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Yan Kuznetsov

Flames Recall Yan Kuznetsov

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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.

Waivers: 9/30/25

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The final day of September has once again brought a flurry of waiver activity.  After 22 players were placed on waivers on Monday, all of whom cleared, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, another 22 players are on the wire today, per PuckPedia.  They are as follows:

Calgary Flames

F Clark Bishop
F Dryden Hunt
D Yan Kuznetsov
F Sam Morton

Carolina Hurricanes

D Gavin Bayreuther
F Noel Gunler
F Tyson Jost
F Josiah Slavin
F Ryan Suzuki

Edmonton Oilers

G Matt Tomkins

New York Islanders

G Marcus Hogberg
F Matthew Highmore 

New York Rangers

F Brendan Brisson
D Connor Mackey

Philadelphia Flyers

F Anthony Richard

San Jose Sharks

F Shane Bowers
F Jimmy Huntington
F Oskar Olausson
F Pavol Regenda
G Jakub Skarek

Winnipeg Jets

D Tyrel Bauer
D Isaak Phillips 

Some younger forwards stand out on today’s list.  Olausson, Brisson and Suzuki were late first-round selections back in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively, but haven’t been able to grab a foothold on a full-time NHL roster spot just yet.  Meanwhile, Gunler is only 23 and since he has spent a lot of his time since being drafted playing overseas, he’s still relatively inexperienced in North America with just 100 AHL games under his belt.

Among the blueliners, Phillips has seen NHL action in four straight seasons, all with Chicago, including a 33-game stint in 2023-24.  Mackey was recalled and sent down many times on paper moves last season and has gotten into at least one NHL appearance in five straight years.  Bayreuther is the most experienced of them all with 122 NHL outings but none since 2023-24.

With the belief that a few teams might be eyeing the goalie market, there are a trio of options available.  Hogberg is the most experienced of the three with 57 NHL outings, including 15 last season.  Skarek (two games in 2024-25) and Tomkins (six in 2023-24) joined new teams in free agency this summer and don’t appear likely to be claimed.

These players will be on waivers until 1:00 PM CT on Wednesday.

Flames Re-Sign Rory Kerins, Yan Kuznetsov, Jeremie Poirier

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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 Recall Adam Klapka

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The Flames summoned forward Adam Klapka from AHL Calgary on Friday, per a team announcement. Defenseman Yan Kuznetsov is headed back to the minors after being summoned earlier this week to practice with the club in a corresponding transaction. They have 22 players on the active roster but will have 21 after Tyson Barrie clears waivers or is claimed.

Klapka, 24, had been up with the Flames for a couple of weeks prior to the 4 Nations break. The massive 6’8″, 235-lb right-winger made the opening night roster but has been shuttled between leagues on a few occasions since, only suiting up in 12 NHL contests this season. He’s got a goal, a plus-one rating, 15 PIMs, and 16 shots in those appearances while averaging a paltry 8:12 per game. His career NHL games played tally is now at 18 after suiting up six times for the Flames last year.

An undrafted free agent signing out of the Czech Extraliga in 2022, Klapka is now in his third season in the Flames organization. Most of that time has been spent with the AHL’s Wranglers, where he’s emerged as a strong scoring threat with 47-49–96 in 156 career games. The power forward has upped his game this year, recording 25 points and 50 PIMs through 31 minor-league appearances. His 13 goals are tied for fourth on the club despite spending a good chunk of time on the NHL roster.

He should continue getting some looks in a fourth-line role, although playing time will be harder to come by with Connor Zary widely expected to come off injured reserve before Sunday’s game against the Sharks. If that’s the case, he projects to serve as the 13th forward for that contest while Martin Pospisil skates with Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Rooney on the fourth line.

Kuznetsov heads back after being recalled along with Ilya Solovyov earlier in the week. The latter remains on the roster, but his inclusion in the lineup this weekend is dependent on the health of Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl. Andersson may join the list of players returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off who are getting rest this weekend, while Bahl remains on injured reserve for the time being with the upper-body injury he sustained late last month.

