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Jack Roslovic, Carolina Hurricanes (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

5 Free Agents the Calgary Flames Should Still Sign

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 9:35 AM ET

If the Calgary Flames want to add some free agents, they have more than enough money to do so. They aren’t expecting to compete for a Stanley Cup this season, but certainly have their eyes on a playoff berth after coming very close to reaching in 2024-25. That said, questions remain as to whether their current roster is good enough to do so.

The Flames still have several holes throughout their lineup, and lack an elite star that all of the NHL’s best teams possess. That said, they may be able to fix a few of those holes through free agency, as several solid players remain on the market. Here are five that general manager (GM) Craig Conroy should consider signing.

Jack Roslovic

The best free agent that remains up for grabs is Jack Roslovic. There are few, if any, who would deny that at this point. It’s proven by the fact that, despite being on the open market for over two weeks, there is still reportedly a ton of interest in him, though perhaps not at the price point he was hoping.

What makes Roslovic so intriguing for the Flames is that they are still in need of centres. Though the 28-year-old was used as a winger more often than not with the Carolina Hurricanes, he has played down the middle before at the NHL level, and may help provide what the Flames are lacking, perhaps not only in 2025-26, but even beyond.

Luke Kunin

He’s not nearly as talented a player as Roslovic, but another option the Flames could target to help them down the middle is Luke Kunin. Like Roslovic, he’s played plenty of wing in his career, particularly as of late, but does have experience in the centre ice position.

Kunin is a very affordable option for the Flames, as he wouldn’t require much more than a league-minimum deal to bring in. He could fill a fourth-line role while also contributing on the penalty kill. There may be more offence in his game than has been shown in recent years, too, as he did show some scoring touch early into his NHL career.

Evgeny Kuznetsov

Well, this would be fun. After departing the NHL and returning to Russia for the 2024-25 season, Evgeny Kuznetsov is reportedly eying a return to North American soil. The 33-year-old had 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games with SKA St. Petersburg this past season.

Kuznetsov would give the Flames a very talented option down the middle of the ice, and would also be a cheap add. It’s a low-risk move for the Flames, who could wind up flipping him to a playoff contender at the trade deadline for a big return should he get anywhere close to the level of player he was during his prime with the Washington Capitals.

Matt Grzelcyk

The Flames could use an upgrade on their back end, especially if they do wind up trading Rasmus Andersson before the 2025-26 season begins. Their left side in particular is weak, as Jake Bean is being pencilled in as a third-pairing option despite his struggles throughout the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign.

There is zero doubt that the best defenceman remaining on the market is Matt Grzelcyk, who is coming off a career-high 40 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Should Andersson indeed get traded, there would be plenty of offensive opportunities on the back end in Calgary, which would bode well for Grzelcyk. Like Kuznetsov, he could be flipped to a playoff contender at the deadline for a nice return.

Oliver Kylington

Has enough time passed to mend old relationships? Things didn’t end particularly well between the Flames and Oliver Kylington. The organization treated him extremely well during his time away due to mental health issues, which had fans thinking it was a no-brainer he would return to Calgary following the 2023-24 season. Instead, he opted for a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

Oliver Kylington, Calgary Flames (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

That decision was a mistake by Kylington, who struggled to get into the lineup with the Avs and wound up being traded to the Anaheim Ducks. His NHL career is in jeopardy, though it’s possible that the Flames, who are very familiar with his game, believe he can come in and be a bottom-pairing defenceman for the upcoming season.

Flames May Wind Up Standing Pat

While the free agents mentioned above wouldn’t hurt the Flames, whether Conroy looks to add one or more of them remains to be seen. There is a chance that, given their retooling timeline, he opts to at least start the season with the current roster he has in order to give some of their young players an opportunity to prove themselves.