With Kevin Rooney (concussion) placed on Injured Reserve, Kirkland gets the opportunity to make his Flames debut. The 28-year-old Kirkland spent most of last season in the AHL, tallying 30 points (8G / 22A) in 43 games with the Tucson Roadrunners.
Rooney exited Wednesday's game against the Vancouver Canucks with only 1:03 time-on-ice after being on the receiving end of a hard hit by J.T. Miller. Last season, Rooney played 33 games with the Flames, tallying four points (3G / 1A), 29 blocks, and 65 hits.
With the departure of Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils, the Flames start the season with Vladar and Dustin Wolf as their two netminders. Vladar will get the first opportunity to make his case for the starting position in their season opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Vladar is coming off the worst season of his young career, posting a 3.62 GAA and .882 SV% in 20 games (8-9-2). The Flames enter action as +164 road underdogs against the Canucks.
The Flames took a tough blow in their preseason finale on Friday when Sharangovich exited the contest with a lower-body injury. Sharangovich was expected to start the 2024-25 campaign on the Flames' top line with Nazem Kadri and Andrei Kuzmenko after scoring an impressive 59 points (31G / 28A) in 82 games last season.
After a successful PTO in Calgary, the Flames have signed 13-year veteran Tyson Barrie to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. The 33-year-old is joining his fifth NHL franchise after putting up a goal, 15 points, 16 PIMS and a -10 plus/minus in 41 games with Nashville in 2023-24.
Basha was Calgary's 2024 2nd-round pick (41st overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flames on Sunday. The 18-year-old left-winger has already returned to Medicine Hat (WHL) for his fourth season of junior hockey this year after putting up 30 goals and 85 points as the Tigers third highest scorer in 63 games played in 2023-24.
Calgary solidified some of their offensive depth on Thursday after they re-signed former 1st-round pick (2019 - 26th overall) Jakob Pelletier to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800,000. The 23-year-old left-winger appeared in 13 games in 2023-24 and had a goal, three points, and nine SOG while averaging just 9:16 TOI/GP in a bottom-six role.
Calgary added to its defensive depth on Tuesday by bringing in both Tyson Barrie (PTO) and Jarred Tinordi on a one-year, two-way contract worth $800,000. Tinordi is a towering 6'6" defenseman entering his 10th NHL season with his seventh different team. In 52 games with Chicago in 2023-24, the 32-year-old had no goals, nine points, 64 PIMs and a -27 plus/minus.
The tallest forward in the NHL (6'8") has been signed by Calgary on Tuesday as they signed Adam Klapka to a one-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old towering right-winger made his NHL debut with the Flames in 2023-24 and had a goal, 19 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus while averaging just 6:46 TOI/GP.
Calgary shored up its defensive depth on Tuesday as they signed Yan Kuznetsov to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 22-year-old Russian defenseman was Calgary's 2020 2nd-round pick (50th overall) and made his NHL debut in 2023-24 but only appeared in one game. In 63 games played with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) last season, he had five goals and 13 points.
Wolf made a career-high 17 appearances in 2023-24 and earned himself a two-year, $1.7 million ($850,000 AAV) contract on Tuesday. The 23-year-old is expected to be heavily leaned upon in 2024-25 after Calgary traded Jakub Markstrom in the offseason and will look to improve apon his 7-7-1 record, 3.16 GAA and .893 SV% from last year. Wolf has been one of the steadiest and most impressive AHL goalies since 2021-22, posting a .922 SV% and higher in all four seasons and a league leading .932 SV5 in 2022-23.
Parekh was just selected in the 1st round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft (9th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Calgary. The 18-year-old puck moving defensemen had a sensational second OHL season with Saginaw in 2023-24, with 33 goals and 96 points in 66 games played.
The Flames signed Jonathan Aspirot to a one-year, two-way contract. Aspirot spent 2024 with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL), posting 33 points (6G / 27A) in 66 games. The 25-year-old undrafted defenseman will likely start 2025 with the Wranglers.
After making his NHL debut at the ripe age of 27 in 2023-24, Devin Cooley has earned himself a two-year, $1.55M contract ($775K AAV) from the Calgary Flames. The Californian netminder appeared in six games for San Jose at the end of the 2023-24 season, posting a 2-3-1 record, 4.98 GAA and a .870 SV%.
Calgary has signed one of the league's hardest shooters Martin Frk on a one-year, two-way deal on Monday. The 30-year-old right-winger returns to North America after last playing in the NHL for Los Angeles in 2021-22 and spending 2023-24 with SC Bern (NL) and SC Rapperswil-Jona (NL).
Fresh off of a Stanley Cup victory, role-player Ryan Lomberg has earned himself a two-year contract worth $4.0 million ($2.0M AAV) with the Calgary Flames. The undrafted 29-year-old has never surpassed more than 20 points in a season and closed out 2023-24 with five goals, seven points, 80 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in 75 games played.
Jake Bean will join his third team in six NHL seasons on Monday as he signed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million ($1.75M AAV) with Calgary. The 26-year-old appeared in 72 games for Columbus in 2023-24 and had four goals, 13 points, 32 PIms and a -10 plus/minus.
