News Flames Team Notes

Wranglers add assistant coach David Liffiton to coaching staff

The Calgary Wranglers have added a new face to their coaching staff for the 2025-26 season.

Well, okay, it’s not an entirely new face. Joining the Wranglers as an assistant coach is David Liffiton, most recently an assistant coach for the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen, who share a home building with the Wranglers.

The 40-year-old Liffiton is entering his fifth season as a coach after a pretty interesting playing career. A blueliner by trade, he played in the Ontario Hockey League with the Plymouth Whalers and was selected in the second round of the 2003 NHL Draft by Colorado.

Nine months after being drafted, he was traded to the New York Rangers as part of a trade that sent Matthew Barnaby to Colorado. He went pro with the Rangers organization, ultimately playing 14 seasons of pro hockey in a lot of different leagues.

Here’s Liffiton’s pro career at a glance:

  • 7 NHL games with the NY Rangers and Colorado
  • 339 AHL games with Hartford, Syracuse and Lake Erie
  • 16 ECHL games with Charlotte
  • Two seasons in Denmark, with EfB Ishockey and the Frederiksvahn White Hawks
  • One season in Italy with Milano Rossoblu
  • Half a season in the Swedish Hockey League with Farjestads BK
  • A season and a half in HockeyAllsvenskan with the Malmo RedHawks
  • One season in Austria’s EBEL with HC Innsbruck

Liffiton began assistant coaching high-level hockey in 2020, and he’s racked up a year of U18 coaching with the North Island Silvertips U18 AAA, two seasons of BCHL coaching with the Nanaimo Clippers, and last season with the Hitmen.

Liffiton’s move to the pros from the Hitmen continues a pretty impressive trend of internal promotions within Calgary’s hockey clubs. In addition to Liffiton, in recent memory we’ve seen goalie coach Jason LaBarbera, skills consultant Matt Stajan, video analyst Connor Rankin, PR/team services Rees Giacchetta and athletic therapist Nathan Hollinger make the jump to the Flames or Wranglers staffs from the Hitmen. The Hitmen have been a pretty good spot to develop and promote up-and-coming hockey talent from.

The Wranglers coaching staff for the coming season will consist of head coach Brett Sutter, assistants Joe Cirella and David Liffiton, goalie development coach MacKenzie Skapski and video coach Chandler Biggar. Aside from Cirella, it’s a pretty youthful group coaching what could potentially be a pretty youthful AHL lineup. It should be a lot of fun.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST




Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/wranglers-add-assistant-coach-david-liffiton-to-coaching-staff
 
Streaming Flames games will cost more in 2025-26 due to Sportsnet+ price hike

If you’re a Calgary Flames fan hoping to stream games in 2025-26, it’s gonna cost you a bit more than it used to.

On Thursday, Sportsnet announced price increases for its Sportsnet+ streaming platform starting Sept. 9, 2025 (prices do not include taxes):

  • For the Standard yearly package, the price has increased from $199.99 to $249.99, an increase of $50.00.
  • For the Premium yearly package, the price has increased from $249.99 to $324.99, an increase of $75.00.
  • For the Standard monthly package, the price has increased from $24.99 to $29.99, an increase of $5.00.
  • For the Premium monthly package, the price has increased from $34.99 to $42.99, an increase of $8.00.

For cord-cutting Flames fans, the Standard package has been sufficient to watch regional and national broadcasts for those living in the local Calgary area. However, for out-of-market fans in other parts of Canada hoping to keep up with the red team, the Premium package has been a requirement. Both options are getting much pricier. (And this excludes anyone that wants to watch any TSN or Amazon broadcasts…)

This Sportsnet+ price hike continues a frustrating trend for fans, who have seen prices steadily climb up for the service. Sportsnet+ originally launched as Sportsnet NOW in 2016 as an online streaming platform for Sportsnet programming – essentially replicating the TV broadcast experience online for existing subscribers on the go, or those who had cut the cord but still wanted a reliable way to get their sports fix. A few years later, Sportsnet+ essentially replaced the NHL.TV service as the streaming home for all NHL games in Canada.