Flames Recall Yan Kuznetsov, Ilya Solovyov

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The Flames announced Wednesday they’ve recalled defensemen Yan Kuznetsov and Ilya Solovyov from AHL Calgary. The pair gives the Flames 22 players – including nine defensemen – on their active roster, so further moves will be made before they return to action against the Sharks on Sunday.

Kuznetsov, 22, lands his first recall since being cut from the team’s training camp roster in October. The 2020 second-round pick made his NHL debut last season, posting a minus-one rating in 12 minutes of ice time against the Senators on Jan. 9, 2024, in his lone big-league showing.

A massive 6’5″, 220-lb lefty who specializes as a stay-at-home piece, Kuznetsov is enjoying a breakout campaign in the minors. He’s posted a respectable 3-11–14 scoring line through 49 games, and his pairing with Solovyov has been the best the club offers. Kuznetsov and Solovyov rank first and second on the team with +22 and +16 ratings, respectively, a +11 margin over third place among defenders.

Kuznetsov’s defensive awareness and physical game are intriguing, especially since he does so without taking a ton of penalties. He’s never topped 30 PIMs in an AHL season and has 22 this year. A rare USHL (2019 with the Sioux Falls Stampede) and Memorial Cup (2022 with the Saint John Sea Dogs) champion with a collegiate stint at UConn in between, he’s taken a winding road to NHL minutes and will now get another look on the roster with Kevin Bahl on injured reserve.

Solovyov’s recall is a paper move. Calgary recalled the 24-year-old Belarusian shortly before the 4 Nations break. He made his season debut against the Kraken on Feb. 8, skating over 19 minutes in his 11th career NHL appearance. The 2020 seventh-rounder has three assists with a minus-four rating in the NHL dating back to his debut last year, taking 12 shots on goal and averaging north of 16 minutes per game.

The latter plays the more offensively involved game of the two, relying more on his puckhandling ability and breakout passing to be effective. The lefty still has great size at 6’3″ and 209 lbs, though, and has posted a career-best 6-15–21 scoring line through 43 AHL appearances this season.

Snapshots: Kuznetsov, Oilers, Rosen, Aman

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Calgary Flames defenseman Yan Kuznetsov believes that he will take a big step in his development this upcoming season and is hoping a change to his training will allow him to do so (as per Flames writer Chris Wahl). The 22-year-old was re-signed to a one-year, two-way deal by the Flames yesterday after making his NHL debut last season, dressing in one game for Calgary. The former second-round pick believes that he is entering next season in the best shape of his career and is hoping that by being in tune with his body it will better allow him to use his size to his advantage as he pushes for an NHL roster spot with the Flames.

In other news from around the NHL:

  • Edmonton Oilers announcer Bob Stauffer tweeted about the Oilers’ current offer sheet conundrum with defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway. The Oilers are currently on the clock after the St. Louis Blues issued a pair of offer sheets and have one week to match the offers or lose the players for draft pick compensation. Stauffer outlines in his tweet that if the Oilers elect to match the lucrative offer sheets, they will have to keep Broberg and Holloway for at least a year, which could be challenging given that they will need to issue lucrative extensions to Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard next summer.
  • The MSG Network has announced that New York Rangers television play-by-play broadcaster Sam Rosen will retire after the upcoming NHL season. The 77-year-old is entering his 40th year calling Rangers games full-time after he began calling New York games on the radio for MSG, filling in for Marv Albert. He then pivoted to becoming MSG’s studio host before moving into his current role as the Rangers’ primary television broadcaster in 1984.
  • Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrick Allvin spoke with Swedish network hockeysverige.se about Nils Åman and the contract extension he gave the center this past season. The 24-year-old signed a two-year deal worth $825K per season and proceeded to post three goals and four assists in 43 NHL games this past year. Allvin mentioned that he was impressed by Åman’s finish to the season and felt that he had become more assertive on the ice and played with more of an edge. Allvin added that he was hopeful that Åman would continue to develop this summer and build off the success he had in the second half.

