As the Calgary Flames begin their 51st season of operations, the franchise has one of the best lineups in the league with All-Stars like Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and Jacob Markstrom. However, after stumbling through the 2022-23 season, many wonder what is holding back this talented group of skaters, which includes captain Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm, and MacKenzie Weegar.
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Although there will be more questions and plenty of answers as the 2023-24 season unfolds, we wanted to discuss the roster construction that new general manager Craig Conroy is working with ahead of opening night. Whether players came to Calgary through the draft, a trade, or signed through free agency, a lot has stayed the same since the last time we watched the Flames play, so here’s a refresher for anyone who forgot how this team came together.
Free Agency – Ten Players (40%)
Interestingly, the Flames’ two longest-tenured free agent signings came to town in October 2020, when former Vancouver Canucks players Chris Tanev and Jacob Markström left British Columbia to make a home in Alberta. After those moves, the pair found new teammates when undrafted prospect Walker Duehr joined the team in April 2021, followed by Blake Coleman in July 2021.
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In the summer of 2021, the Flames added a pair of defensemen and centers, with Nikita Zadorov, Dennis Gilbert, Kevin Rooney, and Kadri joining the ranks. During the summer of 2023, Conroy added his first two players to the roster through free agency when he acquired Dryden Hunt and Jordan Oesterle.
NHL Entry Draft – Eight Players (32%)
As the longest-tenured player in the dressing room, it is no surprise to see Backlund’s name at the top of this list, joining the Flames organization at the 2007 NHL Draft (24th overall). Interestingly, Calgary still has three players from the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, which includes Rasmus Andersson (53rd overall), Oliver Kylington (60th overall), and Andrew Manngiapane (166th overall).
Furthermore, the remaining drafted players on the roster are Dillon Dubé (2016/56th overall), Adam Ružička (2017/109th overall), and Jakob Pelletier (2019/26th overall). Interestingly, Matthew Coronato (2021/13th overall) is the only prospect to crack the lineup out of this decade’s recent draft classes.
Trades – Six Players (24%)
One of the biggest questions heading into the 2023-24 season is what will happen with Lindholm and Noah Hanifin since both players will soon be unrestricted free agents after a lengthy stay in Calgary. Together, the pair came to the Flames organization through a trade in June 2018 for Dougie Hamilton, Michael Ferland, and Adam Fox.
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However, the franchise didn’t acquire another current player via trade until July 2021, when backup goalie Dan Vladar came to the club after debuting with the Boston Bruins. But, within a year of that transaction, the Flames acquired one of the league’s most talented forwards, Huberdeau, and a star defenseman, Weegar, in exchange for power forward Matthew Tkachuk in July 2022. Even though the jury is still out on who won that trade, it was one of the most significant moves of last summer.
Finally, the latest skater to join the Flames through the trade market is Yegor Sharangovich. He will make his Calgary debut on opening night after coming over from the New Jersey Devils for Tyler Toffoli in June 2023.
Waiver Wire – One player (4%)
According to CapFriendly.com, the Flames have 25 skaters on payroll, with Rooney on injured reserve, Kylington on long-term injured reserve, and Pelletier on season-opening injured reserve. So, with a few players out of the lineup, A.J. Greer had an opportunity to join the team, clearing through waivers and getting picked up by the Flames on October 9. Currently, he’s the only skater in the organization acquired through waivers.
Further Perspective
The Flames have a payroll of $85,943,500, with an estimated $2,443,500 tied up on long-term injured reserve. In the new season, Calgary is paying $31.85 million (37% salary cap) for players acquired via trade, slightly higher than the free agents in the lineup, who earn $30.73 million (35%). Additionally, the Flames’ drafted players are taking home $22.59 million (26%), with Greer, their lone waiver wire pick-up, earning just $762,500 (0.08%).
Statistically, the team’s highest-paid player is Huberdeau at $10.5 million, with Greer, Ružička, and Gilbert all earning league minimum salaries at $762,500. Moreover, Huberdeau and Weegar have eight seasons left on their current deals, while unrestricted free agents in 2024 include Lindholm, Greer, Hanifin, Tanev, Zadorov, Oesterle, and Gilbert. Finally, the team’s restricted free agents next summer are Dubé and Ružička. Ultimately, this may be the last season we see this lineup on the ice, with so many possible changes occurring in the future.