So who’s left in Calgary Flames training camp?
By Ryan Pike
9 months agoThe Calgary Flames began training camp on Sept. 21 with 64 players. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Flames are down to 30 players. When the season begins, they have to be down to between 20 and 23 players, depending on cap considerations.
So who’s left in Flames training camp, and what are their chances to make the NHL roster to begin the 2023-24 season?
Goaltenders
The Flames have two goalies in camp: Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar. They’re both on one-way NHL deals and are locks. They’ve both made the team.
Defensemen (10)
The Flames have 10 defencemen in camp. They’ll likely begin the season with seven.
Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Jordan Oesterle, Chris Tanev, MacKenzie Weegar and Nikita Zadorov are all established NHL players with one-way contracts. Dennis Gilbert is a less established NHL player, but he’s on a one-way contract. That’s seven guys right there.
The three players probably not starting the year with the Flames:
- Nick DeSimone was placed on waivers on Thursday. He’ll likely be sent to the Wranglers if he clears.
- Oliver Kylington (personal) has been away from the team and will presumably be placed on the non-roster list to begin camp.
- Ilya Solovyov is waiver exempt and can be sent to the Wranglers without any risks.
Forwards
The Flames have 18 forwards in camp. They’ll likely begin the season with 13 or 14.
Eight players are established NHLers on one-way deals: Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman, Dillon Dube, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich. Two others are less established NHLers on one-way deals: Walker Duehr and Adam Ruzicka. Matt Coronato has been arguably Calgary’s best player in training camp. So that’s 11 players right there.
Four players seem unlikely to start the season with the team:
- Martin Pospisil and Emilio Pettersen were placed on waivers on Thursday. If they clear, they’ll likely both be sent to the Wranglers.
- Jakob Pelletier had shoulder surgery and Kevin Rooney needs shoulder surgery. Both are out long-term and will start on the injured-non-roster list.
So that leaves three players for two or three spots: Dryden Hunt is on a two-way, but he requires waivers and has played over 200 NHL games. Adam Klapka and Cole Schwindt are both waiver exempt. Klapka has played zero NHL games, Schwindt has played three. It seems like that one (or both) of Klapka and Schwindt start the season on the NHL roster, depending on if the Flames opt to carry one or two extra forwards.
The Flames finish their pre-season schedule on Friday night against Vancouver. They have to file a cap compliant roster of between 20 and 23 players with the league by 3 p.m. MT on Monday.
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