The Calgary Flames got a bit of future business off their plate earlier this week, as a brand-new three year contract extension was announced for forward Martin Pospisil that begins in 2026-27.

The signing will keep Pospisil in red until at least 2029, and ensures that he’ll be part of the Flames roster when they move a block north from the Scotiabank Saddledome to Scotia Place in 2027-28. Slowly but surely, the opening night lineup for the new building is taking shape.

Here’s how things are looking a couple years out from the big move.

Regulars already under contract for 2027-28

Pospisil’s new deal made him the eighth NHL regular with a contract for the 2027-28 season.

The gang of eight includes:

• D MacKenzie Weegar ($6.25 million)
• D Kevin Bahl ($5.35 million)
• F Jonathan Huberdeau ($10.5 million)
• F Nazem Kadri ($7 million)
• F Matt Coronato ($6.5 million)
• F Yegor Sharangovich ($5.75 million)
• F Joel Farabee ($5 million)
• F Martin Pospisil ($2.5 million)

That’s $48.85 million committed to eight players under a cap ceiling of $113.5 million. That leaves them roughly $64.65 million to fill out their roster.

Some educated guesses

So, if you’re plotting out a lineup of two goalies, six defencemen and 12 forwards for opening night of 2027, you might notice that the current commitments leave the Flames a bit short.

So who’ll probably fill some of the obvious gaps? We can make a few educated guesses.

Who’ll be in net for Game 1 at Scotia Place? It’ll be Dustin Wolf. We don’t know exactly what his contract will look like, but Wolf is a lock for opening night.

On the blueline, we wouldn’t rule out Brayden Pachal sticking around depending on how things play out – his current deal expires at the end of 2026-27. He’s a really savvy, physical, defence-first blueliner who seems like a good fit for the third pairing. Considering Zayne Parekh could become a full-time NHLer as early as this season, we’d be surprised if he’s not patrolling the blueline. And based on the progress he’s made so far, perhaps Hunter Brzustewicz could play his way into the lineup, too.

Among the forward group, we’re not entirely sure how it plays out because there are so dang many young forwards in the system that could play their way in. Morgan Frost or Connor Zary? Yeah, probably. Cole Reschny or Cullen Potter? Possibly. And the Flames have young forwards on entry-level deals like Matvei Gridin, Jacob Battaglia, Sam Honzek and Andrew Basha that could force their way into the conversation over the next season or two.

We don’t know exactly how the 2027-28 Flames will look because we do not know how the next two seasons will play out. A lot of stuff could happen, and the surprises are kind of why we love sports. But based on the players already under contract and the prospects in the organization, the shape of things are beginning to become a bit clearer.