The Calgary Flames raised more than a few eyebrows around the NHL this past summer when they announced a hefty new six-year contract extension for shutdown defenceman Kevin Bahl.

Generally viewed as the secondary piece in the return from the New Jersey Devils in the Jacob Markstrom trade, Bahl took on a much larger role with the Flames in the 2024-25 season and established himself as a key presence both at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. In the end, he collected 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) while averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time in 73 games.

Bahl is already one of the Flames’ most established options on defence despite having just turned 25 in June. As we enter year two of the Bahl experience in Calgary, what can we expect from him?

That the Flames managed to land both Bahl and the eventual Cole Reschny pick in exchange for a declining veteran goaltender remains very impressive, but now they need even more from Bahl to justify his $5.35 million cap hit. A player making that much money must be able to contribute at both ends of the ice.

To his credit, Bahl exceeded most fans’ expectations with his transition play last season. Unlike most other 6’6″ defenders, Bahl is hardly a pure glass-and-out type with the puck, and he often channels Nikita Zadorov with his willingness to skate the puck out of the defensive zone himself.

If anything, Bahl needs to be more consistent with his physicality and defensive positioning, especially as it pertains to clearing opponents out of the crease. Last season, he sometimes looked like he was trying a bit too hard to overcompensate for whatever was hampering Rasmus Andersson, who really brought down that pairing at times, but Bahl is always going to be leaned upon heavily to lead the charge in his own end — especially if he starts being tasked with ushering more offensive-minded rookies into the league.

For Bahl to meet expectations, he’ll need to chip in anywhere between 15 to 20 points while skating with a variety of partners at 5-on-5 and finishing above 50 percent in terms of shots, scoring chances, and expected goals. Don’t be surprised if he spends a ton of time alongside Zayne Parekh, who should be able to enjoy plenty of freedom with the knowledge that he has a responsible partner out there with him.

Bahl entered his first season with the Flames as just one member of a huge group of relatively untested young defenders. By the end of the year, he had done more than enough to put significant distance between himself and the likes of Jake Bean, Brayden Pachal, and Daniil Miromanov, earning himself more than $30 million in guaranteed money in the process.

But in NHL terms, one season isn’t a very long time. Fans in Calgary have seen their fair share of one-year wonders, and there’s always the risk of a player losing a bit of their internal drive after locking in a big new contract. Sure, Bahl has been highly regarded in NHL circles for a long time, dating back to when he was picked by the Arizona Coyotes in the second round of the 2018 draft and subsequently coveted by New Jersey in the 2019 Taylor Hall trade. But while he’s undoubtedly got a lot going for him, Bahl would hardly be the first Flames player to fall back to Earth immediately after a breakout season.

While he doesn’t have to worry about a wave of up-and-coming lefties challenging for his spot, Bahl still needs to earn his keep by doing all he can to limit the volume of high-danger chances headed Dustin Wolf’s way. Point production is less of a concern, but if the minuses start piling up for Bahl like they did for Andersson last year, it’ll be disappointing — although, given their lack of depth on the left side, the Flames likely won’t have anybody else to turn to.

Wouldn’t it be something if Bahl started to really make a name for himself as one of the league’s best shutdown guys? While most of the NHL’s top offensive defenders were high draft picks and stars at lower levels, there’s no real one-size-fits-all development trajectory for the best defensive blueliners. Take Jaccob Slavin, Chris Tanev, Brett Pesce, Adam Pelech, and Esa Lindell as examples — none of those guys were picked higher than the third round, and Tanev wasn’t drafted at all.

Bahl has already proven himself capable of defending top opponents at a reasonably high level from a young age. He’s never going to win any scoring races, but he’s super sturdy and it’s easy to imagine him thriving with the right partner who takes a lot off his plate and lets him focus on killing plays. (It’s why a Bahl-Parekh pairing makes so much sense on paper).

It goes without saying that Bahl will be expected to take on more responsibilities as he gains more experience in Calgary, but if he can accelerate things and get to the point where he’s one of the league’s ice time leaders while getting closer to the 30-point range, it’d be a very welcome development for Flames fans and personnel alike.

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