Flames re-sign RFAs Jeremie Poirier ($775K), Rory Kerins ($775K) and Yan Kuznetsov ($812,500) to new deals

Craig Conroy’s off-season to-do list just got a lot shorter.

On Thursday morning, the Calgary Flames announced that they’ve re-signed a trio of their restricted free agents. Blueliner Jeremie Poirier received a one year, two-way deal worth $775,000, as did forward Rory Kerins. Blueliner Yan Kuznetsov received a two year deal with a $812,500 cap hit. Kuznetsov’s deal is a two-way in 2025-26 and a one-way in 2026-27.

Poirier is a 23-year-old left shot blueliner, originally selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft. His deal is worth $775,000 in the NHL and $100,000 in the AHL. He was a superb offensive blueliner with a lot of upside coming out of junior, with the thought that he would need to tidy up his defensive zone play a bit to be a bit less of a risk-taker.

However, a promising early run in the AHL was disrupted by a really nasty laceration he suffered when an opposition skate gashed his wrist early in the 2023-24 season. Since returning, he’s been a bit tentative – understandably so – and hopefully he’s able to get his swagger back and carve out a niche within the Flames system.

Kerins is a 23-year-old left shot forward that plays centre and the wing, originally selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. His deal is worth $775,000 in the NHL and $110,000 in the AHL, with $125,000 guaranteed. He was a really impressive, if slightly undersized, offensive forward in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds. He showed flashes of brilliance in his first two pro seasons, then enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 campaign where he scored 33 goals with the Wranglers and managed to play five NHL games and not look out of place.

His two-way game may not be amazing – he’s no shutdown forward – but he’s got a knack for being in the right places to create offence. He’s worth keeping an eye on during Flames camp this fall.

Kuznetsov is a 23-year-old left shot blueliner, originally selected in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft. In 2025-26, he’s slated to receive $775,000 in the NHL and $125,000 in the AHL with $150,000 guaranteed. He’s on a one-way deal in 2026-27 worth $850,000. He’s been lauded as a really reliable two-way defender, dating back to his amateur days with the NCAA’s University of Connecticut and the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs (where he was briefly teammates with Poirier).

But Kuznetsov has found a way to increase his offensive production over the past few years, which has led to him getting a few NHL opportunities along the way. He was part of a really effective tandem last season alongside Hunter Brzustewicz, and did a lot to help his partner find his footing as a pro blueliner.

With these deals, the Flames only have one RFA left unsigned: forward Connor Zary. The Flames now have 45 players under contract for 2025-26: five goaltenders, 15 defencemen and 25 forwards.