Flames recall winger Dryden Hunt from AHL’s Calgary Wranglers

Hunt’s call-up coincides with the Flames’ announcement that captain Mikael Backlund is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

This is the third time this season that Hunt has been called up to the Flames. He was recalled in early November after Anthony Mantha was placed on injured reserve but didn’t see any game action. The 28-year-old was called up once again last month, making his season debut with the Flames on Feb. 8 against the Seattle Kraken. Hunt finished the game with a -1 plus/minus rating in 12:33 of ice time.

Hunt has spent just about all of the 2024-25 season in the AHL after spending a little bit of time with the Flames last year. During the 2023-24 campaign, he posted three goals and five assists for eight points in 28 games. It was the most time in the NHL that the Cranrbook, British Columbia native had seen since appearing in 76 games with the New York Rangers during the 2021-22 season, where Hunt potted six goals and 11 assists for 17 points.

With the Wranglers, Hunt has been one of the key reasons the team is one of the best in the AHL. He’s the only player on the roster averaging a point per game, notching 15 goals and 33 assists for 48 points in 48 games. He only trails fellow winger Martin Frk (49) for the team lead in scoring.

Hunt rejoins the Flames amidst a five-game points streak with the Wranglers, writing his name on the scoresheet eight times over the last seven games.

Across eight NHL seasons, Hunt has appeared in 231 games, scoring 18 goals and 33 assists for 51 points, including five games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Rangers and Florida Panthers.

The Flames (30-23-11) are fourth in the Pacific Division, holding onto the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.