The Calgary Flames free agency portion of the off-season has yet to truly get underway, as they have added just two players in Jordan Oesterle and Brady Lyle, but now, it appears the Calgary Wranglers are getting in on the action, as they have today announced the signing of four players, with the re-signing of a key 2022-23 player.
Firstly is Alex Gallant, the 30-year old who has spent the past four seasons with the Stockton Heat/Calgary Wranglers, scoring just 10 goals and adding 12 assists over that time, and while he’s clearly not a prolific scorer, he brings a great veteran presence to this organization.
The @AHLWranglers have inked 5⃣ players to contracts!@PlayAlbertaCA | https://t.co/9w36yc2cRx
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 5, 2023
Next up is a pair of goaltenders as the team look to life after Dustin Wolf, as he is expected to make his way to the NHL in 2023-24 as a backup to Jacob Markstrom, and with Oscar Dansk expected to take the starting role, with Connor Murphy and Matt Radomsky locked in. Murhpy, a 24-year old goalie spent his past two seasons at Union College, and while his numbers dropped off in the past year, his 2021-22 season showed that he could be an effective goaltender as he posted a 2.66 GAA with a .919 save percentage. Radomsky is also 24-years of age and spent the 2022-23 season at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, and in 34 games, he posted a 2.05 GAA with a .916 save percentage, so it’s safe to say this could be a fun battle for the backup role.
Lastly is two skaters in forward Mark Duarte and defenceman Jarrod Gourley who aim to add depth and potential to an already talented young squad that are looking to replace Matthew Phillips and potentially the likes of Connor Zary in 2023-24. Duarte spent the last three years in the OHL, with a career year in 2022-23 as he tallied 20 goals and 28 assists for 48 points in 65 games played, and standing at over 6 feet tall at just 20-years of age, he’s got plenty of potential. Gourley is the only player signed today that has experience at the AHL level, as he has played 12 games with the Utica Comets, but with the Wranglers lack of depth defensively, he could find his way into a significant role.
So what do you think Flames fans? Are these some good pickups for the Wranglers? Will you be checking out the AHL squad again in 2023-24? Which Wranglers are you excited about for the future of the Flames? As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below.