Flames tender qualifying offers to six players, including Connor Zary and Morgan Frost

The Calgary Flames have tendered qualifying offers to six players, retaining their exclusive negotiating rights as they prepare to become restricted free agents on Tuesday.

The deadline to qualify RFAs was 3 p.m. MT on Monday. The Flames had eight players they could provide qualifying offers to, and they extended offers to six of them.

Receiving offers were defencemen Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier, and forwards Morgan Frost, Rory Kerins, Sam Morton and Connor Zary.

Not receiving qualifying offers and becoming unrestricted free agents are goaltenders Waltteri Ignatjew and Connor Murphy. Ignatjew signed a two year deal with Linkopings HC of the Swedish Hockey League a few months back, and tendering a qualifying offer would’ve retained his North American rights. But with the Flames swimming in young goaltenders, the decision was likely made not to bother with that.

Frost, Morton and Kuznetsov are eligible for salary arbitration based on their ages and service time.

For the players given qualifying offers, they can accept these one year deals before their expiry on July 15 or merely use them as the basis for further contract negotiations. Qualified players are eligible to sign offer sheets from other NHL clubs, but the Flames would have the right to match those offers (or receive draft choice compensation, as applicable based on the offers, if they opted not to match). If an eligible player files for salary arbitration, they’re no longer eligible to sign offer sheets from other teams.

Free agency opens on July 1 at 10 a.m. MT.