That would have been great, except the service has been a source of frustration for hockey fans for awhile. (When you try to Google “Sportsnet Plus,” the majority of the search engine’s fill-in suggestions for your search are references to the service not working properly.)

Some fans have had issues getting the service to recognize their IP address, resulting in (for example) Calgary fans trying to watch Flames games while in Calgary but being told they’re located outside the broadcast region. Or the service’s app crashing randomly. Or merely the service buffering perpetually when trying to stream video.

Based on online sentiment, and conversations with fans, the reaction from hockey fans looking for a reliable, safe place to stream hockey games when faced with Sportsnet+ price hikes in the past has been “Okay, sure, as long as the service works.” The persistent unreliability of an increasingly expensive platform has been a big challenge for fans just trying to watch their team.

Let’s see if this season, in the face of another price hike, if Sportsnet+ takes a big step forward.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​


Platinum-Mitsubishi-NDS-Screen-Res-1.png


This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/stream...t-more-in-2025-26-due-to-sportsnet-price-hike
 
The Flames will have 10 prospects playing college hockey in 2025-26

Folks, college hockey has always been one of the lifelines of the Calgary Flames. Some really splendid hockey players came to the Flames via the NCAA; among them names like Joe Nieuwendyk, Joe Mullen, Jamie Macoun, Joel Otto and Johnny Gaudreau.

But with the NCAA’s rule change that allows players from Canadian major junior hockey to be eligible to play in college, there’s been an influx of top prospects into the college ranks over the past year. Heck, the Flames will have 10 prospects – roughly a quarter of their prospect base – playing in the NCAA in the 2025-26 season.

So as we amble through our summer months and the fall remains in the distance, for now, let’s take a look at which college teams Flames prospects will be on during the coming season. (We’ve sorted it by conference!)

ECAC Hockey​


Quinnipiac University Bobcats – F Ethan Wyttenbach (2025 5th-rounder)

Based in Hamden, Connecticut, Quinnipiac is a really strong program. They’ve appeared each of the past six NCAA national tournaments, winning the crown in 2023.

In addition to Wyttenbach, Quinnipiac boasts just a pair of NHL-drafted players in Boston Bruins prospects D Elliott Groenewold (2024 4th-rounder) and F Christopher Pelosi (2023 3rd-rounder). They haven’t had a powerhouse recruiting class, especially compared to some other programs, but they look to be returning a lot of their heavy hitters from last season, so they should be strong again.

Harvard University Crimson – F Aidan Lane (2025 6th-rounder)

Now, we know some Flames fans have some Ivy League anxiety about Harvard because of Adam Fox. But hey, Harvard also gave the Flames Matt Coronato, and historically they’ve been a really nice proving ground for NHLers. They’ve missed the NCAA national tournament in the past two seasons, but they could be bound for a bounce-back season.

In addition to Lane, Harvard’s NHL drafted prospects include Anaheim D Ryan Healey (2022 4th-rounder), Buffalo D Sean Keohane (2023 6th-rounder), Boston D Mason Langenbrunner (2020 5th-rounder), Anaheim F Michael Callow (2022 5th-rounder), San Jose F Richard Gallant (2025 7th-rounder), Toronto F Joe Miller (2020 6th-rounder) and Philadelphia F Heikki Ruohonen (2024 4th-rounder). They may lack elite NHL prospects, but they have a ton of pretty promising depth.

Big 10​


Penn State University Nittany Lions – F Luke Misa (2024 5th-rounder)

You’re probably aware of Penn State for either their run to the Frozen Four this past spring (backstopped by Flames prospect Arsenii Sergeev) or their recent recruitment of presumptive 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna. They’ve been on the upswing in recent years, making the NCAA national tournament in two of the past three seasons.

