Hunt signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Flames in the offseason and will make his Calgary debut Tuesday as he replaces A.J. Greer in the lineup vs. the New York Rangers. The 27-year-old is entering his seventh NHL season with his sixth different team and has 15 goals and 43 points in 202 career games played. He is expected to draw into the Flames' fourth line for his debut.
Okhotyuk had yet to appear in any of the Sharks first three games and has now been loaned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) for a conditioning assignment. The 22-year-old defensive defensemen was acquired in 2022-23 in the deal that saw Timo Meier head to New Jersey. He had a goal, six SOG, two PIMs and a +1 plus/minus in 10 games last season with New Jersey.
Frost will be the surprising odd man out of the Flyers' lineup Tuesday vs. Vancouver a season after leading Phialdelphia in even strength points. The 24-year-old centre has failed to pick up a point in any of the Flyers' first two games and only has two SOG and a -1 plus/minus while averaging 13:57 TOI. He willl make way to Bobby Brink (healthy scratch) returning to Philadelphia's lineup Tuesday.
Prosvetov provides some much-needed organizational goaltending depth for Colorado, especially with the immediate health of Pavel Francouz (groin) being uncertain. Prosvetov has played most of the last four seasons for the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL but has seen some NHL action over that time as well. Last season, he played seven games (4-3-0) for the Arizona Coyotes, recording a 3.98 GAA and .880 SV%. With Justus Annunen being assigned to the AHL, it appears that Prosvetov will begin the season as the Avalanche backup goalie.
Klapka had a shot to make Calgary's opening night roster but has unfortunately been re-assigned to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) to start the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old has yet to make his NHL debut after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022-23. He returns to the Wranglers where he had 13 goals, 12 assists, 80 PIMs, and a +1 plus/minus in 60 games during his inaugural AHL season in 2022-23.
Backlund had 19 goals, 37 assists, 36 PIMs, 260 SOG, and a +24 plus/minus in 82 games in 2022-23 with Calgary and has signed a two-year contract extension worth $9.0 million ($4.5 million AAV). Along with the new contract, Backlund has been announced as the Flames' 21st Captain in team history. The 34-year-old centre is entering his 16th NHL season as a Flame and has 185 goals, 492 points and a +66 plus/minus in 908 career NHL games played.
Miromanov last appeared for the Golden Knights on December 31st, 2022 after he was forced to miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season with a lower-body injury and will be out long-term to start the 2023-24 campaign. The 26-year-old defenseman appeared in 14 games last season and picked up two goals, four assists, 22 SOG, two PIMs and a -6 plus/minus prior to his injury.
Frost had 19 goals, 27 assists, 155 SOG, 24 PIMs, and a -12 plus/minus through 81 games in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $4.2 million extension ($2,100,00 AAV). The 24-year-old took a big leap forward last season after never averaging more than 14 ATOI as he bumped his totals to 16:20 TOI and played 26 more games than his previous high. After being drafted in the 1st round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft (27th overall) Frost has amassed 26 goals, 69 points, 271 SOG, and 42 PIMS across 158 games and five four seasons.
Bahl had two goals, six assists, 27 SOG, 35 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 42 games in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $2.1 million contract extension ($1,050,000 AAV). The towering 23-year-old defenseman was Arizona's 2018 second-round pick (55th overall) and will be entering his fourth season in New Jersey in 2023-24. Through his previous three, he has three goals, 11 assists, 48 SOG and 45 PIMs through 66 career games played.
Honzek was the Flames 2023 1st round selection (16th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract worth $950,000. The 18-year-old forward had 23 goals, 33 assists, 16 PIMs and a +17 plus/minus through 43 games with Vancouver (WHL) in 2022-23.
Provestov was 4-3-0 with a .880 SV% and 3.98 GAA in 2022-23 with Arizona and has now signed a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000 AAV with the Coyotes. The 24-year-old netminder was Arizona's fourth-round pick in 2018 (114th overall) and has struggled throughout three seasons in Arizona as he has a 4-6-1 record, 4.07 GAA and .871 SV% across 13 total games played.
Kirkland appeared in seven games for Anaheim in 2022-23 but failed to pick up a point while getting five SOG and a -3 plus/minus and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV with Arizona. The 26-year-old centre was a third-round pick in 2014 (62nd overall) with Nashville and made his NHL debut last season and has therefore not picked up a point yet in his career.
Pospisil was a fourth-round pick of the Flames in 2018 and he has played exclusively for their AHL team. In 2023, he finished the season with 10 points (4G / 6A) in just 20 games.
The 2023 season was a whirlwind for Hunt. He started the season with the Rangers, was claimed off of waivers by the Avalanche, traded to the Maple Leafs and then traded to the Flames. He finished the season with three goals in 37 NHL games and 24 points (9G / 15A) in 32 AHL games between the four franchises. He'll once again be a fringe NHLer for the Flames in 2024.
Cooley went 15-8-2 with a 2.93 GAA and .909 SV% in 26 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) in 2022-23. For the 2023-24 season, expect Cooley and Dustin Tokarski to handle most of the AHL duties for the Sabres.
Hanley had two assists, 14 SOG, 15 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 26 games with Dallas in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract extension worth $1.575 million ($787.5K AAV). The 32-year-old defensemen has spent the last five seasons in Dallas and has two goals, 24 points, 33 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 151 career games played.
Pachal had two assists, 18 SOG, eight PIMs and a +2 plus/minus through 10 games in 2022-23 with Vegas and has signed a two-year, $1.55 Million contract extension ($775,000 AAV). The 23-year-old defenseman was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Golden Knights originally, and has played in 12 NHL games since.
Sharangovich was acquired on Tuesday as a part of the trade that sent Tyler Toffoli to the Devils. The 25-year-old forward saw his role diminish last season, and his offensive output drop as a result. In Calgary, he should serve as a middle-6 winger with 25-25 upside.
