The Calgary Flames completed some important paperwork Monday, presenting qualifying offers to six pending restricted free agents — forwards Morgan Frost, Rory Kerins, Sam Morton and Connor Zary, plus defence prospects Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier. Read More
Morgan Frost and Connor Zary headlined Monday’s list, although there were no major surprises
Morgan Frost and Connor Zary headlined Monday’s list, although there were no major surprises
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The Calgary Flames completed some important paperwork Monday, presenting qualifying offers to six pending restricted free agents — forwards Morgan Frost, Rory Kerins, Sam Morton and Connor Zary, plus defence prospects Yan Kuznetsov and Jeremie Poirier.
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A qualifying offer ensures the team will retain their rights as the signing window opens, although they must still finalize new contracts with each.
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The Flames let the deadline pass on minor-league goaltenders Waltteri Ignatjew and Connor Murphy, meaning they will now look for work elsewhere. Ignatjew, the backup for the AHL’s Wranglers this past winter, is planning to return to Sweden.
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As he crossed a few items off his to-do list in the brief break between the NHL Draft and Tuesday’s free-agent frenzy, general manager Craig Conroy also inked depth forward Clark Bishop to a one-year, two-way extension that carries a cap hit of US$775,000. Bishop, 29, is captain of the Wranglers and also logged six appearances for the big club during the 2024-25 campaign.
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There probably wasn’t a whole lot of heated debate as Conroy & Co. determined who would receive qualifying offers.
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Frost and Zary are regulars in the Flames’ lineup and on the power-play unit, so it was a no-brainer to keep both around.
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Kerins was arguably the most pleasant surprise in the entire organization this past season, leading the farm team with 61 points, earning an invite to the AHL All-Star Classic and notching four assists in five games during his first career call-up.
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Morton, who was tapped for his NHL debut in Game 82 and made it extra special by scoring a goal that night, should compete for the Flames’ fourth-line centre job this fall.
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Kuznetsov is knocking on the door as a stay-at-home defenceman, while Poirier has plenty of offensive skill but must continue to hone his work in his own zone. Both Kuznetsov and Poirier are left-shots, which is the less crowded side of Calgary’s defensive depth chart.
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Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Flyers declined to submit a qualifying offer to Jakob Pelletier, who was the Flames’ first-round pick in 2019. Pelletier was traded to Philly in January as part of the swap that landed Joel Farabee and Frost at the Saddledome.