The Flames got some much-needed good news this week. Jeremie Poirier posted a video on his Instagram story skating and shooting the puck on the Saddledome ice. In the corner was a GIF hinting that he would be back soon.
This is enormous progress for Poirier, who started the season with seven points in his first four games, but even more important for the Flames, who desperately need their defenceman back for their depth.
What happened to Jeremie Poirier?
After putting up 41 points last season as a rookie in the AHL, Poirier was primed for a huge season in his second year. And he did not disappoint, putting up a goal and six assists in his first four games. However, he suffered a nasty laceration injury, getting clipped in the arm by a skate blade.
This looked like a deep laceration, with the team listing him out indefinitely. There has been little of news on Poirier—aside from incredible fits on his Instagram stories—until now. Poirier looked like he was in excellent shape, shooting and skating with ease. It seems like he is very close to returning.
A welcome return to add defensive depth
While this is great for the Calgary Wranglers, who are no doubt excited to have their blueliner back, it is bigger news for the Flames, who are desperately in need of depth. The team has reactivated Dennis Gilbert from the IR, which is great news, but the options in the AHL are not many. Beyond Ilya Solovyov, Mark Pysyk, and Yan Kuznetsov, the Wranglers do not have many other options that can play at the NHL level.
The team has also lost Nick DeSimone on waivers to the New Jersey Devils, and will likely need an upgrade on Jordan Oesterle, who has struggled at the NHL level.
Beyond that, the team has few options that can slot in higher than the bottom pair. Solovyov, Gilbert, and Kuznetsov are all likely bottom-pair blueliners at this point, and all three play a defence-first game with little offensive upside beyond the occasional bomb from the point.
Poirier provides something completely different. Aside from having a strong two-way game (that he has worked on since his time in the QMJHL), he also has exceptional hands along with great speed to his game. He projects to be a power play quarterback at the NHL level, and someone who slots in likely as a top or second pairing player.
The Flames’ blueline is likely to look very different come the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin are likely to be on new teams by then, and the Flames will need to have bodies who can fill those roles. Barring them getting NHL defencemen back, the Flames will want to try some of their prospects in those roles, and Poirier is far and away the most exciting.
What comes next for Poirier and the Flames?
Poirier is still skating on his own and has not rejoined the Wranglers as a full participant at practice. This still means he is still some time away from being back on the ice with the team. He likely needs some more time with the team before he is ready for gameplay.
However, once he is back in the AHL, he likely will play a handful of games before earning a call-up. The NHL Trade Deadline is March 8, which is just over a month away. Optimally, Poirier is ready to play NHL games by that point. That would give him about three weeks to get back to game fitness, playing about a week or two in the AHL before earning a call-up.
This timeframe feels reasonable given normal injury timelines, and it seems reasonable to expect Poirier to be back on the ice soon. If all works out perfectly, we could even see Poirier in the NHL, and the Flames will be better for it.
Photo from @AHLWranglers on Twitter.
