Kevin Bahl may not be the flashiest name on the Flames’ blue line, but his role could end up being one of the most important.
The fit with Simon Nemec has been there for a while. Once Nemec was acquired in June in the blockbuster trade with the New Jersey Devils, pairing him with Bahl felt like the obvious move. The two already had some runway together, skating as partners for a few games in 2023-24 when they were both with the Devils, before Bahl later arrived in Calgary in the deal that sent Jacob Markstrom the other way.
Flames coach Ryan Huska sees exactly why Bahl makes sense in that spot.
“His mindset is defend first, more than anything,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “He thinks that part of the game well. His size helps, of course, and I think he knows with a certain player he’s paired with, in order for them to do what they do best he has to take a more defensive role.
“He always wants to make sure he’s in a position to be back. I think last year we saw him become a more physical guy and I thought he jumped into the offence at various times last year. That’s all part of his growth, but I think he’s geared more towards being a defence, check-first guy, which allows us to play offensive players with him.”
That’s the key to Bahl’s value. Calgary has two defencemen in Nemec and Zayne Parekh who want to push the pace, jump into the rush and create offense.
That kind of freedom only works if there’s a partner who can stay back, cover ground and keep things organized when the play opens up. Bahl has already shown he can handle that job.
He knows what kind of player Nemec is, too.
“I think he’s going to be a really solid puck-mover,” Bahl said when he was asked about his defence partner. “(He’s got a) high-end hockey sense, obviously jumping up in the rush and he’s got playmaking ability. Those are the kinds of things you’re definitely going to be watching for.
“I think he’s going to be a really well-rounded player and I think throughout the season he’s going to get great opportunities and progress in the role.”
The workload figures to be heavy. Bahl and Nemec will likely see plenty of matchups against opposing teams’ top lines, with Nemec handling power-play duties and Bahl serving as Calgary’s top option on the penalty kill.
In Other News...
Flames Fans Finally Get A First Look At Conroys Biggest Additions
The long wait for a first real look at Calgarys offseason overhaul ends Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, when the Flames dress Simon Nemec, Jake Middleton and Maxim Tsyplakov for a preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks. All three arrived in separate summer moves, with Nemec and Tsyplakov coming over from the New Jersey Devils in a deal built around draft picks and a prospect, and Middleton landing from the Minnesota Wild, giving fans their first chance to see how the new pieces fit into the roster.
The early alignment offers an immediate hint at how the Flames view the additions. Nemec is slated for the top defensive pairing, Middleton is expected to settle into a second-pair role, and Tsyplakov should get a look on the fourth line, with both Nemec and Tsyplakov also drawing second-unit power-play duty. Preseason lineups are never final, but this one should give Calgary a better sense of just how quickly the new arrivals can settle into the spots the team has mapped out for them. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Preseason Lineup Just Sent A Clear Message To Young Players
Calgarys first preseason game offered a pretty clear hint about where the roster stands heading into the fall. In a 4-2 loss to Seattle, the Flames iced a group with few established NHL regulars, a sign that the club is still sorting through its younger options and trying to see which players can handle bigger responsibilities before the games start to matter.
Ahead of the next matchup with Vancouver, a projected opening-night lineup has started to come into focus, and it includes names like Connor Zary and Samuel Honzek in prominent spots. The Flames have not officially locked anything in yet, but the expectation is that what shows up against the Canucks will look a lot closer to the group that opens the season, giving the younger players one more chance to show they belong in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Prospects Made Calgarys First Preseason Cut Feel A Lot Clearer
Calgarys first preseason cutdown felt a lot clearer after a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken in a game that was mostly about prospects and evaluation. Aydar Suniev was the obvious bright spot for the Flames, scoring both goals and generally looking like one of the most dangerous players on the ice, while Samuel Honzek and Jonathan Castagna also turned in encouraging nights in a lineup that gave the organization a fresh look at some of its younger talent.
Not every prospect helped his case, though, and that mattered just as much in a game like this. Hunter Brzustewicz and Matvei Gridin had quieter, less convincing outings, and several veterans were also largely invisible, which only sharpened the contrast between the players pushing to stay in the conversation and the ones who left the door a little more open for the next wave of cuts. [Read more 🡒]