News Flames Team Notes

[Calgary Flames]

Should the Flames sign Ilya Samsonov for extra goaltending depth this season?

There was no better story last season than the dominance Dustin Wolf displayed in his first full NHL campaign. Now, the support Wolf will get heading into his second full season is up in the air at this time.

Heading into the off-season, it was clear the Calgary Flames would need to address their goaltending depth. With a strong chance Dan Vladar wouldn’t return — which he didn’t — a roster spot opened up heading into the 2025-26 season.

On the opening day of free agency, Calgary signed Russian netminder Ivan Prosvetov to a one-year deal. He was coming off a strong season in the KHL, posting a 2.32 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, four shutouts and a 20-16-2 record.

The current plan is for Prosvetov to compete with Devin Cooley for the backup job at training camp. Cooley got off to a red-hot start in the AHL last season, earning an All-Star Game nod, but struggled down the stretch. It became clear he couldn’t simply be handed the backup role if it became available.

That sets up the Flames’ top three goaltenders as Wolf, Prosvetov and Cooley — a trio with a combined 101 career NHL games, 71 of which belong to Wolf. There’s not much of a safety net if injuries occur or if someone falters.

That begs the question: Should the Flames go with what they have and hope one of Cooley or Prosvetov builds off a strong 2024-25 campaign and becomes reliable at the NHL level? Or should they consider bringing in a veteran to add stability in the crease?

If the latter makes more sense, Ilya Samsonov could be a fit.

The 28-year-old Russian netminder is set to enter his seventh NHL season. Samsonov spent last season with the Vegas Golden Knights but was limited to just 29 games due to injury, finishing with a 16-9-4 record, a 2.82 GAA and an .891 save percentage.

Before joining Vegas, Samsonov spent two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and three with the Washington Capitals. He’s been a consistent and dependable option over the years, even appearing in 22 playoff games during his career.

If the Flames were to bring in Samsonov, it wouldn’t threaten Wolf’s starts — the crease belongs to him. But no goalie plays all 82 games. Prosvetov looked sharp in the KHL, but his past NHL stints have been rocky. Cooley, too, remains unpredictable. With a veteran like Samsonov, at least you have a clearer idea of what you’re getting. Plus, it would just be temporary. The Flames would not need to commit to Samsonov long term.

One thing the Flames will need to be mindful of, however, is the ripple effect at the AHL level. Prospect Arsenii Sergeev is turning pro this season, and if the Wranglers end up with three goalies, it could impact Sergeev’s development due to limited playing time. (The Flames have also signed college netminder Owen Say, and he’ll be playing pro, too.)

Perhaps the Flames roll with what they have. There’s nothing wrong with that — and a goaltending battle at camp could be fun to watch. Still, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of signing someone early in the season if things don’t go well. That’s a realistic option, too. There will likely be a few goalies left unsigned as the off-season wraps up, and Samsonov could be one of them.

Are you comfortable with the Flames’ current goaltending situation? Or should they bring in some additional help?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/should...sonov-for-extra-goaltending-depth-this-season

 

[Calgary Flames]

Parker Bell developed his 200 foot and physical game in his rookie season with the Wranglers

Parker Bell played his first professional season with the Calgary Wranglers last season and as time went on, the growth in his game was starting to show. He was effective in creative ways when he wasn’t scoring and worked alongside a lot of veteran players over the course of the season. He was also one of the prospects that took some tips from Alex Gallant and embraced a more physical style of play in the back half of the season.

Bell was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 2022 NHL Draft, going 155th overall in the fifth round. He is one of the tallest Wranglers (especially with Adam Klapka graduating to the Flames) at 6’5”.

Bell played his Junior Career with the Tri-City Americans and went back-to-back seasons with 64 points before making his professional debut with the Wranglers in the 2023-24 season. He got a two game preview at the end of the year and did not put up any points. He did not make the lineup for any of the post-season games that season.

2024-25 expectations​

Parker Bell’s professional experience was quite limited going into the 2024-25 season. The expectation for him was to ease into it, learn the ropes and figure out where he landed talent-wise compared to his teammates. Bell wasn’t a name being thrown around for an NHL debut this season but he was still a well enough known name to follow along with at the AHL level. He had the skillset that made him seem like an lineup option nearly every night, so this season appeared to be a good whole year of learning.

2024-25 results​

Bell did transition into this league well and as time went on, he did figure out what kind of game he’d like to lean into. It seemed at first, he was going for a sniper mentality to try and make a run for more playing time but did also put a lot of pressure on himself. At this level in the Flames organization, it seems the AHL guys need to light it up from the get-to to even get a second look and Bell likely felt some of this need to produce and produce consistently.

Bell finished the season with 61 games played and a total of 12 points consisting of seven goals and five assists. His first professional goal came on Oct. 22 against the Bakersfield Condors and his season high was two goals against the Manitoba Moose on Nov. 29. His consistency wasn’t quite there for this first season but his opportunities were quite limited in big game scenarios, power play and overtime chances.

They needed that one! Parker Bell gives the Wranglers the lead late in the second period. pic.twitter.com/4wPLmQtVyB

— Paige Siewert (@thathockeygirly) March 1, 2025

His last game of the season was on Apr. 12, where he was punched square in the face and taken down in a fight that appeared to have caused a minor head injury. He was benched the rest of the season and into playoffs as a precaution.

When Parker Bell spoke to the media at Wranglers exit meetings about his rookie season, he talked about continuing to develop that physical style of play, saying:

“I think coming from junior, I had to adjust a little bit. You become more of a 200-foot player, and more defensive and hard to play against. I think adding that to my game will help me next year.”

Bell continued:

“From September to now is a big difference for me. I think I’ve improved and I think you come back just a little more confident.”

Next season’s expectations​

Parker Bell has some work to do on positioning and speed this summer but if he comes into the Fall able to play more into his size, he could elevate his spot in the Wranglers lineup to take the next step in his game. The most important part is that he’s had enough time away from the game to fully recover, then set his sights on year two of his contract.

He’s in a group of sink or swim prospects in the AHL that have their young age and early career time on their side but a three year ELC flies by. The end of it doesn’t mean the end of your development, but if that club is not seeing what they’d like to, you’re not going to stick around much longer beyond that. This upcoming season will be a big test and opportunity for Bell.

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Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/parker...-game-in-his-rookie-season-with-the-wranglers