Flames announce season-opening roster for 2020-21

As we head into a very unusual season, the Calgary Flames have announced their season-opening roster.

The Flames will begin the season, for cap purposes, with 20 players on their roster, accompanied by six taxi squad players.

Goaltenders Jacob Markstrom (#25) and David Rittich (#33)

Defensemen Rasmus Andersson (#4), Mark Giordano (#5; captain) Juuso Valimaki (#6), Chris Tanev (#8), Noah Hanifin (#55) and Nikita Nesterov (#89)

Forwards Mikael Backlund (#11; alternate captain), Johnny Gaudreau (#13), Milan Lucic (#17), Matthew Tkachuk (#19; alternate captain), Joakim Nordstrom (#20), Sean Monahan (#23; alternate captain), Josh Leivo (#27), Elias Lindholm (#28), Dillon Dube (#29), Dominik Simon (#81) and Sam Bennett (#93)

The taxi squad consists of six players: goaltender Louis Domingue (#70), defensemen Connor Mackey (#3) and Oliver Kylington (#58), forwards Derek Ryan (#10), Zac Rinaldo (#36) and Buddy Robinson (#53).

Including two buyouts (Michael Stone and Troy Brouwer) and one buried taxi squad salary (Ryan), the Flames have $79.414 million in cap commitments and $2.085 million in space available under the daily salary cap.

Per Flames general manager Brad Treliving, the cut players will remain in town and skate separately from the NHL group until they’re ready to head to Stockton to get that camp going.

The players not making the team are:

Stone and Ritchie are currently unsigned. Pelletier will be headed to Val-d’Or to quarantine for the resumption of the QMJHL season.

The Flames begin their season on Thursday evening in Winnipeg against the Jets.