Busy Day.

According to the Flames, they have qualified the 9 guys listed above. Greg Nemisz and Paul Byron both get another chance, as I guessed they would in an earlier post today, although I suspect it’s entirely for organizational depth purposes and not because they are seen as legit prospects anymore. 

Absent from the list are Bryan Cameron, Gaelan Patterson, Brady Lamb and Akim Aliu.

Cameron was a free agent signing out of the OHL three years ago. A high goal scorer at the time, he never found a way to translate that succes at the AHL level. Patterson is a former 7th round pick of the Flames who beat the odds by simply playing 3 years of pro hockey, albeit most of them were in the ECHL.

Akim Aliu was a heartwarming story when he was acquired by the Flames, but it was fairly clear on multiple viewings that he didn’t have the skills to be an NHL regular. He has bounced around for years since being picked in the second round by Chicago and I miagine he’ll have a tough time landing another contract, at least as far as the AHL is concerned.

Lamb is perhaps the most surprising of the guys not being retained. A college free agent signing, Lamb only played 51 games for the Heat and apparently didn’t show enough to garner another deal.