The Calgary Flames made more roster moves on Sunday, sending 10 bodies to the American Hockey League and leaving just 31 players in camp.
So who’s left? Who’s hurt? And who has a chance at a roster spot?
Goaltenders (3)
No. | Player | Age | 2020-21 Team(s) |
25 | Jacob Markström | 31 | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
80 | Daniel Vladar | 24 | Boston Bruins (NHL) Providence Bruins (NHL) HC Dynamo Pardubice (Extraliga) |
35 | Adam Werner | 24 | Colorado Eagles (AHL) HC Vita Hästen (Allsvenskan) |
Cuts: Carter Serhyenko (9/25), Connor Ungar (9/25), Matt Greenfield (9/30), Dustin Wolf (10/3)
This one is pretty simple: Markström and Vladar look like locks to make the team. Werner is waiver exempt and will likely be demoted before the roster deadline on Oct. 11.
Defensemen (10)
No. | Player | Age | Shot | 2019-20 Team(s) |
4 | Rasmus Andersson | 24 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
44 | Erik Gudbranson | 29 | R | Ottawa/Nashville (NHL) |
55 | Noah Hanifin | 24 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
95 | Johannes Kinnvall | 24 | R | HV71 (SHL) |
58 | Oliver Kylington | 24 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
3 | Connor Mackey | 25 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) Stockton Heat (AHL) United States (WHC) |
26 | Michael Stone | 31 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
8 | Chris Tanev | 31 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
6 | Juuso Välimäki | 22 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) Ilves (Liiga) |
16 | Nikita Zadorov | 26 | R | Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) Russia (WHC) |
Cuts: Cole Jordan (9/25), Greg Moro (9/25), Koletrane Wilson (9/25), Cameron Whynot (9/25), Yan Kuznetsov (9/30), Ilya Solovyov (9/30), Jérémie Poirier (9/30), Colton Poolman (9/30), Kevin Gravel (10/3), Nick DeSimone (10/3), Andy Welinski (10/3)
Kinnvall is on the camp roster (and nursing a significant injury) so really the Flames are carrying nine active defenders. Of these bodies, Mackey is waiver exempt and probably the easiest guy to cut. After that, the Flames have a decision to make, as Kylington has been really good in camp and Gudbranson has been… not. Stone’s pretty easy to tuck away in the minors, though.
Forwards (18)
No. | Player | Age | Shot | 2020-21 Team(s) |
11 | Mikael Backlund | 32 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
20 | Blake Coleman | 29 | L | Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) |
29 | Dillon Dubé | 22 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
61 | Walker Duehr | 23 | R | Minnesota State (Mankato) (NCAA) Stockton Heat (AHL) |
38 | Byron Froese | 30 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) Stockton Heat (AHL) |
13 | Johnny Gaudreau | 28 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
42 | Glenn Gawdin | 24 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) Stockton Heat (AHL) |
52 | Justin Kirkland | 25 | L | Stockton Heat (AHL) |
22 | Trevor Lewis | 34 | R | Winnipeg Jets (NHL) |
28 | Elias Lindholm | 26 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
17 | Milan Lucic | 33 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
88 | Andrew Mangiapane | 25 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) Canada (WHC) |
23 | Sean Monahan | 26 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
18 | Tyler Pitlick | 29 | R | Arizona Coyotes (NHL) |
15 | Brad Richardson | 36 | L | Nashville Predators (NHL) |
24 | Brett Ritchie | 28 | R | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
19 | Matthew Tkachuk | 23 | L | Calgary Flames (NHL) |
47 | Connor Zary | 19 | L | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) Stockton Heat (AHL) Canada (WJC) |
Cuts: Lucas Ciona (9/25), Cole Huckins (9/25), Rory Kerins (9/25), Benjamin King (9/25), Ilya Nikolaev (9/25), Reid Perepeluk (9/25), Alex Gallant (9/30), Mark Simpson (9/30), Eetu Tuulola (9/30), Dmitry Zavgorodniy (9/30), Luke Philp (9/30), Jakob Pelletier (10/3), Emilio Pettersen (10/3), Martin Pospisil (10/3), Ryan Francis (10/3), Adam Ruzicka (10/3), Matthew Phillips (10/3)
Zary and Pitlick are injured so the Flames have 16 active forwards in camp, so they need to cut three or four to get to the roster limit. It seems unlikely that Duehr or Kirkland make the team, so that leaves the Flames with a decision or two to make depending on if Pitlick will be ready for opening night. Gawdin has been very good in a depth role, and he’s probably inching ahead of Froese for a potential spot as fourth line centre.
