Flames News & Rumors: Rossi, Zary, Wolf & More

Rossi, who went ninth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, is coming off of a season in which he scored 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games. He has a very bright future ahead of him, but that future may not come with the Wild. The 23-year-old was visibly frustrated talking about his role, or lack thereof, in this year’s postseason.

“I have no doubt that I’m for sure a top-six guy,” said Rossi, who was centering the Wild’s fourth line in the playoffs.

Rossi is a pending restricted free agent, and may not be interested in signing a new contract with the Wild. Should general manager Bill Guerin look to move him in the summer, it’s a trade the Flames should be all over. Not only is he a centreman, but he boasts a ton of potential and fits perfectly into the Flames’ timeline.

Flames Have Concerns with Zary

Many Flames fans expected Matt Coronato and Connor Zary to be signed to long-term extensions this offseason. That was the case for Coronato, who was recently signed to a seven-year, $45.5 million deal. It wouldn’t have come as a major surprise to see Zary ink a similar deal, though according to a report from Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff, the Flames have concerns about doing so.

“There is still uncertainty whether Zary is going to be a center at the NHL level,” Di Marco said in a recent column. “There is also internal concern over all the injuries that Zary has dealt with, making more sense for the team to avoid a long-term commitment.”

Zary had a rather disappointing season from a production standpoint in 2024-25, scoring just 13 goals and 27 points in 54 games. He also missed two large stretches of games due to two separate knee injuries, which, based on Di Marco’s report, is a big part of the Flames’ concerns.

Wolf Named Calder Trophy Finalist

Though it doesn’t come as any sort of surprise, the NHL recently recognized Dustin Wolf’s incredible rookie season by naming him as a finalist for the Calder Trophy. The 23-year-old was the Flames’ MVP this past season, and kept them in the playoff race right until the end. In 53 games, he compiled a 2.64 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .910 save percentage (SV%) and a 29-16-8 record.

Wolf is going up against Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini for the award. Hutson is considered by most to be the favourite, as the 21-year-old recorded an extremely impressive 66 points through 82 games, which was the third-highest total amongst Canadiens players.

Gridin Named Offensive Rookie of the Year

Matvei Gridin’s rookie season in the QMJHL went as good as anybody in the Flames organization could have hoped. The 28th overall selection from the 2024 NHL Draft had an incredible 2024-25 campaign for the Shawinigan Cataractes, scoring a team-leading 36 goals and 79 points in only 56 games.

Gridin’s standout season was enough to see him receive the Michel Bergeron Trophy, given annually to the league’s best offensive rookie player. The award was well deserved, and goes to show just how bright of a future Gridin has ahead of him. He may not be ready to step into the NHL in 2025-26, but he isn’t too far away from making an impact for the Flames.

Looking Ahead for the Flames

Though there aren’t any playoff games to look forward to for the Flames, there is plenty to keep an eye on for the fan base moving forward. The biggest situation involving the organization is the trade speculation surrounding Rasmus Andersson, though fans should also monitor the team’s restricted free agents in Zary, Kevin Bahl, and Adam Klapka, who will all need to sign extensions ahead of the 2025-26 season.