A look at the Calgary Flames organizational roster before the 2024 NHL Draft

The 2024 NHL Draft is one week away! The Calgary Flames are approaching that event with 33 players under contract for the coming season, and some question marks at virtually every position. After a really big period of roster change over the past 12 months, we’re still figuring out how the pieces fit together.

In advance of the chaos of the draft – and adding a bunch of young players to the reserve list – here’s a brief snapshot of the Flames’ organizational roster, broken down by position.

Goaltenders

[2 under contract]

In the system: Arsenii Sergeev (NCAA), Yegor Yegorov (MHL), Daniil Chechelev (VHL)

Pending free agents: Dustin Wolf (RFA), Oscar Dansk

Jacob Markstrom is a New Jersey Devil, which makes the 2024-25 tandem inevitably Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar. Neither has ever been a number-one in the NHL, Vladar’s coming off major hip surgery, and current third-stringer Waltteri Ignatjew hasn’t played a game in North America. Ever. We’re expecting the Flames to add a quad-A type with NHL experience to work with Ignatjew with the Wranglers, but this will be a fascinating season between the pipes.

Defencemen

[10 under contract]

In the system: Jake Boltmann (NCAA), Etienne Morin (QMJHL), Axel Hurtig (WHL)

Pending free agents: Nikita Okhotiuk (RFA), Yan Kuznetsov (RFA), Ilya Solovyov (RFA), Dennis Gilbert, Oliver Kylington, Jordan Oesterle, Colton Poolman, Mark Pysyk

There’s no better position to illustrate how much change the Flames have gone through over the last year than the blueline. They have 10 defenders under contract right now: seven of them weren’t with the organization a year ago. On paper, it feels like we have a set NHL group – especially so if Oliver Kylington is re-signed – but for those wondering about the farmhands getting a chance I shall say this: considering the acquisition cost for Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal was just the waiver fee, I don’t think the Flames would hold them on the NHL roster over a rookie that’s earned a shot.

Centres

[8 under contract]

In the system: Cade Littler (USHL), Jaden Lipinski (WHL)

Pending free agents: Riley Damiani (RFA), Cole Schwindt (RFA), Ben Jones

The NHL group has three guys past their 30th birthdays, albeit guys that are pretty good in their particular roles. Beyond them… sophomore Connor Zary, who played up the middle in junior (and over the last few weeks of last season) and looked good. The AHL group is a bit lean on reinforcements, though Cole Schwindt was effective in the AHL’s stretch drive. If Zary isn’t great up the middle, we could see the Flames try out Martin Pospisil (who played up the middle at the Worlds for Slovakia) or Yegor Sharangovich (who did spot duty for the Flames as a centre in 2023-24) there instead.

Wingers

[13 under contract]

In the system: Demetrios Koumontzis (ECHL), Aydar Suniev (NCAA)

Pending free agents: Jakob Pelletier (RFA), Adam Klapka (RFA), Dillon Dube (RFA), A.J. Greer

If you have a favourite Flames prospect, they’re probably a winger and they’re probably not going to have a clearly defined NHL role until the club figures out the futures for their three prominent pending 2025 free agents: Yegor Sharangovich, Andrei Kuzmenko and Andrew Mangiapane. As it stands, it’s unclear where the NHL opportunities will be for the likes of Jakob Pelletier, Adam Klapka, Matt Coronato, Sam Honzek or William Strömgren to begin the season – Pelletier’s newfound waiver eligibility could make this an interesting storyline for training camp.

By mid-season or the trade deadline? Who knows?

The other question with a “who knows?” answer: where are the goals going to come from?

Projected 2024-25 lineup

(Meant to illustrate how the team would look right now, without trades, but presuming that Kylington re-signs.)

Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman
Pospisil – Kadri – Kuzmenko
Huberdeau – Zary – Sharangovich
Hunt – Rooney – Duehr
Extras: TBD

Weegar – Andersson
Kylington – Miromanov
Bahl – Pachal
Extra: Hanley

Vladar
Wolf

Don’t take these lines and pairings as gospel, but we tried to replicate what worked last season as best we could. We could see a lot of different combinations, but we also think that Bahl and Pachal could be a fun “tough minutes” shutdown pairing if given some time to gel. In terms of the forward group, we are curious if (and how) players like Pelletier or Coronato could work their way into the lineup.

And again: where are the goals going to be coming from?

What do you think of the Flames’ organizational roster right now? What do you think they need more of? Where are the holes and where are the strength areas?