Unlike in recent years, the Flames don’t have a major crop of pending unrestricted free agents going into the summer. Full of fringe NHLers or AHL tweeners, none of the Flames’ summer 2025 UFA group are must-sign players. As we get deeper into the offseason, Craig Conroy will have to make some tough calls on his UFA group to decide who is worth bringing back for next year and who the team should let walk.
Let’s break it down to get a better sense of what route the Flames should take with each of their pending UFAs.
Forwards
Anthony Mantha
The Flames’ most noteworthy free-agent signing in 2024, Anthony Mantha, barely got a chance to make an impression in Calgary before going down with a season-ending injury in November. Signed to be a fit alongside fellow Quebecer Johnathan Huberdeau and a potential trade chip at the deadline, Mantha lasted just 13 games into the 2024–25 season before landing on LTIR. It was a smart gamble at the time that just ran into some unfortunate luck.
With that said, the type of pump and dump signing that Mantha was just doesn’t make much sense as we go into the 2025–26 season. The Flames already have an incredibly crowded group on the wing with the likes of Matt Coronato, Adam Klapka, and Joel Farabee all joining the team in full-time capacities at different points this past season. If the Flames truly want to leave space for more youngsters in the lineup, letting Mantha walk is the only smart option. I don’t expect him to be back next season.
Justin Kirkland
One of the best stories of the Flames’ 2024–25 season, Justin Kirkland suffered a season-ending injury just like Mantha. A career AHLer, Kirkland found a home in the Flames’ bottom-six this year as a useful depth forward. Given the Flames’ complete lack of depth at centre and how little it will cost to retain Kirkland, I think a short-term deal to bring back Costco makes a lot of sense.
If he’s not able to recapture the same magic, you can easily bury him in the minors. If anything, Kirkland deserves a fully healthy season to prove he can be a full-time NHL player, and I have no problem with Calgary giving him a chance.
Dryden Hunt
One of the Wrangler’s top forwards in 2024–25, Dryden Hunt played just five games for the big club this past season after playing 28 in 2023–24. A useful AHL piece that can help the Flames in an emergency, Hunt wouldn’t be a bad veteran to bring back. He’d serve as a good veteran presence on what should be a young Wranglers team next year, and could play fourth-line minutes at the NHL level in a pinch. He should simply be a last resort, but not an option over younger, more promising players.
With that said, if Hunt wants a larger role and more chance of playing in the NHL, I’d hope the Flames let him find that opportunity elsewhere given the young talent they need room for next season.
Kevin Rooney
I’ll keep this one short. In no way, shape, or form should the Flames bring back Kevin Rooney. By both counting stats and underlying numbers, Rooney has been among the worst centres in the NHL over the past couple years in Calgary. With the likes of Sam Morton, William Stromgren, and Rory Kerins pushing for NHL jobs down the middle, it makes no sense to retain Rooney and block younger, better players from playing.
It’s time for Conroy to start prioritizing what’s best on the ice, not just in the room. Letting Rooney walk is a good step in that direction.
Defencemen
Joel Hanley
Joel Hanley reportedly drew interest at the trade deadline from contending teams, with Craig Conroy turning them away and telling them Hanley wasn’t for sale. It was a curious choice to make, considering Hanley was a waiver claim not long ago, but it points to how much the Flames value his veteran presence on the blueline.
With that said, I think the team is better off letting Hanley walk. The Flames are already set to employ the likes of Jake Bean, Daniil Miromanov, and Brayden Pachal next season. There’s no need to retain yet another bottom-pairing defender. With Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz pushing for NHL jobs, the Flames need to prioritize spots for them over retaining veterans like Hanley.
Tyson Barrie
Tyson Barrie’s signing was a questionable call from the moment it happened, and it pretty much immediately went downhill from there. Already loaded with bottom pairing options, the Flames picked up Barrie as a sort of reclamation project late into the 2024 offseason.
Unfortunately, it just never worked out for Barrie. He managed just 13 games as a Flame and spent most of his season in the press box or the AHL. Don’t expect Barrie to be back in Calgary next year.
Goaltenders
Dan Vladar
It was Dustin Wolf’s crease this season, pushing Dan Vladar into a pure backup role as the season went on. With that said, Vladar shined down the stretch and made his way back into the good books of many people. Wolf is the team’s locked-in starter next year, but he’s still incredibly young and will need a dependable veteran backup to help him get through the rough patches.
Given Vladar’s history with the organization, experience handling a starter’s workload at times, and strong play to close out the season, I think the Flames would be wise to bring Vladar back on a short-term deal. There really aren’t any options that stand out in the goaltending market this summer, making Vladar the best choice to once again backup Wolf, given his history with the organization.