Aside from Misa (and McKenna), the Nittany Lions also have Ottawa G Kevin Reidler (2022 5th-rounder), Columbus D Jackson Smith (2025 1st-rounder), Florida F Shea Busch (2025 4th-rounder) and Carolina F Charlie Cerrato (2025 2nd-rounder). Even before McKenna signed on, Penn State was looking to be a really fun team. They’re a team to watch this fall.

University of Michigan Wolverines – D Henry Mews (2024 3rd-rounder)

The Wolverines had a bit of a down year by their standards in 2024-25, missing the NCAA national tournament for the first time in five seasons. They’re generally considered one of the top programs in the country, and they’re likely hoping for a bounce-back.

In addition to Mews, in terms of NHL prospects the Wolverines have Nashville G Jack Ivankovic (2025 2nd-rounder), Anaheim D Drew Schlock (2025 4th-rounder), San Jose F Cole McKinney (2025 2nd-rounder), Carolina F Jayden Perron (2023 3rd-rounder) and NY Rangers F Malcolm Spence (2025 2nd-rounder). It’s a younger group, but there’s a lot of potential there.

NCHC​


University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks – F Cole Reschny (2025 1st-rounder) & F Cade Littler (2022 7th-rounder)

You’re probably aware of North Dakota as a Flames fan, likely due to 2025 first-rounder Cole Reschny being headed there in the fall. (We’ll forgive you if you don’t recall that Cade Littler goes there, too.) North Dakota has built a reputation as a really strong program, but they’ve been in a bit of a slump lately. They missed the NCAA national tournament last year, and have qualified for just one of the past three.

In addition to Reschny and Littler, the Fighting Hawks have NHL prospects like NY Islanders D Sam Laurila (2025 5th-rounder), Vegas D Abram Wiebe (2022 7th-rounder), Detroit F Dylan James (2022 2nd-rounder), San Jose F David Klee (2023 7th-rounder), Buffalo F Ashton Schultz (2025 6th-rounder) and Boston F Will Zellers (2024 3rd-rounder). North Dakota graduated Sasha Boisvert to the pros in the spring and Owen McLaughlin moved on to Boston University, so we’ll see if North Dakota’s new faces can find their stride quickly.

Arizona State University Sun Devils – F Cullen Potter (2025 1st-rounder)

From the hockey hotbed of Tempe, Arizona, the Sun Devils are the home of Flames first-rounder Cullen Potter and have been one of the more interesting stories in college hockey over the past decade. They’ve made the NCAA national tournament just once, in 2019 as an independent, but could be a surprise this season.

In addition to Potter, their NHL prospects include Minnesota D Justin Kipkie (2025 5th-rounder), Philadelphia F Noah Powell (2024 5th-rounder) and Boston F Cole Spicer (2022 4th-rounder). The Sun Devils have an older group than a lot of teams, but they’re returning a bunch of key players. If they’re going to make a splash, someone – probably Potter – is going to need to have a strong season.

University of Denver Pioneers – D Eric Jamieson (2024 6th-rounder)

The Pioneers have been consistently very good lately. They’ve qualified for the NCAA national tournament in each of the past four years, and made it to the Frozen Four three of the past four years. Heck, they won a national championship in 2024. They’re good. Carter King played there last season, and they keep winning and graduating players to the NHL.

In addition to Jamieson, NHL prospects at Denver include Montreal G Quentin Miller (2023 4th-rounder), Colorado D Tory Pitner (2024 6th-rounder), Seattle F Clarke Caswell (2024 5th-rounder), Los Angeles F Kristian Epperson (2025 3rd-rounder), Colorado F Jake Fisher (2024 4th-rounder) and Los Angeles F Brendan McMorrow (2025 7th-rounder). The Pioneers graduated a bunch of their top players, so we’ll see who steps up to fill the void.

Hockey East​


University of Maine Black Bears – F Jaden Lipinski (2023 4th-rounder)

Maine’s been a low-key fun story in the NCAA over the past few years, with back-to-back NCAA national tournament appearances after not being in the big dance for over a decade before that.

