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In this edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumors, Rasmus Andersson revealed he had been playing through a serious injury during the final stretch of the season. Meanwhile, Joel Farabee was his own worst critic on locker room cleanout day and vowed to be much better in 2025-26. In other news, several players confirmed they will be playing in the upcoming World Championship. Last but not least, several Flames were able to put up big performances in their NHL debuts on Thursday night.
Andersson Played Through Serious Injury
The 2024-25 season was one that Rasmus Andersson will want to forget. The 28-year-old struggled throughout the vast majority of the season, and had one of the worst plus/minus rankings in the entire NHL at minus-38. He particularly struggled through the final stretch when the Flames needed him the most, though he revealed a very good reason as to why when speaking with media members at the Flames’ locker room cleanout on Saturday morning.
“I broke my fibula against Seattle,” Andersson said. “So I played the last 12 games with a broken fibula. So that felt great.”
Despite the injury, Andersson appears to be healthy, or at least close to now, as he confirmed he will be representing Team Sweden at the upcoming World Championship. After that, it will be time to focus on his future, as he has just one more season remaining on his contract before he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Joel Farabee Frustrated with Season
Joel Farabee’s days were always numbered with the Flyers, as he had struggled this season and was no longer meshing with now former head coach John Tortorella. The hope was that a change of scenery in Calgary would get him back on track, but that wasn’t the case. The 25-year-old struggled, scoring just three goals and six points in 31 games donning a Flames sweater.
“I think the whole year itself, even in Philly was pretty embarrassing for me,” Farabee said this morning. “I take a lot of pride in trying to be a guy that can provide offence and help out. I think I need to be a lot better in a lot of areas. Having a summer to relax a little bit and focus on some things will help me. Having a little more time off this offseason will be good for me too. Last time I went to Worlds and didn’t take any time off.”
Farabee has proven in the past that he can be relied on to provide more offence. He’s scored two or more goals twice in his young career, and hit a career-high 50 points in 2023-24. The Flames could certainly use that offence from him, not only in 2025-26, but beyond.
Several Other Flames Going to World Championship
Andersson will be one of many Flames competing in the World Championship. Matt Coronato, who scored 24 goals this season, will be representing the USA for the second time after also attending the event in 2023. MacKenzie Weegar also confirmed he will be playing for Canada for the second time in three years, while Dan Vladar will be playing for Czechia.
Dustin Wolf said that he has yet to hear from USA’s coaching staff, but would love the opportunity to play if he were to receive the invite. Meanwhile, both Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund said they’ve had good conversations with their respective countries (USA/Sweden) but have yet to make a decision on whether they’ll be attending.
Parekh & Morton Score in Debuts
The Flames being eliminated from playoff contention before their final game on Thursday versus the LA Kings allowed for Zayne Parekh, Aydar Suniev, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Sam Morton to make their NHL debuts. It was quite the showing, as both Parekh and Morton scored in what was a 5-1 win over the Kings.
This game helped give fans a glimpse of what the future looks like in Calgary, particularly with Parekh, who absolutely dazzled in his NHL debut. The 19-year-old has a shot to crack the roster next season, though, regardless of how that plays out, he has true superstar potential and should be leading the Flames’ blue line for years to come.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
There won’t be much to monitor for the Flames over this next little stretch, though the offseason should be interesting. Not only are there a number of restricted free agents to be signed, but the situation involving Andersson and his future in Calgary should generate more buzz as the summer months approach.
More must-reads:
- Is a Connor Bedard breakout coming in 2025-26?
- Mike Grier’s drafting propelling Sharks to certain future
- The 'NFL all-time touchdown receptions leaders' quiz
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Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
Chicago Blackhawks at Risk of Losing First Round Pick as Other Teams Pitch Big-Money Offers
Mason West is a talented prospect of the future for the Chicago Blackhawks, but it appears he may look to leave hockey for big opportunities in football. The Chicago Blackhawks landed Anton Frondell with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but it was perhaps their second first-round pick that drew the most intrigue, as they drafted centre Mason West out of the USHL. That pick was intriguing for many reasons, with the 6-foot-6 centre having potential with his talent and his physicality, but now, the team may be in danger of losing the talented 17-year old. According to a report from The Athletic, the No. 29 overall pick has been drawing interest from several NCAA programs to join their team as a football player. Standing at 6-foot-6, the Minnesota native is a star in both hockey and football, tallying 49 points in 31 games at the high school level while also being a star Quarterback, and after putting up 9 points in 10 USHL games with the Fargo Force, the future is bright for him in both sports. Ultimately, at 17-years of age, the future is very bright whichever way West ends up going, but given that the Blackhawks used a first-round pick on him in this past seasons draft, they're clearly confident that they can not only keep him in hockey, but make a good NHLer out of him moving forward.
Bears GM speaks out after superstar goes down with injury
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is expected to miss most of training camp due to a leg injury, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. Johnson was placed on the non-football injury list when veterans reported to Chicago for camp. He suffered the injury during offseason training, according to Bears general manager Ryan Poles. Johnson is coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl and is headed into the second year of a four-year, $76M deal. He has dealt with a number of injuries over his career, playing no more than 15 games in a season over the first four years of his career. In 2024, he played a full season for the first time, starting all 17 games with a career-high 1,032 snaps. An extended absence into the regular season would force Chicago to find another starting cornerback among their veteran depth, but Poles said that the team is not “overly concerned” about a long-term injury. “We’ve got a lot of faith that he’s going to put in the time to rehab and be his full self when he comes back,” said Poles on Tuesday. 2023 fifth-rounder Terell Smith will likely step into a first-team role in Johnson’s absence. Chicago largely relied on a cornerback trio of Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon last year; Smith is the only remaining defensive back on the roster who played at least 150 snaps on the boundary for the Bears in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. Offseason signings Nick McCloud and Tre Flowers may also see a bump in reps over the coming weeks as Johnson rehabs his leg with his eyes on returning for the Bears’ Week 1 opener against the Vikings.
Red Sox Aren't Getting Standout Back Anytime Soon
The Boston Red Sox got some bad news in the infield. Rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer has gotten a lot of time at second base and third base. Since Alex Bregman returned, Mayer has gotten most of his action at second base while also filling in as the Red Sox worked Bregman back slowly. Unfortunately, he's on the Injured List, though, due to a wrist sprain. MassLive.com's Christopher Smith shared the lastest update on Mayer from Red Sox manager Alex Cora on Saturday noted that he's "not gonna play soon." "No new updates on Marcelo Mayer's wrist sprain, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said," Smith shared. "'Just waiting for results and see specialists and all that stuff,' Cora added. 'He's not gonna play soon. So have to make sure where we're at and what the course of action is going to be.'" Losing Mayer is tough. Defense has been a question mark for Boston once again this season but Mayer has helped in that area. With Mayer out, Ceddanne Rafaela is expected to get a lot of action at second base. That helps to alleviate the logjam in the outfield, but also removes arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game. Boston isn't at full strength and Cora noting he's "not gonna play soon" certainly doesn't sound positive. Before going down, Mayer was slashing .228/.272/.402 with four homers, 10 RBIs, and eight doubles. Will the Red Sox add another piece ahead of the trade deadline? It absolutely makes sense at this point.
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
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