Mark Pysyk wasn’t a free agent for long. After being released by AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earlier this week, he has found a new organization as the Flames announced that they’ve signed the blueliner to a one-year, two-way contract. They listed his AAV at $725K, which is below the league minimum ($775K), but it’s possible that this is the net money he’ll receive after proration. GM Craig Conroy released the following statement about the signing:
"Mark is a right shot defenseman who provides depth on the blueline for our organization. He is a versatile player with significant NHL experience."
The 31-year-old missed all of last season due to a torn Achilles tendon, resulting in him needing to go the PTO route this past summer. He signed a tryout deal with Pittsburgh and then subsequently suffered a significant injury in his first game. He was eventually cleared to return, getting into eight AHL contests prior to his release. It was Pysyk’s first action in the minors since the 2015-16 campaign.
Pysyk is a veteran of 521 games over parts of 10 NHL seasons between Buffalo (two stints), Dallas and Florida. He has 104 points to his credit along with 576 blocks and 512 hits while averaging just over 17 minutes a night. With the Flames recently moving Nikita Zadorov and having Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev on expiring contracts, adding someone who can play on the third pairing makes a lot of sense for Calgary.
While Calgary has an open roster spot, it won’t be used on Pysyk right away as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Pysyk has been placed on waivers for the purpose of AHL assignment. If he clears on Sunday, he can be assigned to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.
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