Fans who were tuned into the Calgary Flames game on Thursday (Jan. 25) versus the Columbus Blue Jackets were forced to watch A.J. Greer go hard into the boards and suffer what at the time appeared to be a devastating ankle injury. The 27-year-old immediately went down in a heap and needed the assistance of his teammates to get down the tunnel.
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It has since been revealed that Greer will miss roughly eight weeks with a fractured left foot. Though by no means a superstar talent, he has excelled in a fourth-line role for the Flames this season. When at his best, he brings plenty of physicality to the lineup, and has also provided some secondary scoring. His absence will hurt the Flames, though it will also make way for some others to step up and make an impression while he is out. Here are three who could benefit from that opportunity.
Adam Klapka
Flames fans were quite excited last week when it was announced that Adam Klapka was being called up to the NHL for the first time in his career. The 6-foot-8 winger has shown during his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) that he can put the puck in the net, but his biggest asset, unsurprisingly, is his size. He isn’t afraid to throw his body around whenever he is on the ice and is an extremely intimidating presence.
With the All-Star break now underway for the Flames, they re-assigned Klapka to the AHL so he can get some games in while the team is off. Though not guaranteed, it is likely that once the Flames return to action, he will be called back up. Assuming that is the case, he will have a great opportunity to make an impression on Ryan Huska and the rest of the Flames’ coaching staff.
Walker Duehr
The 2023-24 season has been a rough one for Walker Duehr. After an impressive 27-game stint to close out 2022-23, he was signed to a two-year extension, solidifying his spot in the bottom six. His spot in the lineup was quickly lost, however, as he struggled early in the year and started getting healthy scratched often as a result.
Duehr wound up being assigned to the AHL recently, but was recalled after just one week. He proved last season that at his best he has plenty of the same attributes as Greer, as he can put up decent offensive numbers, but more importantly is a very physical player. He will have a chance to change the narrative of his season over the next two months.
Martin Pospisil
Martin Pospisil has been out of the lineup since suffering an undisclosed injury on Jan. 18 versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, but is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break has wrapped up. The 24-year-old has had a solid rookie season with the Flames, though his play had slowed down in recent weeks prior to his injury.
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With Greer out, Pospisil will be relied upon to help make up for the loss of Greer, as he has proven to be a very physical presence throughout his first 32 career NHL games. The issue will be remaining healthy, as he has struggled with that throughout his first few seasons as a pro.
Flames Pushing for Playoff Spot
While these three players will have plenty of motivation to step up and help make up for Greer’s absence, they will also be doing everything they can to help put the Flames back in the playoff picture. Thanks to their 1-0 win on Saturday (Jan. 27) versus the Chicago Blackhawks, they sit five points shy of the Nashville Predators for a wild-card spot. If they can hit the ground running upon their return, they can get right back in the hunt in the near future.
