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What roster moves do we expect the Flames to make before opening night?
Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
As the sun rises on Friday, the Calgary Flames have a training camp roster of 43 players.
By 3 p.m. MT on Monday, they need to have 20 players off that roster, and submit a cap compliant 23-man roster with the league for opening night.
Here’s how we think they get there.
The expected opening roster
We think we have a really good handle on 22 spots on the opening 23-man roster:
- G Dustin Wolf
- G Devin Cooley
- D Kevin Bahl
- D Simon Nemec
- D Jake Middleton
- D Zayne Parekh
- D Yan Kuznetsov
- D Zach Whitecloud
- D Joel Hanley
- D Brayden Pachal
- F Matvei Gridin
- F Morgan Frost
- F Matt Coronato
- F Sam Honzek
- F Mikael Backlund
- F Joel Farabee
- F Connor Zary
- F Ryan Strome
- F Yegor Sharangovich
- F Maxim Tsyplakov
- F Martin Pospisil
- F Adam Klapka
We are guessing that the 13th forward is one of Aydar Suniev, Dryden Hunt and Brennan Othmann, but we don’t have a strong inkling of which one yet.
The 20 expected roster moves
Here’s how the Flames can get to 23 active players.
[2] Chase Harrington will be assigned back to the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs.
[3] Will Dineen, in camp on an AHL contract, will be assigned to the Wranglers.
[4] Alex Nylander, in camp on a professional try-out, will be signed to an NHL deal… and then placed on waivers for the purposes of assignment to the AHL, and then sent to the Wranglers if/when he clears.
[5-13] Jake Livingstone, Andreas Englund, Mike Benning, Ben Jones, William Stromgren, Sam Morton, Rory Kerins, (maybe) Dryden Hunt and (maybe) Brennan Othmann will be placed on waivers for the purposes of assignment to the AHL, and then sent to the Wranglers if/when they clear.
[14-21] Waiver-exempt players Arsenii Sergeev*, Kirill Zarubin*, Hunter Brzustewicz, Axel Hurtig, Andrew Basha, Tyson Gross, Jonathan Castagna and (maybe) Aydar Suniev will be assigned to the Wranglers. (We would expect one of Sergeev or Zarubin to stick around until after Saturday’s final pre-season game, as Devin Cooley has already dressed for two pre-season games and is ineligible to back up Dustin Wolf against Edmonton.)
Will we get clues about the 13th forward?
How many Flames players are placed on waivers over the weekend will be the big tell here. Nine players could be on waivers. If all nine are on waivers, then the 13th forward will be someone who’s waiver exempt – like Aydar Suniev. If fewer than nine are on waivers, then whoever isn’t on waivers is probably getting that spot.
What do you think of how the Flames’ roster is shaping up? Let us know in the comments!
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Calgary FlamesTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$90,091,666
$70,041,666
Projected Cap Space
$13,908,334
$43,458,334
Current Cap Space
$13,908,334
$43,458,334
Active Players
23/23
16/23
Draft Picks
Round
'27
'28
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
2
1