It’s been nearly two weeks since free agency first kicked off, but there are still a number of solid NHLers waiting to find a home. While many teams have been active on the free-agent market, the Calgary Flames have not been one, signing only Jordan Oesterle thus far.
Related: 5 Flames’ Prospects Ready to Make the Jump to the NHL
Whether or not extensions are able to be worked out with Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, and Noah Hanifin will drastically change which path management chooses to go down in terms of contending or rebuilding. Regardless, they could benefit from adding an unrestricted free agent (UFA) or two. Here are five they could consider.
Ethan Bear
In a rather surprising decision, the Vancouver Canucks chose not to qualify Ethan Bear, making him a UFA. The 26-year-old has proven to be a capable top-six defender during his time with the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, and the Canucks, but has yet to find a long-term home.
Bear would provide the Flames with a right-handed option on the back end which could help replace the recently retired Michael Stone. In 61 games with the Canucks this past season, he scored three goals and 16 points while averaging 18:32 in ice time per contest.
Jesse Puljujarvi
Another intriguing player who didn’t receive a qualifying offer and is now a UFA is Jesse Puljujarvi. The fourth-overall pick from the 2016 Draft has seen his value drop in drastic fashion over the past year and may not have much leash left when it comes to NHL opportunities. That said, he is extremely talented, and perhaps the retooling Flames could help him discover his potential.
One concern that would need to be addressed before signing Puljujarvi is his health. The 25-year-old was recently forced to undergo double hip surgery and is said to be facing a rather lengthy recovery. That said, if his recovery is successful and he is able to go at any point later this year, he could be worth a gamble for the Flames as a reclamation project.
Matt Dumba
Though Matt Dumba is far more proven than the two players mentioned above, his inconsistent play in recent seasons has resulted in him waiting on the free-agent market much longer than he would have liked. A reunion for the Calgary native and Flames could make sense for a number of reasons, one being that he too, is a right-shot on the back end.
At his best, Dumba is a top-four defenceman who can provide offence and tons of physicality. He can be prone to big mistakes at inopportune times, but assuming he gets signed to a cheap deal, those could be tolerated given the positives he can bring. The soon-to-be 29-year-old averaged over 21 minutes in ice time this past season.
Jesper Boqvist
Yet another on this list who failed to receive a qualifying offer is Jesper Boqvist. The 24-year-old has spent parts of the past four seasons with the New Jersey Devils, during which time he racked up 28 goals and 55 points in 70 games. He spent the entire 2022-23 season in the NHL, scoring 10 goals and 21 points.
While he hasn’t discovered his offensive touch in the NHL yet, Boqvist has shown that ability both in the American Hockey League and Swedish Hockey League. He may be worth a flier for a team that recently took a chance on another Devil who has potential but has yet to put it all on display in Yegor Sharangovich.
Nick Ritchie
One familiar face the Flames could bring in for the 2023-24 season is Nick Ritchie. The 27-year-old closed out the 2022-23 campaign in Calgary after being acquired along with Troy Stecher at the trade deadline. While he didn’t exactly tear it up offensively, he managed to find the back of the net four times in 16 games, which is a 21-goal pace over a full 82-game schedule.
Along with secondary scoring, Ritchie brings somewhat of a physical edge thanks to his 6-foot-3, 236-pound frame. Though he can be frustratingly inconsistent at times, he has some great skill in tight and wouldn’t be a terrible option on a contract that figures to be around league minimum.
PTOs Remain an Option
While the players above would all likely perform at levels above the contracts they will get, the Flames may be able to nab one or two of them on professional tryout offers if that is the route they’d prefer to go. This would allow for more competition in training camp while giving them more flexibility from a cap perspective. It doesn’t just have to be one of these five, either, as there are still plenty of other intriguing players that remain on the free-agent market.