Flames place Martin Pospisil on waivers, assign Nicolas Meloche to Wranglers

The Calgary Flames have placed forward Martin Pospisil on waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Wednesday.

Pospisil, 22, suffered a minor injury during training camp but is presumably healthy enough to join the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, should he clear waivers. The Slovak forward scored seven goals and 25 points in 47 games with the Stockton Heat last season.

The Flames previously waived defenceman Nicolas Meloche on Tuesday. Per Friedman, Meloche cleared waivers; the Flames subsequently announced he has been assigned to the Wranglers. He’ll likely skate on one of the team’s top two pairings — potentially as part of a duo with Jeremie Poirier — to start the season.

Pospisil had been designated a “non-roster” player alongside Emilio Pettersen and Oliver Kylington as the Flames put together their opening roster at the end of training camp. Although Pettersen remains injured and Kylington has yet to join the team, Pospisil is now on the verge of returning to the Flames’ farm team.

The Wranglers defeated the University of Calgary Dinos 7–0 in an exhibition game at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday evening. Pospisil played a significant role in the Heat advancing to the AHL Western Conference Final last season, skating in a regular top-nine role and scoring six points in 11 playoff games.

Expect Pospisil to be in the lineup when the Wranglers kick off the 2022–23 AHL regular season at home against the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Oct. 16.