The Calgary Flames will have four players who need waivers for the first time in 2026-27 if the team wants to send them to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, and the group comes with a mix of near-certainty, no-chance territory, and a little bit of risk.
Michael Benning looks like the clearest candidate to hit the wire. The 24-year-old right-shot defenseman signed a one-year, two-way deal with Calgary in July 2026 after playing 18 NHL games for the Florida Panthers in 2025-26.
Even so, that NHL run came only because Florida’s blue line was battered by a late-season injury mess. Calgary’s defense already looks crowded, so Benning is almost certain to be waived, and the expectation is that he would pass through without a claim.
He’s an undersized blueliner with limited NHL experience, which makes it hard to see another club using a roster spot on him.
Simon Nemec is the opposite case. He will not be waived. The Flames view the 2022 second-overall pick as a core part of their defense, even though he has yet to play a game.
Brennan Othmann is the wild card. Calgary picked him up from the New York Rangers last season, and he made the most of a short NHL look by putting up two points in two games.
He is also one of four unsigned RFAs across the league right now. If the Flames get him signed and then try to slip him through waivers, there’s real claim risk.
As a former first-round pick, he still has enough upside to attract teams hunting for inexpensive young scoring depth. On top of that, Craig Conroy may not be eager to expose him after giving up Jacob Battaglia to bring him in.
William Stromgren also appears headed for waivers. Calgary took him in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, and 2026-27 will be his fourth season on North American ice.
He played three NHL games for the Flames in 2025-26 but didn’t record a point and finished at minus-1. His AHL numbers also failed to move forward last season, and because he wasn’t a high pick and doesn’t have much NHL experience, he is expected to clear and land with the Wranglers.
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Harringtons WHL work with Spokane last season gave Calgary a glimpse of why there is still some intrigue here, even if the next step still looks pretty clear. He is expected to spend time practicing with the Flames this season, but the more likely long-term outcome is a return to the WHL for more development, which makes this an interesting pause in his path rather than a sudden leap up the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]