In advance of Monday’s roster deadline, the Calgary Flames made their final waiver moves of training camp. Per multiple reports, the Flames have placed forwards Jakob Pelletier and Cole Schwindt and goaltender Devin Cooley on waivers.
(RDS’ Stephane Leroux was the first to report Pelletier going on waivers.)
The 23-year-old Pelletier was the Flames’ first-round selection at the 2019 NHL Draft and is the big name for the Flames on the waiver wire. He entered the Flames’ minor-pro system in 2021-22 after two strong post-draft seasons, and you can basically use his September 2023 shoulder injury and subsequent surgery as the demarcation for how his pro career has gone so far.
He had two fabulous AHL seasons before his shoulder injury, producing at just shy of a point-per-game pace (62 points in 66 games) in 2021-22 and just over point-per-game (37 points in 35 games) in 2022-23. He received his first NHL call-up and eventually played his first NHL game, with then-head coach Darryl Sutter infamously quipping “What number is he?” in responsible to a question about the rookie’s debut performance. He finished his NHL stint in 2022-23 with seven points in 24 games playing primarily a depth role.
Pelletier began 2023-24’s training camp with promise, switching to a lower jersey number (joking that it would be easier for the coaches to remember) and looking like he had the inside track to an opening day spot. However, he was injured in his first pre-season game on a hit by Seattle prospect Marian Studenic that led to shoulder surgery. When he returned to action in late January he seemed almost like his old self, but a hit from NY Rangers defender Jacob Trouba nearly re-injured his surgery-repaired shoulder and produced a more tentative, gun-shy Pelletier when he returned to game action. And when your playing style relies on dogged, aggressive fore-checking to be effective, being tentative really undercuts your effectiveness.
As a player selected in the first-round, Pelletier’s someone that basically every NHL scouting department likely feel they know well, which could add to the potential that he gets claimed.
Joining Pelletier on waivers are Schwindt and Cooley. Schwindt, 23, is a two-way right shot centre that quietly had a strong 2023-24 season and followed that up with a strong training camp. He’s been a tough-minutes centre for the Wranglers and projects as a potential bottom-six option for the Flames. Cooley, 27, served as backup goalie for much of training camp to either Dan Vladar or Dustin Wolf, and when he did play he was quite good. He’s the third goalie in the pecking order, but he’s made a case for himself as a strong number three.
Once players clear waivers on Monday, they’ll be eligible for assignment to the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers.  The Flames entered Sunday with 27 players on their roster. Cooley being waived locks in Vladar and Wolf as their two goaltenders. Joel Hanley not being waived indicates that the Flames will start with eight defencemen. Pelletier and Schwindt being waived drops the Flames to 14 forwards; if everyone’s healthy, the final roster move to get down to 23 players will be assigning one of the club’s three waiver exempt forwards (Sam Honzek, Matt Coronato and Adam Klapka) to the Wranglers.
The wild card here, of course, is the availability of forward Yegor Sharangovich, who left Friday’s final pre-season game against Winnipeg after having a Jets player fall on his leg awkwardly. The Flames had off-days on Saturday and Sunday, so we won’t get an indication of his availability until Monday morning’s practice.
The NHL’s clubs have to submit a salary cap compliant of between 20 and 23 active players by 3 p.m. MT on Monday.