Flames recall Walker Duehr from Stockton, place Brett Ritchie on injury reserve

In advance of Thursday night’s game with the Dallas Stars, the Calgary Flames have made a pair of connected roster moves. The Flames have placed forward Brett Ritchie on the injury reserve (retroactive to Nov. 2), and they’ve used that roster spot to recall forward Walker Duehr from the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat.

Ritchie, 28, left Tuesday’s game against Nashville in the first period following a walloping in a fight with Mark Borowiecki. He was wobbly coming off the ice (with the assistance of teammates). He’ll be eligible to be activated from the IR on Nov. 9. He has zero points in nine games for the Flames this season.

Duehr, 23, was probably the best non-Oliver Kylington story of 2021-22’s training camp. After signing with the Flames last spring out of college and playing five unremarkable games with Stockton, Duehr came into camp in great shape and looked like a completely different player. He was one of the final cuts at main camp and has three points in five games with Stockton this season. He was a healthy scratch for Stockton on Wednesday night, presumably due to his impending recall.

Brad Richardson, the team’s extra forward so far this season, seems likely to slot into the lineup in Ritchie’s place, with Duehr serving as the team’s extra forward in case of short-term illness or injury. If nothing else, a strong camp is going to earn him a week of NHL pay.

The Flames host the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at the Saddledome.