The Calgary Flames are facing a tough break as veteran defenseman Joely Hanley is set to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Flames head coach Ryan Huska shared the news on Saturday, though he kept the specifics of Hanley's injury under wraps.
The 34-year-old blueliner was injured during Thursday's matchup against the Anaheim Ducks, a game where he seemed to perform as usual, logging 15:28 over 22 shifts. Despite finishing with an even plus/minus, Hanley didn't hit the ice in overtime, and Calgary fell short in a 3-2 loss.
Hanley's absence marks another setback for the Flames, who recently ruled out forward Sam Honzek for the season. Honzek, at 21, has been recovering from surgery since November, sidelining him for the past four months.
Throughout this season, Hanley has been a consistent presence on Calgary’s roster, despite a brief stint as a healthy scratch and missing a game due to illness. Over 68 games, the Keswick, Ontario native has contributed seven assists, although he's yet to find the back of the net this year. Averaging 14:40 of ice time, Hanley holds a -5 rating.
This season was Hanley's second full run with the Flames after being picked up from the Dallas Stars just before the 2024 trade deadline. Last year, he notched nine points in 53 games with Calgary.
In his NHL career, spanning 314 regular-season games, Hanley has tallied five goals and 40 assists, adding three more points in 33 playoff appearances. He’s currently in the first year of a two-year contract, signed last July, with an average annual value of $1.75 million.