The Calgary Flames have made the rare March free agent signing as they’ve inked 24-year-old Finnish goaltender Waltteri Igntjew to a one-year, two-way contract worth $870,000. The plan right now is for Ignatjew to come over to North America next season.
Who is Waltteri Ignatjew
Ignatjew is an undrafted 24-year-old Finnish goaltender who has thus far spent his entire hockey career playing in Europe. He stands at 6’3″ and 198 pounds. This most recent season, Ignatjew played for Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden, the second-highest league in the country behind the SHL.
Across 45 games he posted a 26–18–0 record along with a .918 save percentage and 2.34 GAA. He also skated in 12 playoff games, posting a 6–6–0 record, .918 save percentage and 2.16 GAA helping lead his team to the semi-finals of the HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs.
Following the season he was named the HockeyAllsvenskan Goaltender of the Year.
Where Ignatjew fits in
With the signing of Ignatjew, the Flames will now have four professional goaltenders under contract next year in Jacob Markstrom, Dan Vladar, Dustin Wolf (who is a pending restricted free agent), and Ignatjew. Current Wranglers starter Oskar Dansk will be an unrestricted free agent following the season. The Wranglers also have goaltender Connor Murphy in the mix as well who was signed to an AHL deal last summer and has had a very strong year in the AHL this season.
This really seems like a move to ensure the Wranglers have more options between the pipes next year as the Flames plan to have Wolf in the NHL full-time in 2024–25. With both Murphy and Dansk not under contract for next season, this ensures they have a goalie locked in for next year.
In terms of the NHL ramifications, it certainly seems like one of Markstrom or Vladar will be on their way out this summer. If the Flames are making moves already to shore up the AHL depth chart to fill in for Wolf, it means they plan on having him in the NHL full-time. You’re not carrying three NHL goaltenders next year, meaning one of the veterans will likely be traded in the summer to ensure Wolf gets regular NHL minutes.
