It didn’t take long for Yegor Sharangovich to impress Calgary Flames fans last season. Many had originally questioned his acquisition, believing the Flames had given up too much in Tyler Toffoli. Their opinions changed shortly after the season began thanks to some great play from the New Jersey Devils castoff.
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Sharangovich established himself as one of the Flames’ biggest offensive threats last season, posting career highs of 31 goals and 59 points. His shot is a lethal one, which fans expected to continue terrorizing goalies for years to come. General manager Craig Conroy seemingly thought the same, signing him to a five-year, $28.75 million deal in July.
The signing was a bit of a risk considering Sharangovich’s struggles throughout his tenure with the Devils, but seemed to be a reasonable bet in the eyes of most at the time the two sides put pen to paper. Unfortunately, things have changed since.
Sharangovich Struggling in Year Two
The Devils were fine parting ways with Sharangovich due to his inconsistencies. They understood he was incredibly skilled, as he proved on many occasions throughout his three seasons in the organization.
The problem with Sharangovich is that he can go into dry spells offensively. Many players across the league are prone to the same lows at times, but the difference is that most of them find other ways to contribute. That isn’t the case for Sharangovich, who is far from a physical player and tends to be a defensive liability. When he’s in an offensive rut, he’s a tough player to give consistent minutes to.
The Flames are experiencing that right now, as he’s managed just six goals and 10 points through 25 games. There aren’t many signs that point towards him turning things around, as he has just one point in his last nine contests.
It’s far too soon to give up on Sharangovich, as he showed last season what he can do when he’s at his best. Fans will have to simply sit back and hope this isn’t a sign of what’s to come, as this contract could get ugly if things don’t improve. The deal won’t officially kick in until the 2025-26 season, and runs through 2029-30.
Flames May Have Been Better to Trade Sharangovich
Immediately after his impressive 2023-24 season, Flames fans began discussing whether it would be better to re-sign Sharangovich or sell him while his value was high. The Flames went with the former, and may soon regret that decision, if they don’t already.
Considering the stats he put up last season, there would have been interest from several teams. He’s just 26 years old and is currently on a deal that pays him $3.1 million. The Flames could have easily picked up a high draft pick in return for him, and likely grabbed a prospect as well, both of which would be beneficial in their goal of becoming a contender in the coming years.
Early Injury Hasn’t Helped
In defence of Sharangovich, his season started off on the wrong foot before it actually began, as he suffered a lower-body injury in exhibition play that caused him to miss the Flames’ first seven games of the season. That seemed to put him behind the eight ball from the get-go. Had he remained healthy and been in the lineup for the Flames’ opening game of the 2024-25 season, he may be producing to the level he did a year ago.
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As frustrating as Sharangovich’s play has been to Flames fans, they have been taking it easy on him, partially because they know how much this team needs him. Despite their solid 15-11-6 record, they cannot score goals, as evidenced by Jonathan Huberdeau’s team-leading 22 points. Getting last season’s version of Sharangovich won’t solve all their offensive troubles, but it would help tremendously for a team that has scored just 84 times this season, a mark that is 28th among all 32 NHL teams.