In addition to Lipinski, the Black Bears have NHL prospects like Florida D Luke Coughlin (2023 6th-rounder), Nashville F Miguel Marques (2024 3rd-rounder) and Carolina F Justin Poirier (2024 5th-rounder), Jeremie’s brother. Maine’s resurgence hasn’t been star-driven, so we’ll see if they can continue to play a strong team game and keep their hot streak going.

Merrimack College Warriors – F Trevor Hoskin (2024 4th-rounder)

Is Merrimack College a conference powerhouse? Not really. They’re a solid team, but they’ve made just one NCAA national tournament appearance in the last decade (back in 2023).

As of right now, Hoskin is the only NHL-drafted player committed to Merrimack College for the coming season.

Which Flames prospect are you most excited to watch in the NCAA this coming season? Let us know in the comments!

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​


Platinum-Mitsubishi-NDS-Screen-Res-1.png


This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/the-flames-will-have-10-prospects-playing-college-hockey-in-2025-26
 
FlamesNation Mailbag: The Stampede ends and the dog days of summer begin

Gang, the 2025 edition of the Calgary Stampede is now complete. Hopefully everybody had a good time, or avoided it entirely, to their own personal preferences.

As we sweep all the hay out of Calgary’s streets, let’s check in with the mailbag!

Is it managements decision not to commit to an actual rebuild or ownerships? It seems like Conroy knows what this team needs but isn't allowed to do it as Nonnis and malony are actually calling the shots. It's incredibly frustrating as a fan.

— Alberta Moose Knuckle (@AlbertaMatt) July 12, 2025

All due respect, I think you – and others – are overestimating the influence Dave Nonis and Don Maloney have on Flames management. Craig Conroy is running the show and while he does consult with others, including his experienced colleagues such as Nonis and Maloney, he’s steering the ship. My read, from various chats with Conroy over the years in various settings, is that he legitimately believes that tearing it down to the studs was not the ideal option for the Flames when he took the reins, and so he’s embraced the “retool” or “hybrid rebuild” or whatever folks want to call it.

If Conroy holds on to Anderson and intends to trade him at the deadline, but he gets injured and cant be moved.
Is it total meltdown in Flames land? And will the fans turn on Conroy?

— Baldy (@Bald8Tyler) July 12, 2025

This is probably a fair sentiment. Rasmus Andersson is arguably the last big sellable asset that Craig Conroy inherited from the previous regime, and if Andersson is going to be departing the organization and not signing a long-term deal to remain with the club, they need to get some assets back for him in order to keep the momentum of their retool rolling along.

And much like with Chris Tanev, who everyone seemed to wince alongside every time he blocked a shot during the 2023-24 stretch drive, it’s imperative that Andersson not get injured and become a diminished asset before he can be sold off.

I think Conroy has done enough good things thus far that he has a lot of banked goodwill with Flames fans, but not getting a sufficient return for Andersson should garner him criticism from fans and media in the event that it happens. It probably wouldn’t wash out all the smart things he’s done so far as general manager, but you never know.

Who is the Flame, new prospect, or whomever that can be the new Sam Bennett(similar playing style), but stays this time. Or maybe it's no one?

— Steve Berman (@5t3v3b3rm4n) July 12, 2025

Sam Bennett was a unicorn in terms of having the size, smarts and snarl to be a really effective playoff player. I don’t know if anybody in the organization right now has those three attributes to the degree Bennett did.

However, I am excited to see Andrew Basha at 100% potentially playing pro hockey this coming season, because he has a lot of those Bennett-y attributes, albeit possibly not in the same amount. I’ll also single out Lucas Ciona, who probably doesn’t have the skill ceiling of Bennett or Basha, but feels like someone that opponents will hate playing against in the playoffs if he keeps progressing as a physical role player in the forward group.

But no, there’s no Sam Bennett clone out there.

Is there any news on the Zary signing?

