Calgary Flames Tender Qualifying Offer To 12 Players

The Calgary Flames had until today to tender a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agents and announced this evening that 12 players have received their qualifying offers from the club.

A qualifying offer is an contract offer that matches a player’s salary from the previous year, except players who earned less than a million dollars last season, these players are due a raise of 5-10 percent. The Flames had 15 RFA’s, are chose to let three of them walk, while retaining the other 12.

The 12 players that were given a qualifying offer will remain a member of the Flames organization until they either accept the offer, agree to a new contract or accept an offer sheet from another franchise.

More from Calgary Flames News

The Flames have given offers to Dougie Hamilton, Lance Bouma, Josh Jooris, Micheal Ferland, Drew Shore, David Wolf, Bryce van Brabant, Kenny Agostino, Paul Byron, Max Reinhart, Bill Arnold and Turner Elson. The three players who did not receive an offer and will now become unrestricted free agents on July 1 are Sena Acolatse, Ben Hanowski and John Ramage.

Hamilton was recently acquired from the Boston Bruins for a trio of draft picks and will surely come to terms on a new long term contract with the Flames in the coming days. He has just turned 22 and is coming off a season where he scored ten goals and 32 assists for 42 points in 72 games. He is a budding superstar on the blue line and will likely be earning $6 million for the next several seasons.

Bouma is coming off a breakout season where he scored 16 goals and 34 points in 78 games and proved to be a valuable member of the penalty kill. He earned $775,000 last year so his qualifying offer is worth $813,750, but I’m guessing he is looking for a little more after finishing fourth among Flames forwards in points last season. I doubt he accepts the offer as it would also only be one year, but looks for something longer term and will a higher cap hit. My guess if Bouma eventually signs a three year deal at $1.75 million per year.

Apr 23, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Calgary Flames forward Josh Jooris (86) reaches for the puck against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller (30) during the second period in game five of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Jooris had a solid rookie season, though he was not expected to make the team, he cracked the lineup out of camp and scored 12 goals and 24 points in 60 games. He made $925,000 last season and his qualifying offer is worth $971.250 for next season. His spot in the lineup for next year is not guaranteed, with prospects graduating and battling him for ice time so I would suggest Jooris accepts his one year deal and tries to prove he is worth a longer term contract.

Micheal Ferland burst onto the scene with the Flames, especially in the playoffs last year. He was back and forth between the AHL and NHL, scoring five points in 26 games. He proved himself in the playoffs to be a valuable energy player in the bottom of the lineup and chipped in five points in nine games. His offer is worth $837,375, but I’m guessing the Flames sign the 23 year old to a two year deals at $1.25 million.

Drew Shore was the only other Flames RFA to play in the NHL at all last season, suiting up for 57 games and scoring 19 points. The 26 year old will likely accept his one year qualifying offer at $660,000 and become a UFA next summer.

Wolf, Van Brabant, Agostino, Reinhart, Arnold and Elson all played in the AHL last season and will surely sign their qualifying offers over the next few weeks. As for Hanowski, Acolatse and Ramage they were obviously expendable and not developing enough to be kept around in the organization.

More from Flame for Thought

Home/Calgary Flames News