The Calgary Flames have set their 23-man roster for the 2026-27 season, and the group that surfaced Monday afternoon is pretty much what had been expected heading into opening night.
With the season opener against the Seattle Kraken only three days away, the club’s decisions didn’t bring many shocks. The biggest absence was already on the board: Jonathan Huberdeau will miss the start of the year while he continues to recover from hip resurfacing surgery.
That opened the door for Brennan Othmann, who will begin the season with the big club. Othmann came to Calgary at last season’s trade deadline in the deal that sent prospect Jacob Battaglia to the New York Rangers, and the 23-year-old earned his spot with a solid camp.
The Flames also had to factor in roster mechanics, since he wasn’t waiver-exempt. Rather than risk losing him, Calgary will carry him as its 13th forward.
On the blue line, Ryan Huska and his staff have chosen to keep eight defencemen. The move that raised eyebrows came last week, when the Flames sent Hunter Brzustewicz to the AHL. The thinking there was straightforward: the 21-year-old is better served logging heavy minutes with the Wranglers than sitting in and out of the press box early in the season.
That left Calgary leaning on a couple of veterans to fill out the back end. Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal made the cut, and both are expected to spend time as extras while still being ready to step in and handle third-pairing duty when called upon.
In goal, there were no surprises at all. Dustin Wolf is set to be the Flames’ No. 1 netminder, with Devin Cooley backing him up.
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Flames Opening Night Roster Sends An Early Message About This Team
The Flames have settled on their opening-night group for the 2026-27 season, and the first look at the roster says plenty about how Calgary is trying to start this year. The club is carrying 13 forwards and 8 defensemen, with Brennan Othmann sticking around after a strong preseason showing, a sign that the team is at least willing to reward camp performance when it matters.
There is also a clearer picture of the veterans the Flames trust to help set the tone. Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal are on the roster, while Aydar Suniev was assigned to the American Hockey League, trimming one more young option from the mix. Jonathan Huberdeau is on injured reserve, which adds another layer to the early-season puzzle as Calgary works through its first lineup decisions without one of its most established names. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Opening Roster Puts Forward Depth In Focus Fast
The Flames have settled on their 23-man active roster for the season opener, and the first look at the lineup says plenty about how the club is approaching its forward group. Calgary is carrying two goaltenders, nine defensemen and 13 forwards, with the opening-day mix built around a roster that still has room to sort itself out as the season gets going. Salary-cap commitments and available space are also part of the picture, making the roster math as important as the personnel decisions.
Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Huberdeau were both moved off the active group, which keeps the focus squarely on forward depth and what it means for the team early in the year. Huberdeau is working his way back from hip surgery and is expected to return in seven to nine months, so his absence will linger well beyond opening night. For Calgary, the bigger question now is how the forwards handle the workload while the roster settles into place. [Read more 🡒]
Wranglers Scoreless Debut Raises An Early Concern Up Front
The Calgary Wranglers first pre-season game in team history ended the way no new club wants to start, with a 3-0 loss to the Abbotsford Canucks and an offense that never found a breakthrough. Abbotsford grabbed control early with two first-period goals, while Calgary had to lean on goaltender Arsenii Sergeev, who made several key saves to keep the score from getting worse as the game went on.
Even with the puck spending plenty of time in the Canucks end, the Wranglers could not convert their chances and left the ice looking for answers up front. The late empty-net goal only added to the frustration, but the bigger concern was the same one that lingered from the opening period: Calgary generated looks, yet never managed to turn pressure into a goal. [Read more 🡒]