Adam Klapka’s story in Calgary has reached the point where the Flames need to make a hard call.
He was a feel-good addition when he arrived late in the 2024-25 season, the kind of big-bodied underdog that’s easy to root for. But over the past year, he hasn’t moved the needle enough to justify the roster spot he’s holding. Right now, that spot could be going to a younger player who actually helps the Flames in the NHL.
Klapka was never built to be an offensive spark. His track record across the various leagues he has played in makes that clear. The issue now is that he isn’t just quiet on the score sheet - he’s becoming a drag on the team.
At 6’8″ and 235 pounds, he brings a physical edge that can’t be taught. But size alone doesn’t win you a job in the NHL.
Discipline and skill matter too, and those have not shown up often enough. Klapka already has 27 penalty minutes in just three games after posting 112 last season.
Penalties are part of the game for a player who likes to play hard, but this has gone beyond that. He has been undisciplined, and it’s costing the Flames.
The problem is bigger than the penalty box. When Klapka is on the ice, he isn’t providing enough value to offset the damage.
He isn’t scoring, and he isn’t using that huge frame to control shifts the way a player like him needs to. Instead, he gets knocked off the puck too easily and tries to play a skill game that doesn’t match what he actually brings.
The result is more turnovers and more chances against.
Meanwhile, younger players are waiting. Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh are among the names losing time because of the penalties Klapka takes, since they are not penalty killers.
And there are others who could be in the lineup if that forward spot opened up. Aydar Suniev had a strong training camp and, by the sound of it, should be with the Flames.
Brennan Othmann also looked like an NHL player in camp and offers far more upside.
That’s the part that makes this decision so frustrating: there are players who could be developing at the NHL level right now, but they’re stuck because Klapka is still occupying the space. The Flames have already shown they are willing to make roster moves elsewhere, including placing Connor Zary on waivers, so keeping Klapka around while he logs limited minutes feels hard to justify.
This season is going to be about growth for the younger group. The Flames are not going to win a lot of games, and that’s fine.
What they can’t keep doing is looking as disjointed as they have to start the year. A fresh look in the lineup could help, and it starts with opening the door for someone else.
Klapka’s run as the nice story has gone as far as it can. The experiment has run its course.
If Calgary wants to send a message and shake up the roster, moving on from him is the most logical place to begin. He could likely clear waivers and stay in the organization, ready for another call-up if needed.
But for now, the Flames need to stop forcing a role that isn’t working.
In Other News...
Flames Shake Up Lineup As Pressure Builds Before Avalanche Test
The Flames are making a noticeable set of changes as they head into a matchup with the Colorado Avalanche, reworking both their forward group and defensive pairings in search of a cleaner look. Among the most telling moves is the arrival of Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna from the AHL, a pair of recalls that gives Calgary a fresh fourth-line option and adds a little more intrigue to how the bottom half of the lineup will be deployed.
Calgary is also turning to Devin Cooley in goal for the Avalanche test, a decision that puts added attention on a game already carrying some weight as the pressure builds. With middle-six forwards shuffled around and the back end adjusted as well, the Flames are clearly trying to find a combination that can steady things against one of the leagues tougher opponents. The question now is whether those changes give them enough structure to hang with Colorado. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Ugly Start Could Force Craig Conroy Into His Next Move
The early going has been rough enough in Calgary that the Flames are already looking at ways to jolt a flat offense before the season can really get away from them. After opening with a significant scoring deficit and a string of underwhelming performances, management has begun weighing roster changes, with Craig Conroy facing an increasingly familiar kind of early-season pressure: decide whether the answer is already in the room or whether help has to come from outside.
Patrik Laine is one of the names on the board, and the Flames are also in conversation with other veteran forwards who could add some finishing touch to a lineup that has struggled to create it. The sense around the team is that Conroy may not wait long if the current group does not start to produce, with a short-term addition looming as a real possibility if Calgarys internal options fail to spark the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Rumors Suddenly Point To A Much More Realistic Upgrade
The trade chatter around Detroit has started to drift away from the more sensational names and toward a possibility that feels far more grounded. Pierre LeBrun has downplayed the speculation tying Dylan Larkin to Florida, especially with Aleksander Barkov expected back in six to eight weeks, and that has shifted some of the focus to other options around the league. Among the clubs keeping an eye on the market are the Flames and Red Wings, both of whom have shown interest in Patrik Laine as they look for ways to add offense without paying the price that comes with a true blockbuster.
Laine remains unsigned despite drawing contact from multiple teams, which keeps the door open for a move if the right situation emerges. For Calgary, the appeal is obvious, but the timing matters just as much as the talent, with the organization watching how its younger players perform before deciding how aggressive to get. Around the league, there is also a separate goaltending thread involving Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets, but for the Flames the bigger question is whether this becomes the kind of measured upgrade that fits their timeline. [Read more 🡒]