— Fox (@FoxON3P) July 12, 2025

On July 1, here’s what Craig Conroy said to us media folks when asked if he had any updates on Connor Zary and Morgan Frost:

“Talking to their agents. I think it’ll get done here at some point. So hopefully we’ve been busy with the draft and everything. So I think those will start to pick up. That’ll be our priority in the next couple weeks.”

Frost signed shortly afterwards, so we would suggest that Zary is their top priority right now.

Which current players do you think will be on the team in 2030?

Also what’s your favourite new change to the CBA?

— Aidan (@aidan_thakkar) July 12, 2025

Current Flames that I think will be on the team in 2023 include, but are not limited to, Dustin Wolf, MacKenzie Weegar, Kevin Bahl, Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato. And because I want to throw some prospects on there, I’ll also say Cole Reschny, Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz.

Via e-mail from David: “How many of the Flames and the prospects train in Calgary during the offseason?”

It varies, because some players stick around for awhile after the season ends – especially those with school-aged kids – and then head off elsewhere. I would estimate somewhere around 20-25% of the players under contract hang around town for a significant amount of the off-season.

Via e-mail from Steve: “I’ve been looking at the development maps for the area and I’m stumped at the “walking path” for the hockey fans from the LRT station to the new dome. I was there since the new station was finished and the only walking route is the “alley way” between the BMO and Cowboys. Something will replace the now demolished elevated partially covered walkway. I can’t find anything in any plans anywhere. To be clear from Victoria Park station to the Event Centre. If the Green Line gets built it will be across the street for the Event Centre but the Red Line walk way remains a mystery. Any news you have seen??”

The plan, as has been relayed to me by various people working on the various Stampede Park developments, is for there to be no dedicated indoor path from either Victoria Park LRT station (to the west) or the eventual Green Line station (to the north) to Scotia Place. The idea is that the planners want some foot traffic along the street level, and that would drive some business to the various places that pop up in the area.

They’re working on a couple more hotel developments for the area to go with the two that were just announced in recent weeks, and those hotels will have lobby bars and restaurants, as does the Cowboys Casino. The hope is that fans will pop in and out of all those places before and after games and concerts and make the area a fun, lively place.

Via the DMs from Ethan Williams: “What will be the first event at Scotia Place? Will it be a concert? Will it be the 2027 regular season home opener? Will it be a pre season game? IMO the regular season home opener should be the first ever event.“

In an ideal world, the hope is probably to have a few concerts before the 2027 NHL pre-season to stress test Scotia Place. It sounds incredibly stressful to launch a brand-new building with an NHL regular season game, and I think everybody involved would like to have a few smaller-scale rehearsals before the pre-season begins. Failing that, the two home pre-season games (and the early Calgary Hitmen regular season games in 2027-28) would probably work as stress tests.

But you can understand why they would like multiple outings with varied audiences to work out the kinks, and then use the Flames season-opener in 2027-28 as a big event to act as the building’s “grand opening,” so to speak.

Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/BlueSky at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan.Pike [at] BetterCollective.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)

The FlamesNation Monday Mailbag is presented to you by Village Honda


Looking to sell your vehicle? Village Honda wants to buy it. We offer complimentary, no obligation appraisals, payment in 24 hours, top value trade in values and best of all, no stress. Skip selling your vehicle privately and stop in Village Honda today. No appointment necessary.

Village Honda is proud to be your dealership for life in Calgary since 1987. We are located in the Northwest Auto Mall under the giant Canadian flag or online at www.villagehonda.com.


Village-Honda-for-Monday-Mailbag.jpg

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/flamesnation-mailbag-the-stampede-ends-and-the-dog-days-of-summer-begin
 
Despite offensive breakout in 2024-25, Flames prospect Jacob Battaglia might still be underrated

When Calgary Flames fans think about the organization’s prospects, a few names immediately come to mind.

Understandably, fans are excited about Zayne Parekh. The club’s other recent first-rounders – Matvei Gridin, Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter – merit a lot of attention. Local product Andrew Basha returned from a pretty significant ankle injury to help Medicine Hat win a league championship. Several prominent prospects are headed onto new challenges with good college programs in the fall.

