Friends, welcome to July 1.

In addition to being the anniversary of the British North America Act coming into force in 1867, creating the great nation we know as the Dominion of Canada, July 1 is also Jarome Iginla’s 49th birthday… and the day the National Hockey League’s calendar flips over to the next league year and free agents can be signed for the following season.

We’re not expecting a whole lot of fireworks on Canada Day 2026 based on how things are looking for the Flames.

It’s general manager Craig Conroy’s fourth July 1 as head honcho of hockey operations.

In 2023, he didn’t sign anybody. (Jordan Oesterle, Dryden Hunt and Colton Poolman were signed on July 2.)

In 2024, he was busy, signing Anthony Mantha, Devin Cooley, Jake Bean, Martin Frk and Ryan Lomberg, and re-signing Yegor Sharangovich to his lengthy new deal.

In 2025, he signed Ivan Prosvetov, Joel Hanley and Nick Cicek.

The Flames don’t need big signings. History suggests we shouldn’t expect many from Conroy.

Welcome to our continuing coverage of the first day of free agency!

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