The Calgary Flames are set to open training camp on Thursday, and they’ll do it with one forward still unsigned.
Craig Conroy handled most of his roster business early in the offseason, but one deal never got over the line: a contract extension for Brennan Othmann. The 23-year-old remains a restricted free agent with the 2026-27 season less than two weeks away.
Othmann arrived late in the year after the Flames acquired him on trade deadline day from the New York Rangers in exchange for forward prospect Jacob Battaglia. He logged 14 games with the Wranglers, finishing with one goal and six assists, and also chipped in a goal and an assist in two games with the Flames.
That move made it clear the organization sees something in him. Calgary gave up a solid prospect in Battaglia, a sign they believe Othmann can grow into a regular NHL player. Before landing in Calgary, he had appeared in 42 career games across three seasons with the Rangers.
Drafted 16th overall in 2021, Othmann has produced at the AHL level. The issue, at least so far, is that same success hasn’t carried over to the NHL, and that may be part of what’s slowing down a new contract.
The holdup could come down to contract structure. One possibility is that Othmann wants a one-way deal that would guarantee NHL pay no matter where he plays. Another is that he and his agent are pushing to boost his AHL salary if he ends up back with the Wranglers this season.
For now, the ideal outcome for Calgary is simple: get the extension done soon. There’s still a path for Othmann to force his way onto the opening night roster with a strong camp, but that only becomes a realistic conversation if he signs first.
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Martin Pospisil Has A Real Shot To Reshape Calgarys Forward Battle
Martin Pospisil is entering Calgary Flames training camp with a real chance to make himself more than just another forward in the mix. He is lined up as the fourth-line center, and head coach Ryan Huska sounds comfortable giving him a look there after what he showed at the 2026 World Championships. For a team treating the 2026-27 season as an evaluation year, that matters, because Craig Conroy has made it clear the young forwards have to earn their way into bigger roles.
Pospisils path could get broader from there, too. The Flames are also considering him for penalty-kill duty, a spot that became available after Blake Colemans departure, which adds another layer to what is already a useful camp battle. If Pospisil handles the center job and makes himself reliable in short-handed situations, he could reshape the bottom of Calgarys forward group in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Settle Brennan Othmann Question As Camp Battle Takes Shape
The Flames opened training camp with one roster wrinkle checked off, announcing Friday that they have re-signed Brennan Othmann to a one-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old forward, a former first-round pick, gives Calgary another layer of depth at a position where camp battles are already starting to take shape.
Othmann is expected to begin the season in the American Hockey League, but his path back to the NHL remains in view if he pushes his way into the conversation over the course of the year. For a club trying to sort through its early-season depth chart, the timing of the deal at the start of camp at least removes one lingering question and lets the focus shift to who can actually stick. [Read more 🡒]
Hunter Brzustewicz Suddenly Has A Tougher Flames Path Than Expected
Hunter Brzustewicz entered the offseason as one of the more interesting young defensemen in the Flames system, but his route to a full-time NHL job now looks a lot less direct than it might have a few months ago. Calgary has plenty of bodies on the right side of its blue line, and for now Brzustewicz is on the AHL track rather than positioned to break camp with the NHL club, even though he has already shown enough upside to keep the conversation alive.
For the Flames, that makes him a player to watch rather than a player to pencil in. Because he is still waiver-exempt, Calgary has the flexibility to develop him in the AHL without losing him, which buys the organization time but also underscores how crowded the depth chart has become. His path could change quickly if the roster shifts or if the team decides to move another defenseman to create room, but for now Brzustewicz sits in that awkward middle ground of being valuable, intriguing and not quite needed yet. [Read more 🡒]