Flames sign (and waive) Olympic medalist Cody Goloubef

The Calgary Flames today made official what general manager Brad Treliving said would happen: they’ve announced the signing of defenseman Cody Goloubef to a contract for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. It’s a two-way deal worth the league minimum $650,000 at the NHL level. The club has also placed him on waivers for the purpose of re-assigning him back to the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat, where he’s played for the majority of this season.

Goloubef, 28, was originally drafted by Columbus in the 2008 NHL Draft. He’s spent much of his pro career in the Blue Jackets organization, playing 96 games for the NHL club before parting ways and landing for a year with the Colorado Avalanche and their farm club.

He attended Buffalo Sabres camp last fall on a PTO but wasn’t signed, so he landed an AHL deal with the Heat so he could potentially play in the Olympics for Team Canada. The plan worked out for everybody: the Heat got a veteran right-shot blueliner to play with Oliver Kylington and Goloubef got to play in the Pyeongchang games, winning a bronze medal. The NHL contract is a nice reward for his play this season and let’s face it, he probably would’ve been signed to one this season anyway if not for the possibility of playing in the Olympics.

The contract pushes the Flames’ active contracts count to 47 (out of their limit of 50), and gives them several depth options at the AHL level should they need additional defensemen on the NHL roster.