Flames Sign Adam Klapka, Yan Kuznetsov To Two-Way Contracts

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2:56 p.m.: Kuznetsov’s deal will pay him a $100K salary in the minors, Ryan Pike of Flames Nation reports.

2:08 p.m.: The Flames have signed RFA forward Adam Klapka and RFA defenseman Yan Kuznetsov to two-way deals for 2024-25, the team said in separate announcements Monday.

As the releases note, both deals will carry $775K cap hits if the players are on the NHL roster. Their minor league salaries weren’t disclosed.

Klapka, 23, was an undrafted free agent signing by the Flames out of Czechia’s Bili Tygri Liberec in 2022. He spent most of the last two seasons with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.

The massive 6’7″, 238-lb winger made his NHL debut last season, recording his first NHL goal as part of a six-game call-up. He also posted a -1 rating, 19 PIMs, and 21 hits while averaging just 6:46 per game.

Across 125 games in two AHL seasons, Klapka has accumulated 34 goals, 37 assists, 71 points, 170 PIMs, and a +9 rating. His 46 points last season led the team in scoring, as did his seven points in six playoff games.

With the Flames’ forward depth thinner than in years past, there’s a decent chance Klapka lands on the NHL roster come opening night. He’ll be one of many players battling it out for three or four forward spots up for grabs alongside Walker Duehr, Dryden Hunt, and Jakob Pelletier, the latter of whom remains an RFA.

The 22-year-old Kuznetsov faces longer but not impossible odds of making the team out of camp. Selected with the No. 50 pick of the 2020 draft out of UConn, he stuck in school for his sophomore season before opting to spend 2021-22 in juniors with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs.

Kuznetsov turned pro in earnest the following campaign, although he did see spot duty with the Flames’ former AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat, in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Like Klapka, he made his NHL debut in 2023-24, posting a -1 rating and skating 11:58 in an appearance against the Senators on Jan. 9.

On the farm with the Wranglers/Heat, the Russian has 10 goals, 22 assists, 32 points, 74 PIMs, and a -5 rating in 144 games over the past four years. Those offensive numbers aren’t too concerning for a player who projects as a stay-at-home defender, and he has been able to use his 6’4″, 216-lb frame effectively since turning pro.

If the Flames opt to carry seven defenders and 14 forwards, their roster on the back end is likely set. But if they opt to drop a forward for an eighth defender, look for the extra spot to be a two-man battle in camp between Kuznetsov and Ilya Solovyov, who’s still an RFA in need of a deal.

Pacific Notes: Markstrom, Kuznetsov, Golden Knights

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With trade season now in full swing, one member of the Calgary Flames who has found his name mentioned in several rumors is goaltender Jacob Markstrom. As the Flames enter a transitionary period in their organization, and with goalie prospect Dustin Wolf ready to make the jump to the NHL, the logic behind moving Markstrom has never been more clear for Calgary.

However, in an article by James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now, he includes a quote from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman pouring cold water on the idea of the Flames moving Markstrom as he says, “From what I understand, Calgary has a very high bar here in terms of they’re not going to bother Markstrom with just anything. It would have to be something massive for them or somewhere they absolutely believe Markstrom would want to go before they would even consider going to him. I think that’s where things stand with Markstrom, the Flames, and anything right now”.

Assuming that Friedman is accurate, Calgary’s asking price for Markstrom may push too many teams away, although something could come together over the offseason. With teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and New Jersey Devils all looking to upgrade their situation in the crease, it would be incredibly rare for a team to part with a substantial amount of assets during the regular season.

