Flames place Jaromir Jagr on IR, recall Ryan Lomberg

Jaromir Jagr’s health has been the worst kept secret around the Flames, but they’ve finally made a move that confirms what everyone already knew. This morning, they have placed the 45-year-old on the IR, freeing up a roster spot to recall Stockton Heat forward Ryan Lomberg.

With no official diagnosis on Jagr available as of this moment, it’s pretty much guesswork as to when he comes back. What’s interesting is that the rumoured divorce between the Flames and Jagr appears to be not happening, at least not yet. You’d feel that if they were about to terminate his contract, it would’ve happened by now.

Coming up is Lomberg, a quick riser in the Flames’ prospect ranks. An undrafted UFA success story in the same vein as Garnet Hathaway, the scrappy left winger has made his name in the AHL as an energy forward, but has some decent speed and a minor offensive punch to his game. He has 11 points in 33 games this season. His 29-point season last year earned him an NHL contract from the team.

However, you might not be seeing Lomberg in the short term. To me, calling up Lomberg is just to keep an extra forward around while keeping some of the other promising AHL talents like Morgan Klimchuk, Hunter Shinkaruk, and Spencer Foo playing. If they were replacing a RW with another RW, they could’ve gone with Shinkaruk, Foo, or Emile Poirier. They’ve already recalled Marek Hrivik and sat him, so I can’t see why Lomberg would get priority. GIven the Flames are heading into their bye week, it’s likely just to cover in case there’s a game-time decision to be made.

This is also the eighth time the Flames have tapped their farm team for players, having already recalled Mark Jankowski, Andrew Mangiapane, David Rittich, Jon Gillies, Rasmus Andersson, Hathaway, and Hrivik at various points this year.