In this context, let’s talk about 2024 second-rounder Jacob Battaglia, who scored 40 goals and 90 points for the Kingston Frontenacs last season and may still somehow be underrated when we discuss Flames prospects. He had a big leap forward offensively in 2024-25, increasing his goal output from 31 and his point output from 65. He was asked about the secret to his scoring increase.

“Honestly, I feel like I just got better in the off season, just kind of translated that into the hockey season,” said Battaglia. “Didn’t really try to do too much, just kind of wanted to kind of play more simple and try to keep the puck on my stick and less hope plays and throwing it away. And I think that helped me a lot, just being able to possess the puck longer on the ice and make better plays and higher end plays that ultimately result in a goal or at least an offensive chance.”

Back in November, the developmental hockey landscape changed as the NCAA voted to allow Canadian junior players to become eligible to play college hockey starting in 2025-26. That led to a veritable gold rush as junior-aged CHLers began to make college commitments. One of the most prominent CHLers who didn’t do that was Battaglia, who signed his entry level deal with the Flames in late March, closing the door on any possible collegiate move.

“I mean, my dream and always the route I dreamed of playing was playing in the OHL and going to the NHL from there, even taking one or two years in the AHL and getting to the NHL,” said Battaglia. “That was always kind of the dream route. Even when I chose the OHL at 16, again, never really thought of school, always had in my mind that OHL was going to be the way. So I thought might as well just stick to what I chose before and not change up and make it too hard on myself, just go out there and play the game.”

On Mar. 28, the Flames announced they had signed Battaglia to a three year entry-level deal – presuming that Battaglia spends the upcoming season in the OHL, his ELC won’t kick in until 2026-27. Coming at the end of a really strong season for him, it was some validation that he was on the right path towards his goals.

“Yeah, I got that call the day after my birthday from my agent,” said Battaglia. “So it was kind of a little belated birthday gift. Even that experience, just getting that phone call is so cool. Just the reaction for me was more just a relief and feel that they have been watching me and they’ve been seeing me put in work and that they believe and they want to give me a chance to be a Calgary Flame. So just knowing you have that from the management and the coaching staff and everyone else around that they believe in you and they want you to be a Calgary Flame is just so inviting and you just feel so comfortable around them to be yourself.”

Battagalia is a 2006 birthday, so he’s not eligible to go pro and play in the American Hockey League this coming season. More likely than not, he’ll be back with the Frontenacs for the 2025-26 season. And while he played some really good hockey last season, he remains hungry to prove himself as he works towards his ultimate goal of the NHL.

“I mean, well, the job’s not finished,” said Battaglia. “Obviously that’s just, again, just another stepping stone in the dream plan of eventually playing in the NHL. So yeah, just trying to stay the course and entrust the process. No, it’s not always going to be direct work, go to the OHL, get drafted, sign a contract, play in the NHL. It’s going to be a lot of adversity throughout the way and throughout the journey and just trying to stay the course and stay level with myself, stay level headed, not trying to get too up, not trying to get too down. Just kind of stay right in the middle there and feel where I’m most comfortable on and off the ice.”

This article is brought to you by Crystal Waters​


CW_logo_Horz_RGB_WhtBkg-1024x341.png
Crystal Waters is your Crystal Clear Choice for Home Comfort Solutions, including all plumbing, heating, and cooling equipment repairs, maintenance, and installation. Founded in 2001, and completing over 30,000 projects, our qualified professionals are the guardians of your home’s mechanical heart.

Call Crystal Waters Plumbing and Heating today at 403-219-4100 for a complete mechanical system audit, and learn how we can partner with you to ensure your home is optimized for safety, health, and comfort. Or check them out at
www.crystalclearcalgary.com

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/despit...ect-jacob-battaglia-might-still-be-underrated
 
Report: Flames place prospect Joni Jurmo on unconditional waivers to terminate contract

The Calgary Flames have reportedly placed defensive prospect Joni Jurmo on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Joni Jurmo (CAL) & Ty Voit (TOR) both on unconditional waivers to terminate contracts

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 15, 2025

The 23-year-old Jurmo is a left shot defenceman from Espoo, Finland. He was originally selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. His rights moved to the Flames as part of the January 2024 trade for Elias Lindholm, and the Flames signed Jurmo to a two year entry-level contract in March 2024.

