A handful of Calgary Flames players are staring at a season that could shape their next contracts, and the list is longer than usual. The club has 10 players on its active roster in the final year of their deals, with some positioned for raises and others simply trying to hang around the NHL.
The most closely watched name is Morgan Frost. The 27-year-old has put up 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points in 15 games, and the Flames reportedly want to keep him.
Still, a weak free-agent market next summer could push his price beyond what general manager Craig Conroy is willing to pay. If an extension doesn’t come together, Frost would likely be moved.
Ryan Strome is in a different lane. Since arriving at last season’s trade deadline, the 33-year-old has settled in as a useful presence for the Flames, especially with younger players around him.
He’s not the type to pile up points, but his value has shown up in other ways. There has been talk of a short-term extension, though any new deal would almost certainly come in well below the $5 million cap hit he carries now.
Maxim Tsyplakov, meanwhile, has not given the Flames much reason to believe he’s part of the long-term picture. The 28-year-old has just 1 assist in 8 games and has struggled even in limited fourth-line usage.
He was viewed as a throw-in in the Simon Nemec trade with the New Jersey Devils this offseason, and that has become more obvious with every appearance. A waiver move could be in play once the roster is fully healthy.
At the other end of the veteran spectrum, Joel Hanley looks like a player nearing the finish line. The 35-year-old has appeared in only one game this season, and the lack of opportunity doesn’t appear likely to change. He’s been a steady depth option on the blue line, but this contract may wind up being the final NHL deal of his career.
The restricted free-agent group has a few more encouraging storylines. Adam Klapka has turned himself into a real fourth-line contributor, bringing size, physicality and occasional offense. The 6-foot-8 winger has 3 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, and if he keeps this up, a much bigger payday should be waiting.
Aydar Suniev has also made a strong early impression. Recalled from the Wranglers, the 21-year-old has produced 4 goals and 1 assist in 12 games and has given the Flames depth scoring they can use. His play has already helped his case for a better deal next time around.
William Stromgren got a quick boost in his own stock after being recalled late last week and scoring his first NHL goal on Monday night. The 23-year-old has only one game on his ledger this season, but the early signs point toward him getting another look and possibly another contract next offseason at a similar price.
Brennan Othmann remains more of a work in progress. The 23-year-old, selected 16th overall in the 2021 draft, has dressed in just six games and has spent more time as a healthy scratch than in the lineup. Even so, his age and draft status give the Flames reasons to consider a short, inexpensive extension.
Yan Kuznetsov has taken a step back in usage after a strong rookie season in 2025-26, when he burst out of the gate. He’s averaging nearly three fewer minutes per game this year, but he’s still established himself as a dependable piece on the back end. AFP Analytics projects a two-year extension with an average annual value of roughly $2.6 million.
Arsenii Sergeev’s numbers don’t tell the whole story. His first start of the NHL season came in the second half of a back-to-back against the Colorado Avalanche, while he was up with the Flames because of Devin Cooley’s injury. Once Cooley returns, Sergeev is expected to go back to the Wranglers as he continues trying to prove he can become a regular NHL goalie.
In Other News...
Calgarys Emergency Goalie Has Become A Feel-Good Flames Story
Dusty Nickel has become one of those rare hockey stories that feels bigger than the role itself. As the Calgary Flames full-time emergency backup goalie, he travels with the team through the NHL season, takes part in practices and is around the group enough to feel less like a standby option and more like part of the daily fabric of the room. For a team that has had to lean on depth in net at different points, having someone so plugged in has made the emergency position feel a lot more real than ceremonial.
Nickels presence also speaks to how much the Flames value having stability around their goaltending group, especially when illness or injury can change a night in a hurry. He has already been called on to dress as the backup when regular options were unavailable, and those moments have only underscored how unusual and useful this setup can be. What makes the story resonate is not just that he is there if needed, but that he has fit in so naturally that the Flames can treat him like one of their own until the next unexpected call comes. [Read more 🡒]
Jarome Iginla Opens Up About A Serious Health Fight
Jarome Iginla has spent the past year dealing with a health situation far removed from the rink, opening up in an interview about neurological issues that have affected his daily life. The longtime Flames icon said he has been undergoing extensive testing and medical consultations as doctors try to sort through the symptoms, with elevated mercury levels among the concerns that have surfaced along the way.
For Calgary fans who still think of Iginla as the face of an era, the update is a sobering reminder that some battles have nothing to do with hockey. He remains optimistic about his recovery and is continuing to work with medical professionals, but the cause of the problem is still being investigated, leaving an uneasy question hanging over a player whose competitive fire has always been part of his identity. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Showed A Troubling Weakness Calgary Fans Will Notice
The Canucks 5-4 loss to the Ducks still carried a familiar warning sign for Calgary fans watching closely: Vancouver can look dangerous when it pushes the pace, but it also left plenty of openings behind it. Leevi Merilainen came away with a win in his debut, while Juho Lankinens numbers remain a concern for a team trying to steady its goaltending picture. Even with the game turning chippy, Jacob Quillans two fights helped fuel the kind of edge Vancouver needed just to stay in it.
Anaheim had already built enough of an advantage to survive the late push, and the Canucks third-period rally only underscored how hard they had to work to dig out of the hole. For Calgary, the bigger takeaway is the same one that keeps showing up against this group: if the Flames can force Vancouver into a game that turns messy and uncomfortable, there may be chances to exploit a weakness that has not gone away. [Read more 🡒]