The Calgary Flames have a blue-line problem now that Kevin Bahl’s season is over, but it does not sound like they’re about to go shopping in a big way.
On Daily Faceoff, David Pagnotta said Flames general manager Craig Conroy will likely explore the market for help on the back end, but the search should stay limited given where the team sits in its rebuild.
“I think Craig Conroy is going to look and see if there’s an option to bring in somebody on that back end. But I don’t anticipate it being an overly wide search, because let’s be realistic: where they are, they’re gonna they’re they’re in a rebuild.
We know that. And where they are doesn’t necessarily mean they’re gonna start adding, you know, big pieces or key pieces, key veteran pieces, I should say, you know, to this lineup.
So while it sucks that Bahl’s season is done, and that is a tough blow, and you got to feel for him. I think this is an opportunity.
Give some of your younger blue liners some opportunities at the NHL level. Get them acclimated to it, and then, you know, continue in the path that you’re on.
Don’t divert from it.”
Pagnotta also said the Flames could draw more attention as the season moves along, with some names already circulating and more expected to surface closer to the deadline.
“And I think Calgary, we’ll hear more noise out of them later on in the season. You know, Zach Whitecloud ‘s name’s already out there, but Morgan Frost and a few of their other guys, Ryan Strome. We’re going to be hearing more of those guys as we get closer to, you know, February and ultimately the March 1 trade deadline.”
Elsewhere on the coaching front, Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN that the Anaheim Ducks and head coach Joel Quenneville have been talking contract over the past month, and a new deal could come together soon.
“There’s a mutual desire to continue that partnership, and I expect something to get done here within the next month or two.”
In Other News...
Sharangovich Is Becoming A Real Flames Roster Problem
The Flames have spent the early part of the 2026-27 season outperforming expectations, and a big reason is the way a wave of younger and newer contributors has helped drive the club to an 8-10-1 start. Joel Farabee, Matt Coronato, Matvei Gridin, Adam Klapka, Kevin Bahl, Zayne Parekh and Devin Cooley have all given Calgary useful minutes and, in some cases, real lift, which has softened the impact of uneven play from a few established names.
Yegor Sharangovich is the most uncomfortable case in that group. After signing a five-year contract off the back of a strong first season in Calgary, he has struggled badly enough that his spot is no longer secure, especially with Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Honzek working their way back into the lineup. For a team that has found enough unexpected production to stay afloat, the question is no longer whether the Flames can survive his slump, but how long they can justify keeping him in the everyday mix. [Read more 🡒]
Craig Conroy Thinks The Flames Can Change A Brutal Narrative
Craig Conroy knows the pitch is not always simple when the Flames go looking for help. In discussing the obstacles Canadian teams face in recruiting players, the Calgary GM acknowledged that some players and agents still hesitate at the idea of moving north, with Calgary sometimes singled out in that conversation. Even so, he pointed to the trade for defenseman Jacob Middleton as proof that the door is not closed, and that the right fit can still outweigh the old assumptions.
Middleton, for his part, offered a reminder that those assumptions do not tell the whole story. He said his Canadian roots and family mattered in his decision, along with the direction he sees from the organization. For Conroy, that kind of buy-in matters beyond one transaction, because it speaks to the larger challenge of changing a narrative that has long made life harder for Canadian clubs when they try to bring players in. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Philp Sparked A Wranglers Win Flames Fans Will Want To Track
The Calgary Wranglers kept their road trip moving with a tight 3-2 win over the Henderson Silver Knights in the first meeting between the clubs this season, and Luke Philp was the driver behind it. Philp scored twice to give Calgary the kind of early push that can settle a game on the road, while Ben Jones chipped in the eventual winner in the third period to help the Wranglers take control late.
Owen Say got the start in goal and finished the job by holding the lead through the final minutes, which is the sort of detail Flames fans will notice as they keep tabs on the farm team. With the Wranglers in the fourth game of a five-game road swing, performances like this matter beyond one result, especially when a few players are making a case to stay on the radar. [Read more 🡒]