Since being drafted, Jurmo had bounced around Finnish pro hockey a bit, playing with JYP, Jukurit, Ilves and KooKoo in the first-tier SM-liiga and Kiekko-Espoo in the second tier Mestis over a four season period. When he signed with the Flames, the hope was probably that some stability would allow the big-bodied blueliner to blossom. Listed at 6’4″ and 207 pounds, you can understand why the Flames would have coveted Jurmo’s size, defensive prowess and pro experience in good leagues.

Unfortunately, Jurmo was lost in the shuffle in the Flames system. When he was with the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush, he played a lot and played quite well. Well enough, in fact, that an argument could be made that he was too good for that league. He had 10 points in 12 ECHL games with the Rush last season. With the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, he played just 17 times, often as a seventh defender, and he didn’t really carve out a role for himself given how sporadically he played. He had zero points in the AHL.

Including Jurmo, the Flames organization has 16 defencemen on NHL contracts for 2025-26. With highly-touted prospect Etienne Morin going pro with the Wranglers in the fall, and lefties like Ilya Solovyov, Nick Cicek, Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier vying for ice time, it seems unlikely (on paper) that Jurmo’s placement within the Flames defensive pecking order would improve in 2025-26 from where it was in 2024-25.

A contract termination opens up a contract slot for the Flames, and gives Jurmo a chance to pursue a larger on-ice role elsewhere. Signing Jurmo was a worthwhile, low-risk gamble for player and team. Sometimes those gambles don’t work out.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST




Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/report...n-unconditional-waivers-to-terminate-contract
 
The Flames and Stars are perfect trade partners for Rasmus Andersson

It’s looking like Rasmus Andersson’s time in Calgary is coming to an end. The Flames and their 28 year old defenceman are reportedly far apart on extension talks.

The best course of action for Craig Conroy is to trade Andersson, preferably before the start of training camp. They are going to want to avoid making this situation a distraction this season.

Andersson has a six team no trade list. Conroy has the ability to move Andersson to 25 teams across the NHL as a rental.

But there is one team that makes the most sense to partner with in an Andersson trade. And that is the Dallas Stars.

Andersson is exactly what the stacked Dallas Stars team is missing.

Dallas desperately needs help on the right side of their defence. As of June 14th, the only right shot defencemen on the Stars NHL roster is Ilya Lyubushkin, Nils Lundkvist, and Alex Petrovic. Keep in mind that Miro Heiskanen plays the right side. But man, after Heiskanen, there is zero depth on that blueline.

Jim Nill needs to add to that group if they want to give themselves the best chance at winning the Stanley Cup. And who better than Rasmus Andersson to fill that void?

Andersson is the type of player you want to add to a cup contender. As Flames fans know, Andersson’s style of play and attitude is perfect for playoff hockey. His physicality, willingness to block shots, defensive play, and ability to piss off his opponents will allow him to thrive in the biggest games of the season.

Andersson would be a great fit. But do the Stars have the assets to make a trade happen? The answer is yes.

The Stars have a lot of assets the Flames would be interested in. They have their second and third round picks in the stacked 2026 NHL draft. They have their first and third round picks in the 2027 NHL Draft.

The Flames have shown in the past under Craig Conroy that they like acquiring young NHL players. The Stars have a couple intriguing names.

Lian Bichsel is a 6’7″, 231 pound, 21-year-old left shot defenceman who broke out for the Stars late in their regular season and playoff run. He is a very similar player to Kevin Bahl. He is a good skater for his size. He is tough and difficult to play against. He is a perfect partner for the Flames skilled, right shot defencemen like MacKenzie Weegar, Zayne Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Henry Mews.

