHL action this season, goalie Michael Houser has re-signed with the Rochester Americans on a one-year AHL contract. As Buffalo’s top four netminders in Linus Ullmark, Carter Hutton, Dustin Tokarski, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen were all out with injury at the end of this season, Houser got the call-up to the big show. Playing in four contests, he played admirably, posting a .901 save percentage and a 2-2-0 record. The seasoned AHL veteran will likely be a mentor to Luukkonen in Rochester next season, but more NHL action seems unlikely for Houser.

Zadorov's Agent: Hopeful To Have New Contract With Calgary Before Arbitration Hearing

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The fact that Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov was among the 17 players to file for salary arbitration on Sunday raised some eyebrows considering he has been with Calgary for all of a few days.  However, his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star released a statement via Twitter outlining that the short time since the move played a role in the filing:

We filed for arbitration on Nikita Zadorov’s behalf simply because the trade was recent and there wasn’t enough time to negotiate new contract with Calgary Flames. Discussions are ongoing and both sides are hopeful to have a contract in place soon.

The potential for an arbitration award that was too rich for Chicago’s liking played a role in Zadorov being traded and the Flames are certainly conscious of that.  However, we’re still another week and a half away from hearings beginning so there is still ample time to get a deal done.  Zadorov was qualified at $3.2MM and will get more than that on his next deal.

Calgary Flames Ink Andy Welinski

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The Calgary Flames are adding some depth to the back end in the form of puck-mover Andy Welinski. The team has announced that they have signed the veteran defenseman to a one-year, two-way contract. CapFriendly reports that the deal will pay Welinski the minimum $750K in the NHL and $375K in the AHL, with $400K guaranteed.

A long-time Anaheim Duck, or more accurately San Diego Gull, who was also briefly a member of the Philadelphia Flyers organization, Welinski has flown north and traded in his wings for flames. The 28-year-old defenseman has been a reliable two-way defenseman in the AHL for five years now, also appearing in 46 NHL games with Anaheim. While he isn’t an electrifying talent in either the scoring or checking game, he is a strong skater and handles the puck well. This makes him a dependable call-up option who can step in and play meaningful minutes in all situations. Hence the high guaranteed salary, as Welinski’s value is in the security he brings as a backup, not his upside.

In Calgary, Welinski will be playing behind a deep defensive group eventually, but right now is one of only four experienced NHL defensemen under contract, with returners Juuso Valimaki, Oliver Kylington, and Connor Mackey and newcomer Nikita Zadorov all as unrestricted free agents. With a lot of youth and some players with consistency concerns among the Flames defenders, it makes sense why having the reliable Welinski waiting in the wings is a smart addition for the team.

Calgary Flames Acquire Dan Vladar

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After the Boston Bruins signed Linus Ullmark to a long-term deal, it was clear that one of the team’s young duo of Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar would have to go. It didn’t take long to make a decision, as Vladar is on his way to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick.

The 23-year-old Vladar made his regular season debut this year, playing in five games for the Bruins. He posted an .886 save percentage during those appearances, but still looked like he might have an NHL future with the Bruins before long. Tuukka Rask is getting older and was facing a long rehab from hip surgery, while veteran backup Jaroslav Halak was moving on from the team. The third-round pick had plenty of AHL success to show for his time in the organization, including a league-best .936 save percentage in 2019-20.

The moment that Boston signed Ullmark though, everything changed, and Vladar will now have to prove his worth all over again to a new team. Still, that may be a blessing for the young netminder, who moves into a Calgary depth chart as the potential NHL backup. The team has prospect Dustin Wolf that looks to have a bright future, but he’s at least a few years away from pushing for NHL playing time. Vladar can instead slide in right behind starter Jacob Markstrom and attempt to establish himself as a backup at the highest level.

Landing a third-round pick for a promising young goaltender might not be ideal, but at least the Bruins got something of value back from a tight situation. Vladar is not waiver-exempt any longer, meaning they potentially could have lost him for nothing at the start of the season. While they won’t get back all the hours and money spent developing him, at least they recoup the pick they used to select him in 2015.

Trevor Lewis Signs With Calgary Flames

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The Calgary Flames have signed Trevor Lewis to a one-year, $800K contract according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The veteran forward will be reunited with head coach Darryl Sutter, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships during their time in Los Angeles.

If it wasn’t a Sutter roster before, the Flames are focused on making it one, acquiring bottom-six names like Lewis, Tyler Pitlick, and Blake Coleman in recent days. Even if Lewis isn’t the twenty-something that won those championships, he showed for the Winnipeg Jets last season that he can still be effective in a limited role. Though he scored just five goals and ten points, he happily welcomed tough defensive minutes and logged more penalty-killing time than all but two Jets forwards.

In the system that Sutter became famous for, the fourth-line isn’t there to contribute offensively. They slow the game down to a crawl and make sure nothing dangerous happens at either end. That’s all Lewis will be asked to do again in Calgary, and it’s a job he has done quite well over the years. Now that he’s 34 he might not be in the lineup for all 82 games, but for $800K it poses basically no risk to bring him aboard.

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