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Calgary Flames Sign Michael Frolik to Five Year Contract

By Ken MacMillan

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The Calgary Flames started the day by re-signing goaltender Karri Ramo to a one year deal with a $3.8 million dollar cap hit. The Flames have landed a big fish up front now as TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie is reporting that the Flames have signed Michael Frolik to a five year contract with a $4.3 million cap hit.

The right winger played for the Winnipeg Jets for the past two seasons, scoring 19 goals and 42 points this season. The Czech Republic native scored 15 goals and 42 points in 2013-14 and has been a consistent two way threat throughout his career with the Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks.

Frolik began his NHL career in 2008-09 after being drafted in the first round with the 10th overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. He scored 21 goals and 45 points as a rookie and followed that up with 21 goals and 42 points in his second season.

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Frolik’s offensive totals were down in his two and a half season stint with the Blackhawks, but he was asked to play a more defensive role on the third line, and really helped the team on the penalty kill. he wasn’t a core piece of the Hawks roster, but his two way game and added depth helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2013. Frolik chipped in ten points in 23 games en route to his championship.

Frolik is only 27 years old, meaning this signing not only makes the Flames better going into next season,  but he fits in with the long term plans of the franchise. There is no secret that the Flames are looking to build a team around young forwards, Johnny Gaudreau who is 21, Sean Monahan who is 20 and Sam Bennett who recently turned 19.

Frolik is a few years older than the young core, but like Dougie Hamilton who is just 22, has many strong seasons left in him and will fit long term. Frolik plays an exceptional two way game and putting him on a second line with Mikael Backlund and Sam Bennett will give the Flames an elite top six. The top line of Monahan, Gaudreau and Jiri Hudler was one of the highest scoring lines in hockey last season, but didn’t have a lot of support behind them.

With Bennett graduating from the Ontario Hockey League late in the season last year, and now Frolik brought in to also play on the second line, the Flames have an incredible amount of young depth on their top two lines.

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