The other young NHL player the Flames would be interested in is Mavrik Bourque. The 23 year old winger played in 73 games, scored 11 goals and added 14 assists. He was under-utilized playing on the fourth line. Bourque might be one of those players who could break out if given a bigger role on a new team.

Finally, there is the salary cap. The Dallas Stars only have $1,955,084 of cap space. Rasmus Andersson makes $4.55 million next season.

There is an easy solution to this problem: add Ilya Lyubushkin’s $3.25 million to the deal. The Flames would have to be incentivized to take on that deal. They are doing to Stars a favour.

Lyubushkin could help replace the minutes left behind by Andersson on the Flames blue line. He would also be a stop-gap for Zayne Parekh. He can take on tough minutes at 5-on-5 and help ease Parekh into the NHL.

If the Flames are able to rebuild his value on the trade market, they could move him for an asset at the 2026 or 2027 deadline.

All the pieces are there to make a trade. So what could that potentially look like?

Screenshot-2025-07-13-at-8.36.52 PM.png


The Flames trade a valuable right shot defenceman on a great contract. They also take on the two remaining years of Ilya Lyubushkin’s contract that pays him $3.25 million. The Stars will need to give up some significant assets to make this happen.

Lian Bichsel, a potential left shot top four defenceman and a 2027 first round pick feels like a fair starting point. Throw in a 5th round pick to boot and there might be a deal to be had.

The stars are aligning on a Rasmus Andersson trade between Calgary and Dallas. All the components are there to make a trade happen. Will these two deals be able to work something out? We will find out between now and the 2026 trade deadline.

This article is brought to you by Platinum Mitsubishi​


Platinum-Mitsubishi-NDS-Screen-Res-1.png


This article is a presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the industry-leading 10-year, 160,000-kilometre powertrain warranty. Check out their showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/the-flames-and-stars-are-perfect-trade-partners-for-rasmus-andersson
 
The Flames and Connor Zary like each other, but have a disagreement on compensation: Friedman

It’s been a pretty quiet summer for the Calgary Flames, gang.

Yeah, general manager Craig Conroy has locked a few players up to new contracts – including Matt Coronato, Kevin Bahl, Morgan Frost and Martin Pospisil. But there’s one piece of lingering contractual business before the 2025-26 season can begin: restricted free agent Connor Zary.

A first-round selection by the Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft, Zary just completed his entry-level contract and needs a new deal. But so far, the Flames and Zary’s camp have remained at an impasse.

In the most recent edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, co-host Kyle Bukauskas asked Elliotte Friedman about the whole situation.

Bukauskas: Quickly, do you have a read on another RFA out there, and Connor Zary and the Flames, and what the sticking point may be there?

Friedman: I have just heard that the two sides just have been apart. So until that changes, again, I don’t think this is a situation where the Flames don’t like the player or the player doesn’t like the Flames. I’ve just As you’ve heard, it’s a disagreement on, hey, if the term is X, this is what we think the number should be. The good news is that starting to pick up. Business is starting to pick up.

The 23-year-old Zary has played four seasons of pro hockey, a benefit of being a late birthday and gaining a slide year from signing soon after being drafted. On one hand, Zary’s definitely progressed since going pro, and has shown promise playing both centre and the wing.

But while teammate Matt Coronato avoided injury in 2024-25 and was able to really showcase what he can bring to the Flames… Zary wasn’t quite so lucky. Zary began the season playing quite well, but a pair of scary incidents – a knee-on-knee collision with Anaheim’s Drew Helleson in January and another with Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen in March – kept him out of the lineup for big chunks of the season and really disrupted his momentum, with his offensive production ending up slightly behind 2023-24’s.

Hopefully the two sides can come to terms on a deal soon and Zary can have a full training camp before the regular season begins on Oct. 7.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST​




Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://flamesnation.ca/news/the-fl...-have-a-disagreement-on-compensation-friedman
 
Back
Top