Other notes:

  • Staying in Calgary, the Flames announced earlier today that they have sent down defenseman Yan Kuznetsov to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. Kuznetsov was recalled for the second time this year on January 9th and would make his NHL debut the same day against the Ottawa Senators. Skating in just under 12 minutes of the game against Ottawa, Kuznetsov was held scoreless in his debut, as he put two shots on the net and also blocked one.
  • After sending him down earlier this morning to make way for Brendan Brisson, the Vegas Golden Knights have recalled forward Byron Froese on an emergency basis due to the possibility of Chandler Stephenson missing time with an illness (X Link). Producing a 3-7-0 record in their last 10 games, the Golden Knights’ depth continues to be tested, as more and more of their typical players continue to miss games for the team.
  • In more news coming from Vegas, both Adin Hill and Jiri Patera are not ready to return to the team, although both goaltenders are currently skating (X Link). Relying on goaltender Logan Thompson heavily over the last few weeks, the Golden Knights are now relying on their fourth-string goaltender to serve in the backup role, as 23-year-old, Isaiah Saville was recalled yesterday on an emergency basis.

Calgary Flames Bring Yan Kuznetsov Back Up

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1/9: The Calgary Flames brought Kuznetsov back to the NHL on Tuesday, after sending him down on Monday.

1/8: The Calgary Flames have reassigned defenseman Yan Kuznetsov back to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. This move comes just a few short days after Kuznetsov was first recalled from the AHL, and places him back with their top developmental affiliate before he’s had the chance to make his NHL debut.

The 21-year-old served as a spare blueliner for the Flames during their two road losses against the Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks. There was some hope that the big 2020 second-round pick might draw into the Flames’ lineup in place of a player such as Jordan Oesterle, but that did not end up being the case.

Blueliner Dennis Gilbert was on the receiving end of a scary hit against the Nashville Predators, and although he has not played since he appears to not be in line to miss significant time. As a result, Kuznetsov is no longer needed on the Flames’ roster as a spare defenseman. And with Oliver Kylington working his way back to full NHL readiness, that’s another factor contributing to the general sense that Kuznetsov doesn’t quite have a place in the NHL with the Flames just yet.

That’s not to say he won’t have his place there relatively soon, of course. The big defenseman was solid in his first AHL campaign last year and has been making progress this season as well. Ilya Solovyov might be ahead of him on the depth chart at the current moment, as he’s already played in six NHL games, but Kuznetsov isn’t far off and this original recall illustrated that.

Yan Kuznetsov Loaned To CHL

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It’s not that often that you see a player go from the NCAA to the AHL to the CHL, but that’s exactly what’s about to happen for Yan Kuznetsov. The Calgary Flames prospect has been loaned to the Saint John Seadogs of the QMJHL after 12 games with the Stockton Heat this season.

Kuznetsov, 19, was the 50th overall pick in the 2020 draft after his freshman year at the University of Connecticut, and he returned in 2020-21 for his sophomore season. After the college campaign ended, he signed his entry-level deal with the Flames and suited up six times down the stretch for Stockton. The 6’4″ defenseman has failed to register a single point in 18 games for the Heat overall and will now get to test himself at the junior level, something that will only help develop his overall game.

Notably, he’ll be available for Russia at the World Juniors again, which would be his second time at the tournament, and also will likely play in the Memorial Cup given it is set to be hosted in Saint John this season. A trade could potentially change that obviously, but Kuznetsov will spend the rest of the year in the CHL competing against players his age.

Selected 22nd overall in the 2021 CHL Import Draft, this was always a possibility for the big defenseman. Saint John picked him after he already made his AHL debut, meaning they had an inkling he could end up back in junior at some point. He’s joining a team that is currently 12-8-3 on the year and in eighth place in the QMJHL standings, but still has big expectations. He’s also going to be joining fellow Calgary draft picks Jeremie Poirier and Ryan Francis, the latter of whom also made his AHL debut with the Heat last season before he returned to Saint John.

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