Is Martin Pospisil poised for another down year?

It appears Martin Pospisil’s sophomore slump is carrying over into the 2025–26 season. His preseason performance has been lackluster, especially after he inked a three-year extension. Could this be a slow start, or has he maxed out, and what you see is what you get?

Odd man out

We’re in the final stretch of the preseason, and tough decisions lie ahead. Pospisil has told the media that he would like to spend more time at centre but will be fine on the wing. Pospisil is all about doing whatever it takes to win. The other thing potentially hindering him is the fact that there are limited roster spots available and slight flexibility in the roster.

Pospisil hasn’t quite looked like the rookie we saw two seasons ago. While we get the edge in his game, we are missing that playmaking and offence. To be quite honest, players like Rory Kerins and Matvei Gridin are outshining him. There is a spark missing, and it’s up to Pospisil to find it.

Could it be the lack of consistency? Is there a code to crack? Would it make sense to try him at centre instead of wing? Where does that leave Kerins? The Calgary Flames have assembled a rigid roster. Head Coach Ryan Huska has to assemble a winning roster, but unfortunately, pieces are missing.

Shuffling and juggling the lines

The Flames are looking to become a better team. Part of that journey includes getting younger. Part of a rebuild includes some experimentation. The Flames testing Pospisil out at centre is not a bad thing. Adding more versatility to your toolbox is good. You want to have players that you can plug and play anywhere. Would it be worth investing proper time for Zary as a centre, or risk another Sam Bennett-esque story repeating itself?

Part of the issue right now is the lack of flexibility in the roster. The Flames have too many forwards. There was an opportunity to trade them this offseason, but the Flames were stagnant. Players are dancing circles around Ryan Lomberg, Pospisil, and Justin Kirkland. Why should young players with higher ceilings be forced to delay their development because of charity contracts?

Pospisil has plenty of room to redeem himself. This season comes with some higher expectations. His concussion history is enough to make anyone grimace when he takes a bad hit. All it takes is one bad hit, and his career could be over. On top of his health, he has to produce more. Four goals and 25 points in 81 games is unacceptable. Especially for a player GM Craig Conroy sees as a long-term piece.

“The season is long and anything can happen,” Pospisil said. “The lineup can change and you can play left wing, right wing or centre, especially me, so I’ll be ready for it.”

Was the extension a mistake?

It is too early to etch anything in stone, but it feels like there are more risks than rewards. Pospisil’s health, lack of offence, and questionable discipline can make any steps forward feel like ten steps back. Does burying him on the fourth line make sense, or can the Flames figure out a way to get him to be productive on the third line?

A $2.5M cap hit is not a hard pill to swallow. With the cap rising, the contract feels justifiable. However, $2.5M for a player not touching double-digit goals is a bit worrisome. Pospisil may not be a pure goal scorer, but he has to find the back of the net more than four times a year to justify it.

Would it make sense to explore trades in a year or so? Pospisil could be of great value to a team that needs an instigator or added depth. The Flames have enough depth pieces, and they have to move on from some of them to make room for the next generation.

The stakes are high

A majority of the Flames forward group is a carbon copy of itself. There is no elite scoring. No strong defensive centres. The speed is getting better, but players are held back by their veteran counterparts. The Flames are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. They extended captain Mikael Backlund for another two years. Are they going to hold a young centre out to keep the aging captain out there? Could Pospisil edge out Backlund for a bottom-six centre role? In a regular organization, probably. The Flames rely too much on the hierarchy when it comes to decision-making.

Pospisil just has to be better. Head Coach Ryan Huska must do whatever it takes to get the most out of Pospisil, even if it comes with difficult decisions. A coach can only do so much. Pospisil must rise to the occasion or understand the chopping block is just one costly penalty away.