Calgary Flames extend F Martin Pospisil for 2 years, $2 million
The Calgary Flames retained a promising rookie Wednesday evening by inking forward Martin Pospisil to a 2-year, $2 million extension.
MARTY PARTY!
The #Flames have signed Martin Pospisil to a two-year contract extension: https://t.co/tGNu3jwx3c pic.twitter.com/4KTPJEw9gF
Pospisil has quickly become a fan favorite in Calgary for his willingness to throw the body and spirited play at either end of the ice.
The 24-year-old Slovakian paces the Flames in hits (87) despite having played in just 37 games because of an upper-body ailment that kept him out of action from January 20 until last night’s contest against the Boston Bruins.
The former 4th-round selection has been rewarded on offense for his high-energy play with 4 goals and 11 points and began Tuesday’s 4-1 road victory flanking Calgary’s top offensive producer Nazem Kadri (15G, 42P in 50GP) alongside fellow rookie standout Connor Zary.
Later in the game, officials assessed Pospisil a 5-minute major and match penalty for running Bruins captain Brad Marchand. The league announced today he will receive no further punishment.
Martin Pospisil gets a five-minute major and a game misconduct for cross-checking Brad Marchand. pic.twitter.com/lLjXvS1jYi
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 7, 2024Pospisil and Zarry figure to contribute to the Flames’ plans long-term, especially given the former’s new extension, but Calgary is not yet out of the playoff hunt in the here and now.
Strong campaigns from Kadri, veteran centerman Blake Coleman (40P, +22 in 50GP), and resurgent netminder Jakob Markstrom (2.55 GAA, .913SV%) have kept Calgary in the hunt for the last wildcard despite having traded Nikita Zadorov earlier in the season and All-Star representative Elias Lindholm over the break.
The Flames are just 3 points adrift of the eighth seed, and a strong showing in Boston could lift their spirits for the second half of an up-and-down year under new coach Ryan Huska.
Calgary will return to action tomorrow night at 7 pm ET to try to run their nascent win streak to three away from home against an equally desperate New Jersey Devils outfit.